Thimphu lies in the Wang Chhu valley, which flows out of the Himalayas to the north near the border with Tibet. The Wang Chhu is a clear river with tempting rapids, reminding me of the Salmon River in Idaho. The hills rise sharply from the river bed providing remote, contemplative places for monasteries. As I am working on weekdays, we have used the weekends to explore the nearby hills.
Buddhism is central to life here in Bhutan and monasteries are central to Buddhist education and development of the practice of meditation. The first two monasteries we visited are just north of Thimphu. Following the Wang Chhu, we made our way up valley driven and escorted by Passang, the ED nurse manager. Tango was built hundreds of years ago and functions as a Buddhist University at roughly 10,000 feet above sea level. The monks in residence were informative and even playful as they dressed Aidan up in red robes. Check out our photos - Aidan dresses up pretty well in red. We hiked down the mountain and then back up another trail to Cheri monastery. Though in an equally stunning location, the feel of Cheri was completely different from Tango. Cheri is a monastery for advanced meditation practices. We saw no one and heard almost nothing. It was incredibly peaceful in its isolation. Though I found it hard to imagine what three years, three months, three weeks, and three days of meditation would be like; I also found it hard to hike back down the mountain toward civilization.
Seeking another monastery experience and on the advice of my friend Rick, the following weekend we hiked to Phajoding. All of these monasteries are high up on the side of mountains and the monks supply their homes by hiking down and then hauling supplies back up. It is quite a work out when the "grocery run" is an 1100 meter climb to 12,000 feet. Our hike was without groceries and despite the "boring" hike through the forest, our kids made it. Phajoding was built some 800 years ago and was formerly a very important and affluent monastery. Over the years it has fallen into disrepair though monks continue to find what they seek in that place. When we arrived, the sounds of wind blowing though the trees and faint chanting spilling out of the buildings greeted us. Farther up the hillside yaks were grazing unconcerned by our presence. In the surrounding fields stood several tents placed by trekking parties for the first night of the Thimphu to Paro trek. Just like Cheri monastery, we saw nobody except for a couple of monks bringing supplies up from the valley. The kids hoped they didn't forget the butter down in town. We lingered to enjoy the long views over Thimphu and the Wang Chhu valley. If I hadn't been told that the monks seek these places to perfect their meditation practice, I would have thought they stay on the mountain just for the views. On the way down, we met Martine and Henri from Nice, France. We had a conversation with them that could have been mistaken as one between old friends who had not seen each other for a long time. They told us of their backpacking trip on the Continental Divide Trail through Colorado and how they hoped to return in two years to complete it. As they were likely fifteen years older than me, we admired their energy and adventure; and hoped to meet them when they returned to Colorado (maybe even on the CDT). After such a fine hike to a beautiful place coupled with meeting Martine and Henri, we made our way back into Thimphu and finished the day with ice cream cones. It could not have been better.
This past weekend, we traveled out of the Wang Chhu valley for the first time. Returning to Paro (where we landed upon arrival to Bhutan), we headed to Taktshang, also known as Tiger's Nest monastery. Bhutanese culture has it that Guru Rinpoche, sometime in the eighth century flew on the back of a tigress to this cliffside location to subdue the evil demons in that area. After completing his task, he remained in a cave to meditate for three months. A monastery was built in that location and is a very holy place for Buddhists. The cave in which Guru Rinpoche meditated is protected as the most important space in the monastery. As with each of the monasteries we have visited, the intricacy of the artwork is stunning, demonstrating a deep devotion to Buddhism. Similar to the other monasteries and despite the larger numbers of tourists at Taktshang, the sense of peace was pervasive.
After Taktshang, we visited the National Museum of Bhutan. It is located above the town of Paro and the Pa Chhu (river). The valley floor is covered with fields of ripening rice, the backdrop the Himalayas: golden rice against snowy peaks. The National Museum holds collections of art representing Bhutanese and Buddhist culture and provided us with answers to some of the questions we had as we watched the masked dances at the Tsechu Festival during our first week in Thimphu. We finished the day at the Gangtey Hotel. Designed like (or maybe even within) a monastery, our room was colorful and comfortable. Sitting on a bench of land above town, we watched twilight overtake the valley with few lights to obscure the view.
On Sunday, our driver delivered us 1600 meters above the Pa Chhu valley to Chelela. Chelela is a pass between the Pa Chhu and Haa Valleys and is accessed by the highest motor road in Bhutan. At 3810 meters, the pass afforded us a lofty start to the ridge above. Our hope was to view Jhomolhari and some of the high Himalayan peaks on the Bhutan/Tibet border. We had a bluebird day walking up the ridge, weaving our way through thousands of prayer flags. As we hiked up, Jhomolhari and the surrounding peaks stood clearly in front of us. To the west on the Nepal/India border stood Kanchenjunga, the third highest mountain in the world. What a place, what a day! The planned hike of thirty minutes turned into a two hour wander and even then was much too short. But that is what we are discovering about our whole experience here in Bhutan - it all seems too short.
We have several more trips planned yet before we leave Bhutan. Stay tuned for the next post.
Cheers,
Paul
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Saturday, October 15, 2011
The King and Queen
Sometimes just being lucky is the best of all possible worlds. Our stay in Bhutan coincides with two very important celebrations. In our last post, I described the annual Tsechu. That was last weekend. This week has been completely filled with the Royal Wedding. Bhutan has a constitutional monarchy government and it is very apparent there is a deep affection for the King. Two days ago, Druk Gyalpo (the dragon king) Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuk married Jetsun Pema making her his Queen. Hard to believe but we were glued to the TV watching the ceremony. Just like the Tsechu, the ceremony was filled with color and symbolism like no wedding ceremony I had ever seen. After the ceremony, the King and his new Queen mingled with the people of Punakha who performed traditional and even not so traditional (hip-hop) dance and music for the royal couple. The King and Queen are young, energetic, and a very handsome couple. Watching how comfortably they mingled with the people demonstrated a deep respect between people and monarchy.
The big fun for us occurred yesterday as all of Thimphu lined the streets in anticipation of the royal couple's visit here. Our kids waited with their school mates and teachers for hours. We caught up with them as day slipped into evening. Suddenly, the crowd became very quiet and a procession passed before us with the King and Queen bringing up the end. They wandered from side to side greeting people. Being tall and obviously not local, Lucy and I caught the eye of the King. He lingered and asked if we were tourists. We told him we were volunteering at the National Hospital in the Casualty Department. He thanked us for being here, chatted a few more words, and then moved along up the street. We were so honored that the King spent a few moments with us and will remember it forever.
Today, there was a big celebration at the stadium in town. All of the school children performed dances. With each of us in traditional clothing (no small effort as it takes at least two people to get dressed), we got our kids to the stadium by 7:15am to find their reserved seating. Unfortunately that was already too late for us as the stadium was completely full. We wandered around to another entrance on the field level and found a spot on a steep hillside. Bhutanese folks ambled up and down the hillside sometimes using us as guardrails. A group of people started a smoldering fire of pine needles in anticipation of the celebrity couple's arrival. Despite the religious significance of the smoke carrying prayers upward to the heavens, there we were guardrails on a steep hill with smoke in our eyes. Suddenly, the Bhutanese (who do not queue in the most orderly way) pushed past a barrier. We saw our chance and followed on the tail of the rush. Once inside on the field, we had better views and feel for the good energy Thimphu residents offered the royal couple. Unbelievably, we ran into a friend of mine from Boulder, Colorado. Rick sits on a foundation board that assists in the restoration of monasteries here in Bhutan. I have had several small world experiences since arriving in Bhutan but maybe this is just the place to be during the week of the Royal Wedding.
We're back in our apartment now, again glued to the TV watching the closing ceremony of this day of celebration. As all the dignitaries circle the field in a dance and sing a somewhat somber but uplifting song, I feel that all is good right now. I hope for such peace everywhere. We wish the King and Queen a long life together filled with happiness.
The big fun for us occurred yesterday as all of Thimphu lined the streets in anticipation of the royal couple's visit here. Our kids waited with their school mates and teachers for hours. We caught up with them as day slipped into evening. Suddenly, the crowd became very quiet and a procession passed before us with the King and Queen bringing up the end. They wandered from side to side greeting people. Being tall and obviously not local, Lucy and I caught the eye of the King. He lingered and asked if we were tourists. We told him we were volunteering at the National Hospital in the Casualty Department. He thanked us for being here, chatted a few more words, and then moved along up the street. We were so honored that the King spent a few moments with us and will remember it forever.
Today, there was a big celebration at the stadium in town. All of the school children performed dances. With each of us in traditional clothing (no small effort as it takes at least two people to get dressed), we got our kids to the stadium by 7:15am to find their reserved seating. Unfortunately that was already too late for us as the stadium was completely full. We wandered around to another entrance on the field level and found a spot on a steep hillside. Bhutanese folks ambled up and down the hillside sometimes using us as guardrails. A group of people started a smoldering fire of pine needles in anticipation of the celebrity couple's arrival. Despite the religious significance of the smoke carrying prayers upward to the heavens, there we were guardrails on a steep hill with smoke in our eyes. Suddenly, the Bhutanese (who do not queue in the most orderly way) pushed past a barrier. We saw our chance and followed on the tail of the rush. Once inside on the field, we had better views and feel for the good energy Thimphu residents offered the royal couple. Unbelievably, we ran into a friend of mine from Boulder, Colorado. Rick sits on a foundation board that assists in the restoration of monasteries here in Bhutan. I have had several small world experiences since arriving in Bhutan but maybe this is just the place to be during the week of the Royal Wedding.
We're back in our apartment now, again glued to the TV watching the closing ceremony of this day of celebration. As all the dignitaries circle the field in a dance and sing a somewhat somber but uplifting song, I feel that all is good right now. I hope for such peace everywhere. We wish the King and Queen a long life together filled with happiness.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Bhutan
Kuzuzangpo la!
My first impression of Bhutan will forever be the clean feel of thin, dry air on my face. The sun glistened as we walked off the plane in Paro. The mountains rose up around us, the ridges were crisp against the deep blue sky. The Pachu River ran clear in a river bed that suggested the possibility of a more intense mood. Could we have somehow traveled further than we thought and were home in western Colorado? It sure felt that way. As we drove from Paro to Thimphu along a very curvy road following first the Pachu and then the Wang Chhu River, each turn revealed yet another beautiful view. I had a very good feeling about this place.
Like any new town, we were initially confused. Dzongkha, the local language, is incomprehensible though I have learned the greeting I began this post with. At least many of the signs were in English so we could find our way around. As we have discovered since Sicily though, each building seems to contain a million different shops. Here the task of dissecting it all was a bit harder because all of the signs are in blue, causing them to blend into one another. With a little persistence it all began to make sense.
We are here as volunteers in the health care system. My task is in the Casualty Department, replacing my colleague, Dr. Will from California. His wife, Dr. Karen, worked as a pediatrician. They and their family introduced us to Thimphu and oriented us to life in this city. From our apartment, we walk all over town accessing places like the weekend vegetable and craft market, various Bhutanese and Indian restaurants, and an incredible several kilometer uphill walk/run to a massive statue of Buddha from where we can see snow covered Himalayan peaks. As I walk to the hospital each day, I look to the rising foothills all about me and pass a temple emanating Buddhist chanting.
Our kids have started school. Each day they don the traditional men's garment of Bhutan called a gho. Their ghos are in the school colors and all the children where them. Lucy has eased herself into traditional woman's attire called a kira, a floor length wrap of material. The kiras are especially attractive as they come in all different colors and are matched with brightly colored jackets. I have my own gho now and look forward to a socially appropriate moment to wear it.
During the first weekend we were here, the annual Tsechu or festival was occurring. We went to the Tashichho Dzong, or fortress, where the traditional dancing and ceremonies were held. While we don't know the stories acted out, it was still exciting to be part of the celebration. Over that same weekend, the head nurse Passang and his wife took us to visit two important Buddhist monasteries north of Thimphu. Tango and Cheri monasteries sit in opposing valleys perched high on the sides of the mountains. Passang explained the significance of the monasteries thus enriching our visit. There are wonderful legends and histories attached to each monastery. Tango functions as a high level monastic college while Cheri is a pinnacle monastery for those monks wishing to practice the discipline of meditation. The peaceful, cloud draped locations and spectacular views of the valley below help me understand why a monk might choose to cloister himself for 3 years, 3 months, and 3 days on his path to becoming a lama.
It's late now and there will be a full day of festivities tomorrow because the King and his new Queen are in Thimphu. We will fill you in on all the fun so check back again soon.
My first impression of Bhutan will forever be the clean feel of thin, dry air on my face. The sun glistened as we walked off the plane in Paro. The mountains rose up around us, the ridges were crisp against the deep blue sky. The Pachu River ran clear in a river bed that suggested the possibility of a more intense mood. Could we have somehow traveled further than we thought and were home in western Colorado? It sure felt that way. As we drove from Paro to Thimphu along a very curvy road following first the Pachu and then the Wang Chhu River, each turn revealed yet another beautiful view. I had a very good feeling about this place.
Like any new town, we were initially confused. Dzongkha, the local language, is incomprehensible though I have learned the greeting I began this post with. At least many of the signs were in English so we could find our way around. As we have discovered since Sicily though, each building seems to contain a million different shops. Here the task of dissecting it all was a bit harder because all of the signs are in blue, causing them to blend into one another. With a little persistence it all began to make sense.
We are here as volunteers in the health care system. My task is in the Casualty Department, replacing my colleague, Dr. Will from California. His wife, Dr. Karen, worked as a pediatrician. They and their family introduced us to Thimphu and oriented us to life in this city. From our apartment, we walk all over town accessing places like the weekend vegetable and craft market, various Bhutanese and Indian restaurants, and an incredible several kilometer uphill walk/run to a massive statue of Buddha from where we can see snow covered Himalayan peaks. As I walk to the hospital each day, I look to the rising foothills all about me and pass a temple emanating Buddhist chanting.
Our kids have started school. Each day they don the traditional men's garment of Bhutan called a gho. Their ghos are in the school colors and all the children where them. Lucy has eased herself into traditional woman's attire called a kira, a floor length wrap of material. The kiras are especially attractive as they come in all different colors and are matched with brightly colored jackets. I have my own gho now and look forward to a socially appropriate moment to wear it.
During the first weekend we were here, the annual Tsechu or festival was occurring. We went to the Tashichho Dzong, or fortress, where the traditional dancing and ceremonies were held. While we don't know the stories acted out, it was still exciting to be part of the celebration. Over that same weekend, the head nurse Passang and his wife took us to visit two important Buddhist monasteries north of Thimphu. Tango and Cheri monasteries sit in opposing valleys perched high on the sides of the mountains. Passang explained the significance of the monasteries thus enriching our visit. There are wonderful legends and histories attached to each monastery. Tango functions as a high level monastic college while Cheri is a pinnacle monastery for those monks wishing to practice the discipline of meditation. The peaceful, cloud draped locations and spectacular views of the valley below help me understand why a monk might choose to cloister himself for 3 years, 3 months, and 3 days on his path to becoming a lama.
It's late now and there will be a full day of festivities tomorrow because the King and his new Queen are in Thimphu. We will fill you in on all the fun so check back again soon.
Thailand
We were pretty bleary eyed when we arrived in the Bangkok. We had flown all night from Helsinki with little sleep. Aidan, who formerly was a rock solid sleeper on overnight flights, complained that the seats in economy class were really uncomfortable. We quickly tamped his observation and discussion about the wider seats in business class.
Bangkok is a jungle with tall buildings forming the canopy layer. Water seemed to be everywhere as the rain continued in one of the heaviest monsoon seasons in recent history. Green and humid, crowded and loud, new and ancient, traditional and modern all at once; my head spun with every turn into a new alley as our cab driver struggled to find our guest house. But once we got our feet on the ground, we began to see through the layers that make up the city. There were several challenges to deal with such as tuk-tuk (three wheeled taxis) drivers trying to lure us in for a ride, the multitude of alleys that defied tracing on a map, and the eternal (happy) choice of where to eat. But in the end, thanks to an amazing night-time bicycle tour we came away with another view of Bangkok: one of temples lit up at night with nary a person around, a cut flower market stretching blocks interspersed with vendors of delicious Thai treats, and quiet backways that could have been out in the country. In our two short days, we saw a side of Bangkok that for me is well worth further exploration.
Our time in Bangkok was short because we wanted to get out of the big city to a quieter place. We flew to Chiang Mai in northern Thailand, located in the foothills of the eastern Himalayas. We found what we were looking for in that Chiang Mai is mellower than the big city to the south. The tuk-tuk drivers were content to let us walk where we wanted, and the surrounding hills were a welcomed view from the broad flatness of Bangkok. We spent our days there touring by bicycle around the south of the city, mountain biking down monsoon slick mud double track, and touring an elephant nature park in the mountains. The elephant nature park was really special. It was developed by one woman who has made a safe and restorative home for damaged elephants. Thailand has a very long relationship with the elephant: it is both revered and used as a work animal. While it is no longer legal to use elephant labor to perform such tasks as haul cut trees out of logged forests, elephants are still used in the tourist business as well as for other un-elephant like tasks as assisting begging in the cities. The Elephant Nature Preserve rehabs elephants and allows folks like us to assist in feeding and bathing, as well as observing these giants. It was especially fun to watch one of the bulls walk out into the monsoon swollen river, allow himself to be rolled over by the current, and pop his trunk out periodically for a breath while remaining otherwise completely submerged. Standing aside them gave me a strong feeling for their intelligence and majesty.
Our time in Thailand was short. It is hard to form an opinion of such a complex place in the time we had there but we experienced Buddhist culture, ate some very tasty food, and visited with some incredibly warm and generous people. With those experiences in hand, I know there is a lot more to enjoy so I look forward to our return visit. But like all the other places we have been so far, it was time to move on to our next stop - Bhutan.
Bangkok is a jungle with tall buildings forming the canopy layer. Water seemed to be everywhere as the rain continued in one of the heaviest monsoon seasons in recent history. Green and humid, crowded and loud, new and ancient, traditional and modern all at once; my head spun with every turn into a new alley as our cab driver struggled to find our guest house. But once we got our feet on the ground, we began to see through the layers that make up the city. There were several challenges to deal with such as tuk-tuk (three wheeled taxis) drivers trying to lure us in for a ride, the multitude of alleys that defied tracing on a map, and the eternal (happy) choice of where to eat. But in the end, thanks to an amazing night-time bicycle tour we came away with another view of Bangkok: one of temples lit up at night with nary a person around, a cut flower market stretching blocks interspersed with vendors of delicious Thai treats, and quiet backways that could have been out in the country. In our two short days, we saw a side of Bangkok that for me is well worth further exploration.
Our time in Bangkok was short because we wanted to get out of the big city to a quieter place. We flew to Chiang Mai in northern Thailand, located in the foothills of the eastern Himalayas. We found what we were looking for in that Chiang Mai is mellower than the big city to the south. The tuk-tuk drivers were content to let us walk where we wanted, and the surrounding hills were a welcomed view from the broad flatness of Bangkok. We spent our days there touring by bicycle around the south of the city, mountain biking down monsoon slick mud double track, and touring an elephant nature park in the mountains. The elephant nature park was really special. It was developed by one woman who has made a safe and restorative home for damaged elephants. Thailand has a very long relationship with the elephant: it is both revered and used as a work animal. While it is no longer legal to use elephant labor to perform such tasks as haul cut trees out of logged forests, elephants are still used in the tourist business as well as for other un-elephant like tasks as assisting begging in the cities. The Elephant Nature Preserve rehabs elephants and allows folks like us to assist in feeding and bathing, as well as observing these giants. It was especially fun to watch one of the bulls walk out into the monsoon swollen river, allow himself to be rolled over by the current, and pop his trunk out periodically for a breath while remaining otherwise completely submerged. Standing aside them gave me a strong feeling for their intelligence and majesty.
Our time in Thailand was short. It is hard to form an opinion of such a complex place in the time we had there but we experienced Buddhist culture, ate some very tasty food, and visited with some incredibly warm and generous people. With those experiences in hand, I know there is a lot more to enjoy so I look forward to our return visit. But like all the other places we have been so far, it was time to move on to our next stop - Bhutan.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
We finally have a link to our photo album!
Hi all,
Please see the side bar for a link to some pictures of our travels so far. We're loving Thimphu and will write more later.
Please see the side bar for a link to some pictures of our travels so far. We're loving Thimphu and will write more later.
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