Day Eleven

Last night was not good as we were a bit cold in the room and it was strangely noisy with dogs and cement mixers. We met Kinley just before 9am to 'finish off' the sights of Thimpu. The plan was to start at the painting school, but the pupils were still in assembly, so we walked round the corner to the Folk Heritage Museum, but this was closed until 11am. As we walked back to the car we noticed that the students at the National Institute for Zorig Chusum (Painting School) were on their way to the classrooms; so we visited their exhibition, first. There were some wonderful figures from the festivals, as well as dolls in East Bhutan costume. Then we went to visit the classrooms where they were working on wood carving, metal work, drawing, painting, embroidery, weaving and sculpting. There was also a room where they were selling clothes made in the tailoring school. There were a couple of really beautiful jackets - one turquoise and gold, one with an elephant on the back, but these were not for sale. Soon it was time to move on, and as the museum was still closed, we made our way to the Post Office, where we visited the Philatelic room. Hundreds of stamps are on display, commemorating everything under the sun. We bought two sets - the National Emblems and the Traditional Dancers. From here we drove round the corner to the government handicraft emporium, which is a non-governmental organisation? It has many high quality crafts for sale. Here we found the lovely yak hair hats from Sakteng called shamo . We bought a small chilli pot made from rhododendron wood as we had been served honey in one this morning. Kinley recommended a CD of music for us. Now we could go to the N FH Museum. This was the Chief of the area's house, historically. It has been restored and is furnished as it would have been in the early 1900s. It was immensely interesting, not least as we discovered what the usual toilet arrangements were. At the top of the house, 3rd floor, there was the sleeping room and the altar room, where important guests would stay. Just off here was a small wooden room, built out from the building. An oblong box, fitted with a lid served as the private, only for guests, toilet. There was a wooden 'pipe' leading down to a pit at ground level. The family did not use this, but used the public toilet in the village as did all the inhabitants. There is access up a ladder to the roof, and a cooler, breezy area where grass was dried for winter fodder, among other things. Kinley told us that as a boy it was fun to sleep up there in the summer. Looking down we could see a traditional hot stone bath in the garden. At the other side, they had planted out the grounds with small crop fields, mostly potatoes. There was also a grinding wheel powered by water, the water then went on to turn the prayer wheel. This was a very interesting visit. The morning was gone, so we headed for the Conifer Restaurant for lunch. Alan was pleased to have fish and mince curry with his red rice and noodles. There was also potato datse, mixed veg and some tomato and cucumber salad. A minute square of cream caramel finished the meal. Tea and coffee was served, the latter being almost undrinkable according to Alan.
This afternoon we were able to visit Trashi Chhoe Dzong. This is not only the Dzong of Thimpu, but also the seat of government. The King has his offices in one of the buildings and ministries are scattered around outside. As we approached, it was hats off because we could see the national flag and we could only take photos of the dzong - not to the right as the King and the Royal Family are in temporary residence in the large assembly hall to the right. The Royal Palace, a bit up in the hills, is being renovated for the new king who took over from his father in January. Dad is just retired and is still 'on hand' to give the fifth king advice if needs be. The first entrance we passed was for the King and his ministers, we lesser mortals are allowed in at the second entrance, where Kinley registered us and we walked through an airport style security gate. Alan and I set it off with our camera bags, but no-one batted an eyelid. Kinley led us up a flight of stairs and as we turned the corner a vast courtyard comes into view. Opposite us was a long line of prayer wheels, the longest we've seen, and the buildings seem very large. To the right is the main temple housing a two storey high statue of Sakyamuna, the Historical Buddha. We entered, to discover that there is a renovation taking place, not as extensive as at Gantey Goempa, but still impressive. The artisans were busy painting pillars and temple furniture, with coloured and gold paints. We came out into the sunshine and crossed the huge courtyard where they hold the Thimpu Festival to take a look in the Lhakhang Sarpa with its many carvings. Upstairs we found two monks, one washing small brass cups; the other making butter sculptures like the monk at Bumthang. Out in the courtyard again, Kinley explained how the two Thondrols are raised up the side of this building and the huge utse (tower) at the festival. Each meter they are raised, the trumpets are sounded. He says it is very impressive. Three young monks came walking across the courtyard and we took their photographs, and then showed them. They were quite amused. Then we were on our way again, walking back to the car, admiring the rose beds. As we had finished, we thought we would go back to the hotel, but Kinley and Tsering decided to take us up to a small nunnery, which had suffered in a fire four years ago. It had been rebuilt, but we couldn't really get in to see anything, so back in the car, we took a roundabout route back. Then we were stopped as the road was closed. As we had to turn back, I asked if we could go back up the hill to a house with an interesting mural, much to K and T's amusement. They explained that the dragon was for prosperity and the penis was for fertility. We had seen several of these all over the country on all sorts of houses. It is just normal in Bhutan. At last we got back to the hotel, made arrangements for the morning and bade farewell to Kinley. We learned that he is an avid Manchester United fan and there was a match on the television!
We took our stuff upstairs, then got organised to go out into town. In the square the fair was in full swing again. We walked up the steps and along to the police traffic control roundabout. A left turn took us up to some steps, and there in front of us is the Swiss Bakery. Why not pop in for a decent cup of coffee and a cake? The guide book highly recommends this cafe, established in 1970. It lived up to expectations, as we enjoyed excellent coffee, chocolate cake and chocolate éclair. Thus fortified we wandered around, first finding the Hong Kong market, not too exciting; located the Seasons Restaurant cum bar; then down to Mendayla Sweets, which sells Indian style sweets. We weren't too sure which shop it was, but nothing even came close to the wonderful shop in Guwahati. Close by we found a lovely little garden in a tiny space by the road. It was full of wild flowers as well as a lovely poppy. Back onto Norzin Lam, we wandered along up to World Music, opposite the Craft Emporium. Alan asked if they had any instrumental music - we were really looking for 'the yak song' Kinley had on his phone. Clearly we were in the wrong place as their music was all vocal and pop or film music. Still the helpful assistant suggested we try the shop in the Norling Centre. So back down the road again, and there the man showed and played us a CD of Bhutanese music played on traditional instruments - flute (lyem), lute (draymen) and yangchen - a 72 stringed instrument struck lightly with two thin bamboo sticks. This sounds lovely so we bought a copy; but still no ‘Song of the Yak’. More handicraft shops were scrutinised all along the road, but no more purchases.
Back at the Wangchuck Hotel, we ordered tea and sat in reception writing and reading. After, we went up to our room to sort out things ready for our walk tomorrow and also leaving for Paro. At 7.15 we got a call about dinner, only it wasn't clear what. Soon our friendly waiter came up asking us did we want dinner in the room - well, there's hardly room for that. So, we were asked to come for dinner at 7.30. When we appeared, it was obvious that we are the only takers, tonight. We ate dinner -very delicious, under the eagle eye of the dining room staff, who were waiting for us to eat and leave so they could go home. All a bit unnerving. Then we sat in reception again, finishing off this story.

Blue Poppy Tours and Treks

Day Ten

Today began early at 6.30 as the electricity came on. I had left my bedside light on when it went off last night. Still I switched it off and turned over - but no sleep, so another few pages of the book before getting up. A buffet breakfast with some cornflakes was a good start, and we met up with Kinley who had been able to stay in one of the ground floor rooms. So much for there being no room for us - suddenly there seems to be at least two vacant ones. Our first stop was the Black-necked Crane Centre. It is a circular building with big picture windows overlooking the marshy area where the cranes come to over-winter. They left in the middle of March. The Warden was very helpful and decided to show us the film about the cranes made about ten years ago, immediately as there was going to be a meeting in the room. The curtains were duly drawn and the video switched on. The film was excellent - well made and very informative. Since it was made, when numbers were declining, the cranes have made something of a comeback. Their numbers have increased from 106 in the early nineties to 370 in 2006/07. More information about the Black-necked Cranes can be found here. After our visit we had to start our long journey back to Thimpu.
Our first stop was to be the Dzong at Wangdi Phodrang. As we were leaving the valley, a hoopoe landed on the fence just beside the car, but flew off before either of us could take its picture. Then, we were held up by some men from the restoration project loading huge tree trunks on to one of the big Indian style trucks. Soon we were on our way again out of the valley; driving over a small pass, then down into the Wangdi area. We got to Wangdi at 12.15 and Kinley wanted us to have lunch, but it wasn't ready, so we went off to see the Dzong. This is very old - dating from 1638. It has suffered a lot from earthquakes; the last in 1897 has left it very unsafe. Kinley told us that plans were afoot for a complete renovation in the next few years. We went all the way inside to a great hall high up in the Dzong, with a fabulous view out over the bigger of the two rivers. We also stopped by the young monks’ study/hall/dining room where they had just been served butter tea and rice. As we were leaving, Alan and Kinley started talking to some young monks, one of whom had a bamboo ‘penny whistle’. He gave them a demonstration of how he played it and Kinley told us that this is how they start playing the flute for the ceremonies as they have to learn how to play without a break. Soon it was time to leave again, and we walked back up the hill to our restaurant for lunch. After our rather monotonous food in the Rinchenling, this was good - Alan had some chicken for a change; there was also peas, asparagus, baby courgettes, and warm toms, cucumber and apple salad.
Now we set off again, to find the bank where Alan could change some dollars. We drove round to the place where Kinley had gone to school - we think - and eventually found the bank, which closed at 1pm. Still, Kinley persuaded them to let Alan change the money, and after endless to-ing and fro-ing, he got some Niltrum. So we headed for the checkpoint, and we were soon on our way to Thimpu. A bit further along the way, we spotted a lone macaque in a tree, which we watched for a few minutes. Then it was the long climb out of the valley up to Dochu la and a cup of tea at the restaurant. Sadly the wonderful view we had had on the way to Wangdi was totally obscured by the smoke from the forest fire. But the tea was very refreshing. Kinley and Tsering had butter tea, made with cow's butter, not yak's. It smells just as it should - of tea with butter in it. At last we were in Thimpu, arriving about 5pm. Back to the Wangchuck Hotel and a new room - 208. Kinley arranged to meet us at 9am tomorrow, then headed off home. We took a stroll into town. The square was alive with a fair, raising money for the Queen's charity. There were lots of stalls selling anything from plants to bamboo products, funfair games such as coconut shies etc. In the centre was the music area where we saw some young people showing off their skills at break dancing. We visited the bookshop and bought Joanna Lumley's book as well as the book written by the Queen - all for about £16. Dinner was at 7.30 and we ate next to a table of Russians, which was quite a surprise. There was a lovely different range of dishes including Thai rice, veggy noodles, pork with garlic, mushroom datse with chillies and fresh cucumber. The Russians insisted on having ema datse – the one with chillies; but the staff say that its not on the menu tonight! The Russians are drinking many toasts as is their tradition, so it will shortly be time to leave. Another full and interesting day - now there are only three left.

Blue Poppy Tours and Treks

Day Three

Our starting time is 8.40 precisely, and we were all ready for the off - bags in the car. Kinley suggested a visit to the weekend market, where all local produce is on sale. We saw beans, asparagus, potatoes, okra, bitter gourd, onions, mangoes, tomatoes, and dried fish; there were herbs as well as dried leaves and spices to burn in the family altar room. Of course, there were piles and piles and piles of various types of chillies. We also saw how the Bhutanese make up their ubiquitous 'chewing tobacco'. This is a piece of areca nut wrapped up in a half betel leaf smeared with lime paste - as in calcium carbonate. This neat parcel is popped in the mouth and chewed, producing the infamous red juice which stains teeth and lips and which is spat out, staining roads and pavements with little red splatters. It is awful for teeth, gums, oesophagus and stomach, but as smoking is banned, it is the local equivalent. Its mildly narcotic effect makes it quite an addiction. On sale were fresh and dried nuts and lots of people were buying including monks. They bought all the separate ingredients as well as ready pasted leaves and chopped up nuts, and ready made parcels. We saw some people buying, then being given a ready bite to sample. Moving on we at last found nakey for sale, looking like thin green beans with curly ends. Then at almost the last corner was a 'local' yak herder with all his yak products. He came from 6 km outside Thimpu - so it must be somewhere in the high mountains as yaks only live above 3500m. On sale here was yak cheese in various forms. There were great slabs of greenish brown stuff as well as the dried variety which comes in small cubes threaded in long strings. He also had something looking rather revolting. This turned out to be dried yak leather - that really is the skin of the yak, air dried and one chews away at this. Some say it lasts well over six years. He also had several yak hair belts. He was a very jolly chap ready to explain everything via Kinley. Then just across the aisle from him we noticed a woman with a Bhutanese dragon-headed lute. This was a quite plain one, so it was easy to see the construction. Tsering held it up for us to photograph. I think the woman was quite bemused at our interest. She told us that she didn't play herself. We got Kinley to buy us some little bananas for our journey, then it was time to leave.
We began the journey to Punakha, stopping first at the checkpoint on the road out of Thimpu. All foreigners need permission to travel and here our permits were checked and stamped. As we waited, there was another couple also waiting who turned out to be Belgians. They had been in Sikkim and were also going to the Ura Festival. He was smoking a pretty revolting pipe, but they were interesting to speak with. Back on the road, we climbed up and up to a pass called Dochu La. (3140m). It was blowing a gale and so cold we had to put our jackets on. 108 chortens were built here in 2005, to help to put at peace the people killed when the Bhutanese army eventually went in and ousted the Assam terrorists who had secret bases in Manas National Park (Dec 2003). It is a very peaceful place, with a hillside next to it, covered in prayer flags. We walked on the paths between the chortens and were rewarded with a tremendous view of Bhutan's Himalaya. We were very lucky as this is usually at its best only in the winter. Back to the car and down the other side - not stopping at the cafe as we still had some distance to travel. We were passing rhododendron and magnolias in flower; and all along we were seeing drongos, bulbuls and shrikes. As we descended it got warmer and warmer. By 12.30 we reached the pretty resort of Meri Puensom about 1350m, just up a hillside outside Punakha. We were shown our room, just down from the main building in a block of rooms with en suite facilities and a lovely balcony looking down towards Punakha. Lunch was served - rice, noodles, pork, chicken, mixed veg, brinjal (aubs) - all very tasty. This over, we were off again to visit Punakha Dzong. This is the second largest dzong and was the seat of government until the mid 50s. We are very lucky to be visiting it now as the jacaranda trees are in bloom. Their pale purple flowers look very picturesque against the white wall of the dzong. Tsering parked the car and we then walked across a temporary bridge slung across the river. Once there had been a box bridge here, but the monsoon flood had washed it away. Nevertheless, it is still attractively festooned with prayer flags. As we looked across at the Dzong, Kinley told us that the Guru Rinpoche had predicted that it would be built by a man named Namgyal in front of a hill shaped like an elephant. And you can see that is so, the dzong becoming the end of the elephant’s trunk. This is also at the point where the Mo Chhu and the Po Chhu meet. Crossing the river, the first building seen is the old 14th century dzong. Then the Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal had his vision and the Pungthang Dechen Phodrang (Palace of Great Happiness) was constructed in 1637/8. 600 monks came here to join the Zhabdrung from the Cheri Goemba in the Thimpu valley. Even today, monks 'overwinter' from Thimpu in Punakha Dzong. The day they make the move is officially the start of winter when the men are allowed to cover their legs under their khos, usually with thermal underwear or nowadays sometimes tracky bottoms. The dzong is very large, and we had a steep climb up stone stairs and an almost vertical set of wooden steps to get to the gateway. Our permit was scrutinised and then we were allowed in to the first of three courtyards. This is the largest, with offices down the sides. In the middle are a white chorten and a large shade tree. At the far side is the huge utse whose entrance is in the second courtyard. The second courtyard is surrounded by the monks’ rooms but also has two halls; one is where the first King of Bhutan was presented with the Order of Knight Commander of the Indian Empire by John Claude White in 1905. In the third courtyard we visited a large hall - the hundred pillar hall, which has 54 golden pillars and walls covered with the story of the Buddha’s life. There are three very big statues here, of the Buddha, Guru Rinpoche and the Zhabdrung. As we were about to leave the hall a gong sounded and we saw a monk walking up and down the terrace along the exit wall of the hall, swinging a three line whip. He walked all around the square as the gong continued to sound. Kinley explained that the monks were being called to pray and to have tea. They came running from all sides to gather in the square, waiting for a signal, and then they were allowed to enter the hall opposite the one we had visited. Kinley led us up some stairs and we found ourselves on a landing overlooking the monks who were being served butter tea and rice. They are allowed to add flavouring - usually chilli, but they need to provide this themselves. This was the end of our fascinating visit, so we walked back out again, crossed the bridge, to find Tsering waiting for us. A little way back down the road - even passed the turning for the hotel, we parked the car at the start of a short walk to Chimi Lhakgang. The Lhakhang is across the valley, so we had to walk through the terraced fields to the tiny hamlet of Pana (field), down to Yoaka (in the drain) and up a slope clothed with cactus, to reach it. Built in 1499 by a cousin of Drukpa Kinley, the divine madman, it honours his subduing of the demoness of Dochu La. She had been giving a lot of grief to local citizens and travellers, so the clever Drukpa went to the pass, lay down playing dead, all but his penis which he kept erect. This was his so called 'magic thunderbolt of wisdom'. The demoness was naturally fascinated by this and he was able to subdue her and convert her to Buddhism and charge her with protecting all sentient life. We sat on the bench overlooking a small pond as we waited for a large party of tourists to come out of the small temple. At last we entered the small courtyard and then the equally small temple. It is beautifully decorated with scenes of Drukpa Kinley's life. The main statue is of the lama and his dog, which accompanied him from Tibet. We also saw statues of the Zhabdrung, with his wise man's beard, the historical Buddha, Sakyamani and Chenresig who is the bodhisattva of compassion. This latter is a special guardian of Bhutanese religion. At the side of the altar we saw two phalluses and the lama's bow and arrows in a case. Kinley gave a ten nultrum note and got a roll of three dice to divine an answer to his secret question. Apparently there would be a successful outcome. He has to visit this Lhakhang several times during the year as it is where he got his name and he has a special attachment here. He was, apparently brought up around here. This is a temple many women come to, to ensure fertility. We were given some holy water, but luckily we weren't blessed with either the wooden or metal phallus. As Kinley was describing the wall paintings, the gong sounded and lots of very young monks came rushing in, sitting in rows side on to the altar. They were served tea and a slice or two of bread, while chanting went on. Time for us to leave, and we walked around the outside of the building, noting the prayer wheels and slate carvings. Back at the car, Tsering drove us up to the hotel, and we took tea on the terrace. Then we showered before having dinner with Kinley. On the walk from our room to the main hotel, there are pots full of orchids, some already in flower. One of the staff told us that they are all local species. One of the buffet dishes was fish and chips - small pieces of battered fish with crisps. There was also a tasty mushroom dish with fried cottage cheese squares - looking a bit like tofu.

Blue Poppy Tours and Treks

Day Two

Kinley met us in the lobby at 9am. Today is apparently an auspicious day in the Bhutanese calendar, meaning schools and government offices are closed. It is the anniversary of the death of one of Bhutan's great Lamas. So we adapt our plan, as the museum and the painting school and the government handicraft shop will be closed.
Nevertheless, all the religious sites will be busy with people in their best clothes. Outside we meet our new driver, Tsering. Our first visit is to the Memorial Chorten, where we join the crowds making a clockwise circuit, spinning prayer wheels and mutter to the clack of prayer beads, before going inside and climbing to the first floor. Here are grand views of the city. Reaching up from the ground floor altar is a huge representation of the wrathful Buddha, surrounded by smaller statues. Butter lamps burn in front of it, and murals cover the walls. It was crowded with people all trying to get up and down the same staircase, so as we stopped to try and take a closer look, we tended to cause a traffic jam. Upstairs there was a monk, chanting with the accompaniment of two horns and a drum. All very exciting. On our walk around the outside we were given a paper disc with the photographs of Bhutan's leading lamas. The Bhutanese held the pictures to their foreheads as a kind of blessing. Now we walked back to meet up with Tsering and he drove us off up the hill, really to visit another temple, but it was so busy, they decided to take us right up to the takin reserve above the city.
The takins, Bhutan's national animal and almost only found here, live in a huge fenced area - an 'open' zoo. At one time, the then King thought it would be a good idea to set them free, but instead of heading for the hills, they wandered into town, and they are large animals with horns. The bull we saw was pretty ferocious, too. So they had to round them up and take them back to the enclosure again. The takins are hefty beasts with shaggy coats and horns like wildebeest’s. In the animal book, they are listed as a unique animal - there is just nothing like them. We managed some photos through the fence, then one of the other guides stuffed some herbs through the fence - he called it wormwood (Wormwood, Artemisia Absinthium, common name – Green ginger.). The females and a young one gobbled it up. Then the large male came along at the gallop and chased them away. Kinley led us up round the side of the area, where there is a smaller enclosure which contains some Indian muntjack deer with their lined faces and little horns. Back at the other area, we saw some 'reindeer', one with an amputated half leg. We decided that these could be Indian red deer.
Next we drove up to the Bhutan Telecoms tower. From here there is a great view of Thimpu, and the hillside is covered with hundreds of prayer flags. Hopefully lots of lovely photos.
By now, Changangkha Lhakhang would be quieter, so Tsering drove us down there, and indeed there were fewer cars outside. It is a small temple with teaching facilities for the monks. A small fortress style building, it is built on a promontory, looking down onto Thimpu. We climbed many steps up to the entrance, and walked into the courtyard, then with shoes off, we followed the crowd into a hallway to look through windows into the holy area where scriptures are kept by a manifestation of the compassionate Buddha. Only Buddhist men are allowed in here. But we did receive a few drops of holy water, which we sipped then brushed over our heads. Turning around, we bent our heads to a senior monk sitting in a ceremonial chair, who blessed us. Then we gradually made our way out through the throng, recovered our shoes ready to descend the steps down to the car. It is a lovely building with an immensely tall flagpole with a blue prayer flag.
The last stop before lunch was the Jangsa handmade paper factory. Here they make paper from the white Daphne plant and starch extracted from Hibiscus root. Lovely smooth paper results, which they colour with natural dyes. They also make it with inclusions of local flowers, leaves and grasses. If they use the black Daphne, a much rougher paper is produced. In their little shop we saw some beautiful papers, but it wouldn't really travel, so we bought nice books and some postcards.
We lunched at the Plum Cafe on Thimpu's main street, pausing to quickly photograph the policeman directing traffic from a traditionally decorated gazebo. Lunch was a buffet offering beef and fish curry, potato datse (i.e. in a local cheese sauce), spinach, mixed veg and rice. There was cake and coffee for dessert. Afterwards, I asked one of the ladies about their national dress, the kira, and how it was worn. They were so pleased to explain the wearing of the full kira and the half kira, then proceeded to dress me up over the top of my clothes in a half kira and jacket. Great fun - they were even trying to persuade me to wear it for the afternoon. Alan took photos. Just as all the fun was over; Kinley reappeared for our next event. As all museums were closed, we were a bit at a loose end, but there was an archery competition on at the national ground, so we stopped by to watch these professional archers in the national league. This afternoon was the turn of the traditional bowmen; the others we saw were using 'technical' bows. These competitors were very good with bamboo bows and arrows, hitting the target several times as we watched. There were some wonderful faces in the watching crowd.
Another brainwave of Kinley’s was to visit the Botanical Gardens, a new-ish project on one of the hills above Thimpu. It has very much the beginnings of a lovely spot, though it looked in need of water and some dedicated gardening. It is divided into different areas - rock, flowers, herbal, arboretum etc. and even has a small glass house, with traditionally painted window frames. We found the orchid house, with only a couple of plants in flower - too early for most of them. Apparently 10% of Bhutan's flora is orchids. Then we walked through the arboretum to a view point on a very windy ridge, looking down the Thimpu valley. At last we drove back down the hill and into town. Kinley dropped us at the hotel around 3pm, giving us some time to ourselves. Tea was served in our room (102), and then we went for a stroll around the main streets of Thimpu. We passed the traffic policeman again, and then looked at strange shop signs, bamboo scaffolding around several new buildings, the fascinating artwork on the buildings and lots, lots more. The young men were playing a sort of shuffle board game in the street. We visited Yak Handicrafts and bought some souvenirs.
Back at the Wangchuk, we packed up in anticipation of our moving on tomorrow. We are off to Punakha. Dinner comprised the ever present soup, which was far too spicy for Alan. Then cucumber salad, red rice, butter naan, Bhutan style beef, chicken masala, nakey datse and Chinese veggies. Dessert was fruit salad with tinned cream a la British boarding house. We enjoyed a shared Red Panda, again and finished with tea. Now time to get to sleep before the jet lag strikes.

Blue Poppy Tours and Treks

Day One

After an uneventful flight into Kolkata, we cleared customs and went in search of DrukAir. We were too early, so had to wait to check in for about an hour. We queued up for security, only to be pushed through without it. But when we checked in, Alan went back with one of DrukAir's staff to get the regulation yellow band put round our bags. It was free seating, and as most people had come with the plane from Bangkok, there was no chance of a window seat, or of sitting close to each other. It was pretty cloudy going in, so we didn't miss the chance to see Jomulhari (7329m). Our first sight of Bhutan was the very pretty, traditional style terminal building. We were surprised as many people stopped to take photos, so I did, too. Formalities were soon completed and we found Kinley Dorji waiting for us. We were soon on our way with driver Pema and the first stop was up at a view point overlooking the airport, watching our plane take off again on its way to Katmandu, and the Paro (Ringpung) Dzong. Kinley then took us into town for a cup of tea and biscuits. This was at the cafe in town, but a load of tourists had got there already, so we sat in a back room with a view of the balcony on which they were drying meat and chillies - with accompanying aromas. After using the loos, it was time to make a move. This was out of town and up the mountain to Drukgyel Dzong - a ruined monastery above the village. We were dropped off and walked along a path towards the dzong, and suddenly realized that the men were holding an archery match across the area - shooting arrows at a tiny target 140m away. They play from both ends, leaving a few of the team at either end to watch the target. If one of the team hits the target, the rest of the team performs a song and dance, praising him. This seemed a rare thing, though many arrows were close - only once during the time we watched.
So we walked slowly up to the ruin. This walk gave us breathtaking views of the valley. The dzong dates from the 17th century, but in the early 50s there was a devastating fire and despite some half hearted efforts, restoration has not been undertaken. I climbed up on a bit of outcrop and managed to take some photos looking down on the archers. Not a place for Alan. While we were here, we saw a red minivet, just as we had seen in Assam. We made our way back down to the archers and the car, a Kia Sorrento, and Pema drove us back to the first cafe for lunch. On the way we had our first view of Tiger’s Nest, to which we will walk on the last day of the holiday. For lunch we ate red rice - a truly local dish, aubergine fritters, fish curry, beef curry, mixed veg and ferns. The ferns are like the Canadian fiddleheads we have had, and are called nakey in Bhutan. It was all very good and we finished with mandarins and tea or coffee. Alan needed to change some money, so we parked in town and he and Kinley disappeared onto the bank for a while. Now he could pay Kinley back for our lunchtime drinks.
Our next event was a visit to the Paro Dzong - a fortress type of building overlooking the town. Pema dropped us off and we walked down to the entrance, where there are fabulous murals. One of these depicted the story of the Four Friends; a fable known to all Bhutanese and we will see many representations of it throughout our holidays. We stepped into the courtyard and saw the vastness of the complex with its rows of prayer wheels in the wall. Oriole windows jut from the building and are beautifully painted with patterns, devices, dragons and suchlike. We walked on, then down steps to the next 'layer'. Here we could go into one of the rooms, no shoes, hat or cameras - and look around. Student monks were learning their lines and rehearsing for a ceremony. This included twirling the small yellow umbrella symbol and blowing horns. When we finished looking around, we made our way back out of the dzong, walked down to the river, the Pacchou. In the fields beside us there were brown and yellow bearded iris growing, with great big blooms – almost ‘Chelsea’ like! We crossed the river using the 17th century box bridge, spotting an Indian style truck parked on the other side, with an elephant painted in its side. Pema was waiting at the far side ready to whisk us on to the road to Thimpu. Due to its being upgraded, it is closed between 3pm and 6pm each weekday. The road is not much wider than Sheath Lane with a sandy or gravelly hard-ish shoulder of half a meter or so either side. To avoid oncoming traffic, the drivers politely blow the horn to make sure the other driver has seen them, then each move over a bit and slide passed each other. Overtaking is a similar manoeuvre, only after, the overtaker peeps a thank you to the other vehicle. It all makes for a noisy drive if there's a bit of traffic on the road. Due to the road works, there are lots of Tata trucks on the road billowing smoky exhausts at you. Also there are loads of workers on the road - many Indians and also Nepali refugees, who are breaking rocks and virtually making the road by hand - rather like we saw in Assam. It was hot, busy and noisy, and we were succumbing to jetlag. We arrived at our hotel, the Wangchuk, around 5pm, and tea and biscuits were served. Outside, the entrance is bordered with beds of blue iris. Kinley arranged to meet us at 9am the next morning and left. We showered, shaved etc. and staggered to dinner at 7pm after a short power cut. Dinner was a starter of soup, warmish chicken curry, fried dried fish, poppadoms, veggies, spinach and white rice. This was washed down with a shared large bottle of Red Panda Weiss beer. We finished with a tasty Indian dessert and more tea. Now we are completely knackered and its time for bed.

Blue Poppy Tours and Treks