Life in a Monastery

 During my travels through Bhutan I had the chance to visit many historic buildings. Usually I tire after the first three (as Jani might be able to tell you), but these visits were so interesting as the buildings were both full of interesting history (secret tunnels, heroic battles and such) and still very much alive at the same time. The old forts, monasteries and stupas are today home to schools of monks, administrative offices and have many local visitors every day along with the very few occasional foreign tourists. 

The Tzong in Punakha - once a fort and now home to both monastery and government offices.

 

Three curious friends I made in a monastery of one of the smaller villages we visited.

Young monks reciting prayers under the shade of the trees.

A good game of soccer to finish the day in a small monastery perched high on the hill side.

A Dog's Life

Such happy dogs, seriously. But so many of them, everywhere, roaming around and feasting on 'offerings' and generally being well cared for. Not quite the same case now that Im in India unfortunately.

Punakha Valley

A view of rice paddies and wheat fields with a small cluster of farm houses beyond. The houses are majestic and the fields which have been farmed for centuries, remain rich and fertile. The pace of development is certainly felt in Bhutan, with cell phones and high speed internet equally available, but the direction of the development if far more considered and that includes valuing the role of rural areas to grow food and sustain the population. As well as the importance of other factors, such as conservation and wellbeing. Bhutan is not without its contradictions though and as a very tightly controlled state, there are certainly downsides as well. One of which is the contested issue of Bhutanese refugees that is worth reading more about if you are interested.

A small stupa in the middle of the fields, with an elderly farmer making his ritual turns of the prayer wheels. Prayer is built into the everyday through household alters and stupas to be found everywhere. Prayer seems to serve many functions here, one of which is maintaining an appropriate pace to life which includes time for gratitude and reflection.

Punakha Market

As always, I enjoyed a short stop to a bustling market on an open lot in the Punakha Valley. It also helps to describe some of the Bhutanese cuisine which is based almost entirely around chillies, rice, potatoes and cheese. Some eat meat - mostly cured and served with a healthy dose of chillies.

A type of fern harvested from the forests and stirfried as a vegetable.

Wild pepper.

An ingenious baby carrier made from a single stretch of fabric. I saw various verions of this, depending on the child's size. Pretty cool.

Homes that come from and return to the soil

 Women making a rammed earth house - singing beautifully whilst they pound the earth down. Whilst many of the new houses are still traditional in design, they are mostly made with concrete in the towns and cities. In the rural villages though, most are still rammed earth.

Some might call if dilapidated, but I found the natural materials that blended into the surrounding hills quite beautiful.

The other interesting thing about the homes is that people paint various symbols on the outside walls to bring luck and protect the house. One of those happens to be giant phallus symbols to bring fertility to the home and protect the residents from malicious gossip.

Beautiful Bhutan

 

A week in breathtakingly beautiful Bhutan. A country like no other - pristine wildnernis covers most of the country, traditional design is compulsory by law for all buildings, gross national happiness is more important than economic growth, men wear dresses (of sorts) and the rice is red. Tourism is highly regulated (and quite expensive), so a short whirlwind and fully guided tour through Bhutan was both magical and surreal. Battling with super slow internet here in Darjeeling, India now so just a few photos for now, more to come! Above is the fort in Paro that is now government and monasterial buildings, and was our first stop from the airport. Quite typical of a Bhutanese built landscape.

 

 Buddhism is a way of life for Bhutan - a philosophy of living that permeates everyday actions from community living to environmental stewardship. 

 

Some of the young monks playing with my camera in a small hilltop village we visited in Punakha. Amazing ecological design, living sustainable agriculture, conservation work by communities and more to follow!

Namaste Kathmandu

 

Back in Kathmandu for a day before heading out to Bhutan in the morning. Kathmandu is full of gems, and  wandering around today was no exception.

 

 

 

Playing hard to get - expecting payment for photos, if you don't oblige you not getting any.

 

 

 

I was really trying to get a photo of his cool shades, I promise.

Begnas Tal

 

Ventured to the beautiful Begnas Tal near Pokhara for a row across the picture perfect lake.

Paradise Found

 A couple of days kicking back, watching the butterflies being productive, at Hidden Paradise above the lakes of Pokhara. Life's good.