Trongsa

I have lost count of the number of times I have used the word beautiful for different Bhutanese towns. But I am really falling short of adjectives to describe these places. They are so much beyond words. Trongsa, in central Bhutan, is again a dreamy, little town. A town so small that you can walk through all of it in a mere 10 minutes. It is about three hours drive from Phobjikha. The road after Phobjikha is beautiful. The scenery is out of this world. However, it feels like it’s taking for ever to reach. The mountains are densely covered with greenery and look like huge broccoli heads from the distance. The air gets cooler and fresher. You can see a stray, single house once in an hour or so. We had lunch at a lovely roadside hotel on our way. There aren’t many on this route, so it’s best to eat something when you get the chance.

We spotted two little girls walking up to their homes after school, so we gave them a ride. It was heart warming to see how trusting the girls were. It feels very positive to know that little girls are just like they should be: innocent, carefree, without having to worry about stranger-danger. We finally reached Trongsa at around 6 pm. The Yangkhil Resort where we stayed was the best hotel of our entire stay. It was very tastefully designed with huge sit-outs for each room. We checked in and went for a walk in the town. It was getting dark so we couldn’t see much. But the Trongsa Dzong impressed us enough to want to wake up early in the morning and go for a walk.

We then came back to the hotel for dinner. There aren’t many dining options in Trongsa, neither are there many staying options. The food at the resort was excellent though. I had an outstanding Nakey Datshi (ferns in cheese) here and despite the huge portions, managed to finish all of it. Plus the restaurant had a brilliant view of the Dzong all lit up and pretty.

Next morning, we revisited the dzong. It was beautiful and we managed to get a few good pics. Despite the subliminal beauty, we had a looming melancholic day, mostly because it was pretty much the end of our journey. We had a long 9 hour journey to Thimphu ahead of us. And then, the next day, we’d be back on our way to Bagdogra. In any case, we started our journey home with a very strong resolve to return soon and explore Trongsa and then Bumthang.

Phobjikha

Phobjikha is a lovely little town (village really) on the way to Tronga. It’s located more towards central Bhutan.  The road from Punakha to Phobjikha is really bad. It had rained the previous day, and we could see how difficult it was for the driver to navigate through the slippery and narrow roads.  Additionally, it takes a lot more time to travel further after Punakha as there are several road blocks. Roads are being constructed in these parts and they stay open for passing only half an hour after every two hours. We just missed the opening time of the first block and were stuck there for an hour. But nobody in Bhutan is bothered by things like these, and you see how it’s accepted as part of life. It also really helps that every single spot is so peaceful, green, and beautiful.

We had a great time at this block just walking around, having suja, and talking to the roadside vendors.

Because of our bad timing, we were also caught in the road block right before Phobjikha. This time for 90 minutes. Again, no reason to worry. We had the most delicious momos here. We reached the valley in just a few minutes after the second block.

The Phobjikha valley is known for black necked cranes. They can be spotted in the open areas in the winters. We couldn’t spot any as they migrate to Tibet this time of the year.

I have mentioned this before, and I want to say it again. Bhutan is a perfect example of people living in great harmony with the nature. People just blend into the natural surroundings so well, and the country is remarkable in how it values nature. The houses in Phobjikha all have dim lighting as harsher lights scare the cranes away. The noise levels are kept at a minimum to make it comfortable for the birds.

It’s a sleepy little village where you see yaks, cows and horses grazing together peacefully. The road leading up to Phobjikha is pure magic. We spotted tons of fiddlehead ferns here. There were also several medicinal plants with flowers that looked like hibiscus. The Bhutanese use these flowers for home remedies.

The road leading up and down the valley is great and so tranquil that you’re most likely to spot just one car, and that would be yours. We saw a monk and an anim (lady monk) walking down this road. They were really sweet and asked after us. They even agreed to let me take a pic. Check it here.

The next time we go to Bhutan, I’d definitely spend some more time here.

Punakha

The road from Thimphu to Punakha is quite nice till Dochula, but it then starts getting narrower, and is not made of tar. This significantly compromises the time you take to reach Punakha. But if you leave early in the morning, you should be there by lunch.

Dochula

This is a beautiful spot on the way to Punakha. There are 108 stupas bang in the middle of the road.

The Stupas stand on lush green grass scattered with tiny yellow flowers.  You can spot the Himalayas from here on a clear day.

We could hardly make it out of the car as we were caught in heavy rains right from the time we left Thimphu. It was freezing. We then went to the restaurant right at this scenic spot. The restaurant has a huge furnace in the middle of the seating area. It’s perfect to warm your hands and feet as you sip some coffee and take in the beautiful road and mountains from the windows.

Chimi Lhakhang

Chimi Lhakhang is more popularly known as the temple of fertility. Once again, the location is incredible.

But this term doesn’t do justice to the idea behind this temple and the crazy wise man whom it’s built for. Here’s a little about the temple.

This temple is on a small hillock and you have to walk through the lush green fields, and a tiny village to reach there. It’s a great walk.

There’s a shop called Phallus handicrafts right at the beginning of the walk, and this area has several phallic drawings. Take a look here.

Punakha Dzong

Punakha Dzong (Punakha’s administrave office) has got to be the most impressive dzong in Bhutan. It’s a little outside the town right by the river. This is where the royal wedding took place. The structure is spread out quite a bit. It’s difficult to get an idea of how large it is from the outside. But once you get in, you keep passing by one section after another.

There’s a beautiful foot bridge to reach there, and the river and the dzong look spectacular from there. The dzong is lined with incredibly beautiful trees in a full purple bloom.

The ground under these trees is colored completely purple as the trees shed the flowers. I don’t know the name of the flowers. Can anyone ID it please?

Thimphu

Our journey from Paro to Thimphu was very relaxed and pleasurable. Firstly, the distance was minimal. Secondly, the day was clear and sunny.

Thimphu is just like any other capital city. Comparatively crowded than other Bhutanese towns, dirtier, and more chaotic. Precisely why I am never too keen on visiting any capital cities, but I can’t even completely give up on the idea because of the other benefits like more eating and socializing options. Additonally, visiting Thimphu is sort of mandatory as you need to get your 1 week permit extended and get additional permits to visit Punakha and Trongsa.

So anyway, there are definitely quite a few fun things you can do in Thimphu. Here’s what we visited.

Folk Heritage Museum

I quite liked this place. It is sort of a living museum where you see a traditional Bhutanese four floored house complete with traditional kitchen (the highlight for me). The kitchen had some great Suja (butter tea) churners and a flat noodle press. A woman was sitting in the courtyard roasting rice in a cauldron to make puffed rice (this is later served to you if you have lunch at the museum restaurant).

The traditional restaurant at the museum is excellent and offers a perfect introduction to most of the traditional Bhutanese dishes. It is also a very hearty meal. We somehow made the right decision to order only one set meal (they only have set meals) and the quantity was more than enough for three people.

The meal had kewa datshi, ema datshi, red boiled rice, suja, khuley (buckwheat pancakes, a specialty of Bumthang), hogay (a chilli, cucumber and cheese salad), pickle, chicken curry, pork curry, and a pumpkin datshi. Read more details here.

Trashi Chhoe Dzong

Each town has a dzong and the Bhutanese seem to be experts at selecting incredible locations even for government offices. This is a huge structure and the cars are parked very neatly outside the dzong entrance. You get to see the beautiful mountains even from the parking area. There’s a ceremony every evening to bring the national flag down. I am not a big fan of any ceremonies, but this one didn’t bother me as some other ceremonies do. Everything was just as neat and organized and calm as anything else.

After the ceremony is over, tourists are not allowed inside for half an hour. So we just spent some time taking random pictures of each other.

I liked the interior part of this dzong better than any other dzongs. The courtyard is massive and there’s enough space to hold national-level celebrations. You are not allowed to take pictures inside the main room, which has a shrine, but it also looks like a parliament house. Actually it looks more like a king’s main assembly. There are massive throne-like seats on a raised platform, and then rows of low seats. The high seats have framed pictures of the king.

National Library

The national library is a fine building built in the typical Bhutanese style. You don’t see much variety in the structures, but they all blend in very well with the natural surroundings. The library has 4 floors, and hosts the world’s biggest book. It’s about 68 kgs and 5 feet in height,

Buddha Statue

You can see the massive Buddha statue on the mountain from several places in Thimphu. It’s the world’s biggest brass statue of the Buddha. If you don’t have enough time,  this is something you could skip. I’m personally not fond of wasting huge and beautiful places for statues.

Clock-tower Square

You will spot this happening square several times while you roam around Thimphu. It’s a huge area, like an amphitheater. Bhutan’s idol talent show is hosted here. There are little restaurants lining this square.

National Zoo

The national zoo is quite a nice reserve. There’s lots and lots of space for the animals to roam around. In fact it’s actually a huge forest with a fence. You spot the national animal Takin here. The takin looks like a combination of a goat and cow. It’s seems to be a friendly but incredibly slow animal. We also saw some antelopes and yaks here. All hanging out peacefully with each other.

 This being the birthing season, we were lucky to spot baby yaks, takins, and antelopes.

Weekend Market

The weekend market is a fabulous place to immerse into the daily life of the Bhutanese. It’s incredibly well organized into various sections like Local Produce, Organic Produce, Cold Storage, Doma and Paney (paan/ betel leaf with betel nut), Incense etc. It is also very clean. The weekend market is set on Friday and is active through Sunday. There is a great variety of fresh veggies, several variants of dried yak cheese, honey, pickles, dried fish, fruit etc.

It’s a great place for unexpected treasures. I found natural loofahs here. These are basically cucumbers that dry out on the creepers and become like sponge.

I was quite taken by the incense sections. There was a big selection of incense sticks. There were also sacks of various fragrant powders like dried juniper leaves, thyme etc. Apart from incense sticks, you’ll find these powders kept in bowls in most Bhutanese places, and a lit match stick is dropped into it. A light fragrance emanates. You can either buy one powder, make your own mix, or buy a pre-mixed blend.

There’s a foot bridge right opposite the market entrance. There’s another market right under this bridge. It has enticing selection of amulets, jewelry, prayer flags, handicrafts, and what not. But be prepared to bargain, or you’re sure to be taken for a ride with ridiculous prices.

Paro

We went to Paro after getting our permit done in Phuentsholing. Phuentsholing is the border town and there’s just one gate that separates India and Bhutan. The drive from Phunetholing to Paro is scenic, pretty much like any other drive in Bhutan. It’s a winding road lined with ferns everywhere, and you see densely green mountains as far as your vision reaches. Plus, there is a bonus of waterfalls thrown in everywhere.

Paro is a fairly small town, entirely walk-able. The main street is lined with general and handicraft shops. The town has an old world charm with little traditional eateries along the paved footpath. The cars are lined neatly on either side of the road. The entry to the town is beautiful with a lovely wooden bridge on the side of the road, the Paro Chhu river flowing alongside the town, and a very scenic airport right at the entrance. You’ll see several apple trees in the backyards of even the smallest of houses, not just in Paro, but all of Bhutan.

I’m listing the places we visited in Paro in no particular order.

Taktsang (Tiger’s Nest) Monastery

This has got to be the high point of our Bhutan trip. That’s at least what we kept feeling all the way up the fairly tough and steep hike to the monastery. it’s probably  a 4 km walk uphill, and the entire path is lined with prayer flags. The views of the mountain and the valleys are breathtaking.

I could take a hundred picture at every step had I had two days to climb up to the point. The monastery is built at the very edge of the rocky mountain and you can’t help wondering at how it was even built. You have got to give it to the monks…they sure know how to find the best places for their meditation. Climbing up is an unreal and awakening experience. I don’t mean in terms of spiritual awakening, but it terms of how unique it is, and oh so rewarding. As you keep climbing up the mountain, the monastery starts appearing clearer. At some points it’s covered in fog and looks like a magical vision playing peek-a-boo.

Chelela Pass

Chelela is a high-altitude spot about two-hour drive from Paro. The road is a narrow, winding one and passes through a village called Bondey. Once you cross the village, the number of people and houses starts getting sparser. Then all you see is beautiful road cut through the mountain, and at every turn the valley getting deeper. This particular patch has millions of wild purple flowers, and from a distance it looks like  a lovely velvet carpet dotted with greens here and there. There are also various shades of yellow flowers on the way. 

The Chelela point itself is at an altitude of 3988 metres. It’s very windy there. At the time we reached there, it had started snowing, and we also spotted some areas covered with fresh snow. It was insanely cold, and we were clearly not clothed enough for such weather. But nothing would deter us from roaming around in the chilly winds and snow. We could hardly see anything else due to the fog, but this was a great experience nonetheless.

On our way back, we spotted a couple of Yaks and stopped to take pictures. I was also lucky enough to spot a baby yak. My day was made.

Paro Dzong

Dzongs are basically administrative offices. But because of rthe importance of religion in Bhutanese life, these fortresses generally also have a few temples inside. They typically have a huge courtyard, and then several rooms for various departments like culture, education etc. Paro Dzong didn’t seem special to me, but it’s still an impressive building. Just that once you start noticing that every other dzong you see in better than the first one, this one fades in comparison.

And there is this lovely little temple in one corner, which is my favorite part of the dzong.

National Museum

The national museum at Paro is quite small. What I found interesting is the part about the various teas, that also had ancient tea vessels. If you are short of time, this is something I would skip. The view of Paro from the museum is quite nice though.

Kyichu Lhakhang

Lhakhangs are temples. Kyichu Lhakhang is the oldest temple in Bhutan. For such an important temple, it’s surprisingly understated, which is part of it’s charm. It’s a small temple on the outskirts of Paro.

There’s an orange tree within the temple premise, which apparently bears fruit throughout the year. The temple is lined with prayer wheels all around. It’s a very nice and peaceful spot to end your day with.

Tachog Lhakhang

This is an old Tibetan temple on the outskirts of Paro. You can spot it from a distance on the road between Paro and Thimphu. It’s on the top of a small hill, and you need to climb down the road, cross the foot bridge to get to the other side, and then hike up the hill again.

The bridge is sturdy but a little scary as you can see running water under you as you walk. This made be a little dizzy, so I took the smaller wooden bridge instead. The husband easily managed to iron mesh bridge though.

This bridge is of great significance to the Tibetan Buddhists. The temple itself is built in honor of Thang Tong Gyalpo, the Buddhist yogi who is said to have built several iron chain bridges across Bhutan and Tibet. He is believed to have molded iron chains himself. The temple has a huge chain. We were told by the monk there that the Gyalpo himself had created it. We are not religious, but we did quite enjoy the stories, We also spoke quite a bit to a small group of Tibetan Nepalese who were on a pilgrimage to Bhutan and had come specially to visit the temple. The woman in the group kept offering money at various spots in the temple: the place where the Gyalpo used to sit, the iron chain he made, the walking stick he used, the shrine itself, the religious scriptures etc. By the time I stopped counting, she had already offered about a thousand Rupees.

You can’t help wondering about how religions evolve into ceremonies and practices that go quite against the basic premise of any religion. Idol worship in this case, and also some degree of superstition. On our way back we were crossing one of the smaller stupas, when the lady asked us to go to the other side, as the temple should always be on your right.  I understand that this is about religious belief. But shouldn’t your belief make you stronger and fearless, instead of bogging you down and reducing great philosophies to just a protocol? Respect surely doesn’t reflect in which side of the road you take, but it’s something at a far deeper and personal level. Something to think about…