Glimpses into Bhutan in the Year 2000 – A Travel Diary Part 7

 

 

 

15^th of October

We are on the way to the Tiger's Nest / Thaktsang Lhakhang. The path is easy, but difficult due to the altitude (2600-2900 m). We pass the lookout point just before the cafeteria. There I meet a young Australian woman from Perth who has a permit for Tiger's Nest. We go on with two pilgrims from Thimphu. The path comes close to a waterfall. Women carry stones for the new building. I stop for a moment at the ceremony in the new walls and don't go in straight away, listen to the drums and the music. Then I go on with the three women to whom an old monk opened the old Lhakhang, which is shown in J.C. White's book. I look at everything in peace, while the Australian completely freaks out and throws herself down. Later she has a white ribbon for the sanctuary and asks to be allowed to do her Tibetan prostration exercises there. Everything is certainly very meritorious. At least it got me to the heart of the Tiger's Nest. On the way down I am stopped by the clerk of the monastery (“I'm also a policeman”). He had previously had a dispute with C., which I didn't know at the time. Of course I didn't have a permit. I followed the Australian. I was able to reassure him because I assured him that I didn't want to cause him any trouble. I remember one argument: stones could fall down the mountain. Well, nothing can happen to you with a permit.

The weather has been wonderful all day after the fog cleared.
On the way back we stopped at the cafeteria to have tea; after all, it cost 2 DM per person (now 1 €).
C. got lost on the further descent, but found his way back to us while Nami was looking for him. We only lost a quarter of an hour in total.

 

 

In the afternoon I went to Paro Dzong (Rinpung Dzong) with J. and Nami. Nice bridge. Massive architecture. By chance we were able to look at the Lhakhang - incredible paintings on the walls. Two depictions of Buddha were similar in style, but the older image portrayed a compassion of a benevolently smiling Buddha. The YabYum representations were also worth seeing. A mythical / mystical bird head on the four corners of the tower of the dzong.

Then we went to the Drukyet Dzong. It fell apart after fires broke out there twice. Formerly "outpost" to the Tibetans. The people in the area are said to be "fierce", quick with the knife at hand. Nami fears that the Dzong holds ghosts. From the dzong there is a beautiful view of the Jhomolhari.
A group of ponies had arrived at the end of the street. Several houses had penis paintings on the walls.
I also bought prayer flags and religious music.
The panda beer in Bumthang and the apple wine were not that special.

Last night the body of a 68-year-old Marco Polo tourist from Bumthang was brought to our hotel to be flown out. The man died in bed at night. The deceased was a pastor from Cologne (Catholic church); we didn't know him personally.

In the evening -: the milky way.
Later -: the crooked face of the moon lay on its side and pushed itself out from behind the mountains (today I would write: the crooked face of the moon peeked out from behind the mountains).

16^th of October
Inside the airport: "Warning - Persons making inappropriate comments concerning hijackers, carriage of weapons, or explosives may be prosecuted".
Flight to Delhi with a short stopover in Kathmandu.
My place wasn't that good, but good enough for taking pictures. Right side. Past the Himalayas, great weather, hardly any clouds.

Then via Delhi to Goa.


30.09. - 23.10.2000 Bhutan Itinerary / Flights in short
CGN - FRA - DEL - Gauhati - IXB (Bagdogra) - Darjeeling - Sikkim - Siliguri - Phuentsholing - Thimphu - Punakha - Bumthang - Tongsa - Punakha - Thimphu - Paro / PBH - DEL - BOM - GOI - BOM - FRA - CGN