19 to 20 Sep, 2024 - Cheri Goempa, Pangri Zampa, Dochu La, Punakha, Sopsokha - (Bhutan)
The rules for visiting Bhutan are changing. Slowly. It's a two-edged sword thing. The SDF (Special Development Fee), although temporarily reduced in price, is still expesive. This helps encourage high value, low volume tourism, meaning they make more money from less visitors, and this in turn stops sights from being overcrowded and touristy. The additional requirements that you need a guide outside of Thimphu and Paro means that every traveller is actively engaging and employing locals who have chosen a career in tourism. So, while we obviously dislike handing over more money, we do like the low impact and sustainable result of these regulations.
Even the actual travelling would be near impossible without a driver and car. Accessible public transport, especially to places we'd like to visit, is pretty much non-existant. Some sites of particular note apparently refuse to let a foreigner in if their guide is not with them. Even in Thimphu, where guides are no longer needed, most visitors are already on their tour. Visiting top attractions there, we often encountered puzzled faces as officials pondered whether they were supposed to let us in or not, finally deciding that there did not really appear to be a reason to stop us.
So, even if we had our own way of getting about, we did not feel we could take a risk of travelling to a significant sight, only to be turned away.
As we neared the pass that separates Western Bhutan from Central Bhutan, we stopped at a roadside stall to try a local delicacy, chhurpi. This is a dried yak cheese, and it hangs outside the little booths on string, little white cubes actually looking palatable, almost tasty. As it turns out, we never realy got to taste them. They are hard. Very hard. Insanely hard. We may as well have put a stones in our mouths. After 40 minutes, we gave up. It was not going well, and then we were told 40 minutes was not enough time - this cheese can take hours to soften. Later, we met a lady who told us what she did as a little girl. She would put the cube in her mouth when she went to sleep, and by morning, it was soft enough to chew. Neither Jo, nor I, are that committed to the yak cheese.
Cheri Goemba
First established in 1620, this monastery north of Thimphu is reached by a 45 minute climb on a very pleasant forest track.
Penis Paintings, on a Seemingly Abandoned Home
Roadside, north of Thimphu, between places, really. The multiple phallus inclusion seemed excessive to our way of thinking.
View to Pangri Zampa
A pleasant bridge (currently closed, unfortunately) leads over the river to Pangri Zampa.
View from Dochu La
Dochu La is the high point of the pass between Thimphu and Punakha. Bhutan's highest peak is visible in the Himalayan vista.
A Kitten Draped in a Pot Plant
Inside Chimi Lhakhang, the temple of the Divine Madman.
Morning Meditation
Beneath the bodhi tree. We came up to the temple early, to catch the atmosphere of individual meditation and group prayer.
Over the Rice Fields
Ascending to Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten.
Jo and Sonam
Cat Relaxation and Meditation
Inside Punakha Dzong.
One of Bhutan's Longest Suspension Bridges
It felt stable, and due to not being high, did not require a lot of nerves to make it across.
The Obligatory Picture of Punakha Dzong
Protective Images, Sopsokha
Of course, again, it is the phallic image that makes this an unusual way to decorate one's house.
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