Today we got up like every other day and had a quick breakfast, then off to Paro, a 6 hour drive. As we began our descent up the mountain, we saw that the pouring rains from the night before became snow in the mountains. Luckily our car has 4 wheel drive, so our driver was undaunted by the maybe 2 inches of snow on the road. We passed many vehicles on the way up who were stalled because they did not have good tires or 4 wheel drive. A little further down the road we saw some cops pulling cars over for a road block. Apparently they were going to send a truck up the hill to pour salt on the roads before anyone else could go through. We sat in the car for a bit and then noticed that our guide and our driver had jumped out of the car and were rolling the snow to make a snowman. Before we knew it, the policemen had joined them as well as some other guides. It was great and they had a lot of fun and so did we until they put large male and female parts on the "snowman". Can we say awkward?!?
There have been many other awkward moments with our dear guide. If you know me at all you know that I love to joke around and have a good laugh about life and may or may not be a bit sarcastic. I don't think that this type of behavior translates very well to the Bhutanese Buddhist. I feel like I'm slowly corrupting his nirvana state. Here are just a few examples of the awkward moments that we've had with him on this trip:
1. Chencho is always aiming to please and wants to make sure that we are happy with everything that he ever does or explains to us. He'll explain something to us about the history of his country and we will smile and nod to let him know we are listening. After about 30 seconds of staring at us, he'll say, "Have I made myself clear?" Realizing that we haven't quite given him the correct words of affirmation, we'll say, "Oh, yes!"
2. Our jokes don't always translate and usually Chencho has no idea that we are joking. For example, when he was telling us the other day that the Prime Minister of Bhutan was staying at the hotel we had booked so we were moving to another one because it will be roudy, I couldn't resist to say with a very straight face, "So you're saying that your prime minister is very roudy?" He back pedaled like no one I've ever seen and tried to explain that he comes with a 40 person entourage, etc. I smiled and said, "Chencho, I am only teasing you!" He started laughing with his little boy laugh and the tension was soon released.
3. We have many awkward silences. Yesterday when we were stuck at a road closure, he told us that we would be there for about 40 minutes. Then he went silent and you could tell that he was trying to think of something else to say. The silence became painful and I could see him getting more and more uncomfortable. Jen and I both had books and were fine with reading. He finally exited the vehicle and hung out with the driver outside. Also, each night he will come to dinner and tell us about the next day's activities. Once he finishes, he has a really hard time leaving. I try to give him the easy exit by saying, "That sounds great, Chencho, we'll see you in the morning at 9 a.m." Nothing. Still sitting there. More awkwardness for all parties. I don't know what more to do. I try.
My favorite moments with him happened today as he led us through the Bhutan National Museum. We entered the museum and he began to show us around which consisted of him parading us past the many cases of artifacts at a pretty good clip saying nothing. Every once in a while, he would stop and say, "This is a very nice piece." Both Jen and I would wait for him to explain, but nothing ever happened. About 30 seconds of silence later, we realized that he wanted us to just read the sign. Okay, then! I also have to add that the museum must have been built by dwarfs and has floors that feel like they may give out and send you plunging into the basement at any moment. Six floors of spiraling around and around while bent over like a hunchback, going in and out of strange corridors and hallways that led literally to nowhere, the whole time walking at a pretty good clip. That's the way to see a museum! None of this lollygagging about. Just get 'er done!!!
We saw the ruins of a dzong this evening that was destroyed by a fire in the 1800s. It was pretty amazing except for the part where the native Bhutanese attacked us with snowballs all the way out... We then returned to our hotel here in Paro that we will be staying at for the next 2 nights and met the innkeeper, a kind 60 year-old man who used to be the secretary for the King's mother. He sat and spoke with us all through dinner, telling us amazing stories of how he used to sell Bhutanese stamps online (apparently they are quite the collectors item) and met many people that way from all over the world who come to visit him annually. He told us all about his fascination with technology and showed us his iPhone and was especially proud of his Buddhist prayer app that sings him prayers and chants. Truly a wonderful man and so interesting to talk to.
Lesson for today - no matter how awkward the situation, you can get through it and laugh about it at the end of the day. :)
There have been many other awkward moments with our dear guide. If you know me at all you know that I love to joke around and have a good laugh about life and may or may not be a bit sarcastic. I don't think that this type of behavior translates very well to the Bhutanese Buddhist. I feel like I'm slowly corrupting his nirvana state. Here are just a few examples of the awkward moments that we've had with him on this trip:
1. Chencho is always aiming to please and wants to make sure that we are happy with everything that he ever does or explains to us. He'll explain something to us about the history of his country and we will smile and nod to let him know we are listening. After about 30 seconds of staring at us, he'll say, "Have I made myself clear?" Realizing that we haven't quite given him the correct words of affirmation, we'll say, "Oh, yes!"
2. Our jokes don't always translate and usually Chencho has no idea that we are joking. For example, when he was telling us the other day that the Prime Minister of Bhutan was staying at the hotel we had booked so we were moving to another one because it will be roudy, I couldn't resist to say with a very straight face, "So you're saying that your prime minister is very roudy?" He back pedaled like no one I've ever seen and tried to explain that he comes with a 40 person entourage, etc. I smiled and said, "Chencho, I am only teasing you!" He started laughing with his little boy laugh and the tension was soon released.
3. We have many awkward silences. Yesterday when we were stuck at a road closure, he told us that we would be there for about 40 minutes. Then he went silent and you could tell that he was trying to think of something else to say. The silence became painful and I could see him getting more and more uncomfortable. Jen and I both had books and were fine with reading. He finally exited the vehicle and hung out with the driver outside. Also, each night he will come to dinner and tell us about the next day's activities. Once he finishes, he has a really hard time leaving. I try to give him the easy exit by saying, "That sounds great, Chencho, we'll see you in the morning at 9 a.m." Nothing. Still sitting there. More awkwardness for all parties. I don't know what more to do. I try.
My favorite moments with him happened today as he led us through the Bhutan National Museum. We entered the museum and he began to show us around which consisted of him parading us past the many cases of artifacts at a pretty good clip saying nothing. Every once in a while, he would stop and say, "This is a very nice piece." Both Jen and I would wait for him to explain, but nothing ever happened. About 30 seconds of silence later, we realized that he wanted us to just read the sign. Okay, then! I also have to add that the museum must have been built by dwarfs and has floors that feel like they may give out and send you plunging into the basement at any moment. Six floors of spiraling around and around while bent over like a hunchback, going in and out of strange corridors and hallways that led literally to nowhere, the whole time walking at a pretty good clip. That's the way to see a museum! None of this lollygagging about. Just get 'er done!!!
We saw the ruins of a dzong this evening that was destroyed by a fire in the 1800s. It was pretty amazing except for the part where the native Bhutanese attacked us with snowballs all the way out... We then returned to our hotel here in Paro that we will be staying at for the next 2 nights and met the innkeeper, a kind 60 year-old man who used to be the secretary for the King's mother. He sat and spoke with us all through dinner, telling us amazing stories of how he used to sell Bhutanese stamps online (apparently they are quite the collectors item) and met many people that way from all over the world who come to visit him annually. He told us all about his fascination with technology and showed us his iPhone and was especially proud of his Buddhist prayer app that sings him prayers and chants. Truly a wonderful man and so interesting to talk to.
Lesson for today - no matter how awkward the situation, you can get through it and laugh about it at the end of the day. :)
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