Trangsa

 We were back on the road this morning.  We are heading to Tongsa today but we first have to drive through the Black Mountains and over Kiki La pass.

We stopped at a shop where they do hand weaving of beautiful fabrics.  They also still dye their own wool.  A woman explained which natural products they use to dye the wool and how they prep it for dying.  It was interesting what things found in nature can be used to make vibrant colors.  A woman demonstrated weaving for us before we left.




  Our main destination today was Punakha Dzong.  This beautiful hillside fortress serves as a monastery so we had opportunities to photograph monks in their daily routines.  There was also a group of men playing the national sport of archery.  They were using regular bows and shooting them a very long distance so few of them were actually hitting the target.  They were having a great time practicing the sport.















We stayed at Yangkhill Resort for the next two nights which worked out to be the perfect spot for laundry!

Tomorrow: A private Cham Dances

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

False Start and Touring the City

Image
 One of our guides had been told that there was to be a water ceremony this morning at sunrise so we had planned an early start so we could attend.  However, it turned out to be a false start with the ceremony taking place the next day.  We all were still in jet lag mode so it didn’t make a lot of difference what time we got up! Our first stop this morning was Bhaktapur Durbar Square .  Durbar generally means palace, so this square once was the residence of the Kings of Nepal.  Earthquakes over the years have caused much damage to the temple complex but there’s been restoration projects to reverse some of it.  Because we arrived early we got to see people praying at the various shrines scattered throughout the complex.  Incense is prominently used as well has paint to adorn the worshipper’s head.  The people are very friendly and willing to have the photos taken although they won’t turn down a ‘donation’ if offered.  We ate breakfast at the S...
Read more

Festival Time

Image
 After yesterday’s failed attempt we were assured that the festival was actually happening today.  We left the hotel early to head to Kamal Pokhara lake where the  Chhat Festival  was in its fourth and final day.  Women gather on the banks of the river to make offerings to the rising sun by pouring milk over food offerings.  They also get in the lake to offer prayers for their children or particular needs they might have.  Fireworks are also used during the offerings.  When the celebration was over we drove to  Swayambhnath  also known as the monkey temple.  It quickly apparent where the name comes from as we took the steps up into the temple.  Monkeys were everywhere, on trees, the stupa, the ground, anywhere we could think of.  This Hindu temple sits on top of a hill which affords beautiful views of the valley.   Our final visit for the day Patan and the  The Golden Temple .  Because we had skipped breakfa...
Read more

Tiger's Nest

Image
 From the beginning of the trip I knew that the final day was reserved for those who wanted to hike up to  Tiger's Nest .  This monastery on the edge of a sheer cliff is probably the most recognizable emblem of Bhutan.  The red roofed, white walled structure is accessible but only if you are willing to spend several hours hiking up to it. Because of the Global Peace Festival, there were lots of monks making pilgrimages to it along with the standard tourists, etc. that are attracted to the challenge.  There's a cafe 2/3 of the way up which was my goal.  I think to do the final third to the top observation point is a pretty steep climb considering I have another week before going home. To be clear, there are many hikes in the US that are longer and at higher elevations than Tiger's Nest.  The draw is the boldness of building such a structure against all the natural impediments that faced the builders. Our intrepid group of 8 plus our trip leaders and Bhu...
Read more