After yet another not so sound sleep
we started the day with an expansive breakfast buffet. All the meals are
included with the tour if you eat at the approved restaurants. I can't complain given the hotel we were staying
at here.
And, so far every meal has been
delicious. We ate lunch on a fifth floor restaurant with some lovely rooftop
views. And dinner was at Randy's hotel, the Hotel Pendleton, and Tara ordered
mostly Indian food for that meal.
Our first stop was to the main stupa
in Thimphu. The entire country was
preparing for the king's birthday. I’m
not sure if the masses of people coming to this stupa to pray were in relation
to that, or if there was another religious celebration occurring. A monk was chanting over a loudspeaker which could be heard all across the valley. A high level monk was due to arrive right
when we were leaving so we waited for his arrival. He arrived really without much fanfare except
for everyone lined up to see him, and then it was over for us… the big event.
From the stupa we headed up the
mountainside to the possible 8th wonder of the modern world. On Kuensel
Phodrang hill, a 169 foot statue of Sakyamuni Buddha overlooks the city. It is
still under construction, the view was complete however, beautiful and far
reaching.
We had a quick tea, coffee and
bathroom break at a little cafe full of expats, The Ambient. No natives to be been
seen except for those providing service. One of the individuals there said they
had the best coffee in town.
We stopped at the painters school,
but they were closed for renovation. The store to buy the artwork was open, we
browsed, but didn't buy. We then headed to Changangkha Lhakhang temple where
people bring their children to be blessed for health and for peace. They were
busy blessing children of all ages, incense clouding up the room.
We ate lunch at a restaurant on the
5th floor with a lovely view of rooftops and the Buddha on the mountainside. We
walked the streets to their vegetable "market". Really teeny tiny, not really much of a
market, just a gathering of a few stalls selling the same stuff. We got to watch the traffic police dance at
the one intersection that has a traffic man. The country has no traffic lights
at all (and I thought that Hancock County, Illinois was sparse with its one
traffic light.)
We did a quick stop at the post
office then got distracted by archery, their national sport. Bhutan won a bronze in
archery the last Olympics and we got to watch some practicing. Then Tara, just
being herself, ends up having a Q&A with one of them and we all got to hold
his very expensive bow.
Just a few more stops to go on our
jam packed first full day. The textile 'factory', it is Incredible the time to
make one length of woven fabric, six months or more for some of the more
complicated ones. This is why I'm not going to bring any traditional Bhutanese Ghos
or Kiras home for the kids or myself. Each piece is extremely expensive.
Up the mountainside again, this time
toward the telecom tower for a different view of Thimphu as the sun descended
behind the mountains. We could hear the amplified chanting from the stupa in town at the bottom of the valley. Then, we walked the craft market near our hotel, a long
line of stalls peddling pretty much all the same type of traditional Bhutanese
products, and some non-Bhutanese items as well.
Then into the hotel to warm up and
change into our traditional outfits, a "surprise" from Tara, and then
to watch their cultural show. Another reason not to buy an outfit to bring
home, it's rather complicated to dress yourself!!
Another late dinner, I guess they
are all late, this time Tara ordered Indian food (plus chili and cheese of
course). Then off to bed, I slept on the couch which was much more comfortable
than the mattress and longer too.
Hotel Taj Tashi - Extra weight on the roof... holding it down?
National Memorial Chorten, Thimphu
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