Bhutan 2
Tuesday May 20th
Bhutan has no shortage of water and it feels soft and refreshing. So the hot shower followed by breakfast at 7.30 a.m. was a good start to the day. By 8.00 am we were travelling to the area where we would start our climb up to the ‘Taksung’ or ‘Tiger‘s Nest’. We had passed many children on their way to school dressed in attractive uniforms. There were rice fields, potato fields and some interesting looking houses and farms. We crossed a small river and arrived in a car parking area surrounded by trees.Our visit to Bhutan was one of the ’special destinations’ on our journey around the world and the visit to the Tiger’s nest was the one thing we had said in advance that we would definitely like to do. Before leaving home we had ‘googled’ ‘Tiger’s Nest’ and seen the photos of this monastery perched high on a mountain crag. Somewhere we had read that in order to visit the monastery a permit was needed so we had emailed in advance and asked the tour company to arrange this.
So it was with some excitement and expectation that we set off up the steep, stony and dusty track. We had not travelled far when we caught a first glimpse of our destination 1000 metres high above us.
The track wove through forests but every now and then came out into the open to provide wonderful views of the valley below or the monastery up above. There had been a Buddhist ceremony the day before and many monks had come to the area to camp, as a well known ‘lama’ had been teaching. As we climbed we met these monks in their red clothing coming down the hillside carrying packs of various sizes.
The path was steep and rocky with areas of steps that had been made out of granite slabs. Some of these were loose so we had to watch where we climbed.
It was possible to ride up on a pony but our guide was not so keen for us to do that as someone had fallen off recently. We preferred to walk anyway and take photos as we went.
After a climb of about 700 metres there is a café and it took us around 1 ½ hours to reach this place. We decided to stop and have a coffee in the company of a few other tourists who were also catching their breath. We stood around a small table and chatted, some sitting on a couple of wooden benches or plastic chairs. The main focus was the Tiger’s Nest which was getting closer and many cameras were clicking at this point. Many visitors only go as far as the café with its fantastic view of the monastery but we, along with other stalwarts were determined to make it to the top. The next part of the climb was steep, then a more level area and then the path got really interesting. Our route became precarious, we climbed up and down and up and down a series of steps, with no guard rail between us and the almost 1000 metre drop below. We were told that one tourist had died taking a photo when he had stepped back to get a better view and had fallen down the rock face. Naturally, it made us even more careful.
We took some lovely photos of Bhutanese people we passed along the track. They were happy for us to take their photo and they were all keen to see what their photo came out like on Chris‘ camera.
Eventually, we reached the Tiger’s Nest about midday and after our guide showed the permit and signed us in we had a look around inside the temple. About 20 monks live there and care for the place. The view from the top was spectacular and we thought the whole experience was about equal to the Taj Mahal visit. It was so peaceful and quiet after the hectic bustle of India.
We had few stops on the way down and by the time we were back at the car for a picnic lunch we had taken 5 hours in total. It really was a fantastic climb. The weather was near perfect, the colourful monks made the walk interesting as did some of the other visitors we briefly chatted to along the way.
Our next visit was to a national museum, a large circular building that had originally been one of the watchtowers built in the early centuries. There were five floors in the building filled with items from brass and copper urns to examples of Bhutan postage stamps since they first produced them in 1962.
Then on to the Paro Zdongh, again once a fort but now housing a school for the young monks as well as the offices of Paro municipality. Many families give one of their boys to become a monk at the age of 6. They go to live at the Buddhist monastery and it is a very strict life for them, with studies most of the day. We took photos of the young boys in the deep red traditional dress and with shaved heads. We understand that about 200 adult monks and children lived at the zdongh which has several levels and surrounds two large courtyards. Some maintenance was being done in one area and I am sure that the workman’s platform, strung from high above on ropes would not have met NZ’s strict OSH laws!
Archery is a national sport and we were again fortunate to be able to stop on the way back to our hotel and watch a local archery match. The distance from archer to target was 160m and spectators including ourselves, formed a channel about 15 m wide down which the arrows were flying. There was dances of victory if the small target (about one metre high and 50cm wide) was hit and much cheering and happiness.
Billboards and tobacco are not allowed in Bhutan. Children start school at the age of 4 and the school day goes from 8.30 to 4.00. Wearing of the traditional dress is compulsory for children and adults and the colours are varied. School children have uniforms and the 4 and 5 year olds look real cute.
Back home to our hotel, a welcome shower and time with our feet up before going out to dinner. We were home by 8.30 p.m. and now the bed looks very inviting after a strenuous day.
