Tiger's Nest and Farewell Bhutan!

Last night was one rough night for poor Jen - up all night with some sort of food poisoning - so sad! We woke up this morning and talked through the options of the day because of Jen's health and we decided to stick with our plan to hike to Tiger's Nest. We set out to the trailhead, got out our walking sticks and hit the trail! The beginning of the hike is very beautiful with amazing green and nature all around. Then the incline began to sharpen. It would have been pretty normal except that it happened to snow here the day before yesterday and it was all icy, slushy, and muddy as a result. We had to keep our pace slow to make sure that we were safe and keeping everyone healthy. My dear family is probably shocked with the fact that I have elected to go hiking since I always despised it growing up. I discovered something about myself. I just need to take the pace a little slower and I enjoy the whole experience! It is great!

After about an hour we reached the location of a small cafeteria where we stopped to rehydrate. From there you have an incredible view of Tiger's Nest, an amazing monastery perched on the side of a cliff. We got back on the trail and kept going. From the cafe the trail leveled out a bit more and we hiked over to a stupa where we had an even more amazing view of the place. We then went down and then back up the over 700 steps that lead you up to this amazing place perched on a cliff. It is truly breathtaking and such a beautiful hike in the amazing Himalayan mountain range. We went inside and saw a few of the 7 temples located in there and then we slide back down the trail!

Here is some more information on Tiger's Nest (truly fascinating history). Built in 1692, it is one of the most famous landmarks in Bhutan.

I am amazed that Jen did that hike after being so sick all night long - she is amazing! She still out hiked me! We came back to our lodge and rested for a bit. As our guide Chencho said while telling us the itinerary for the day, "I will then make you rest." We went through all the many handicraft shops in town here in Paro and then had a nice dinner together.

Tomorrow morning we leave for Nepal! I think both Jen and I would rather just fly home instead at this point (it's been over 4 1/2 weeks away from our lives), but I know we'll enjoy it once we get there - we've only heard such great things.

Farewell beautiful, peaceful, amazing Bhutan!

You can see Tiger's Nest far in the background

Good luck flags

Some of the many steps

They put these little clay stupas next to holy places or near caves

Up on the cliff....

Their cell phone reception is amazing EVERYWHERE here!!!

Awkward.....

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. :)

Whacked with the Fertility Stick

I had a bit of a realization regarding my wonderful readers out there - you may have never heard of Bhutan! I think the best in/fo I can get you is located on Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhutan This country is nestled by India, Nepal, and China. Read up on it and I'll try to give more information as I go along...

After Jen and I struggled to get our fire in our room back to life last night, we woke up this morning under layers and layers of blankets and not wanting to get out from under them. It is FREEZING here! We had a delicious breakfast of eggs, fried rice, and chili paste. I loved it! The chili paste is so, so tasty, but unfortunately I found out as the day went on that chili paste does not like me.

We started off by driving to the information center on the Black Necked Crane. They come down here from Siberia and are really cool looking. They're a little over 3 feet tall with black necks and feet and white bodies. Amazing. We then drove to a few monasteries and a nunnery on the way - one was The Punakha Dzong, the second one built in Bhutan and previously the seat of the government. Legend has it that the building of the Dzong was foretold by Guru Rinpoche, who predicted that a person named Namgyal will arrive at a hill that looks like an elephant and build. True to the prediction Ngawang Namgyal arrived in the 16th century and built the Dzong at the tip of the elephant trunk, which is right on the confluence of two rivers, the Mo Chhu (Mother) and Pho Chhu (Father) Rivers. The Punakha Dzong was the scene of some fine victories, some of the finest that Bhutan has ever seen.

The highlight of the day was going to Chimi Lhakhang, the temple of Divine Madman, which was built in the 15th century. This temple is also known as the Temple of Fertility. The infertile woman takes blessings from the temple so that they may bear children. Many have been known to trek long and far to this temple to be blessed with fertility. As we entered the small temple there, they were preparing for a ceremony. This is a school for young monks as well, so there were lots and lots of little boys running around preparing for the ceremony. They put piles and piles of food onto altars before the statues of their gods and then say chants and blow horns and other instruments. It was so much for to see the little boys picking up the little scraps of food that had dropped on the floor and nibbling. They were very sweet and reverent, but also still boys! Having fun and throwing things at each other. At one point, our guide told us that we can be blessed with the bow and arrow of the Divine Madman as well as the fertility stick. Before I knew what was happening, our guide bowed and the monk touched his head with it, Jen did it, and then it was my turn. I bowed and he whacked me pretty hard on the head with the fertility stick. My guide next to me said, "Oh!" with great concern. I shook it off, but then my head began to throb. We hiked back to the car and Jen and I couldn't stop laughing about it - I don't know what it means if he hit me extra hard!

I finally got our guide laughing a bit today - he has been a little uptight, but he can laugh! He asked us about marriage in the US and we found out info about it here - that there were only 23 divorces in the country last year. We also found out that our guide is our same age! So fun.

Our hotel here is nice, but not as great as last night's place. Apparently we got moved from another hotel because the prime minister and his "raucous" entourage were staying there. Instead our guide said that we would be staying in the jungle. Yet another example of mistranslation since we are in the woods...

Good luck flags outside the Fertility Temple

The Fertility Temple

Some of the scenes near the temple

Marriage is Suffering

This morning we got up early and after a quick breakfast in our room, the littlest lady came to take our bags. I have never felt so guilty in my whole life as I watched her little 80 pound frame pick up my ginormous bag and schlepp it down the stairs to the car. We hopped in and were off on a long drive. As we began to wind up the mountainside, we stopped at a roadside stand to buy some fresh apples from a nearby orchard. Delicious! We kept driving and winding along the road. Our driver, Ugyen, (the very "jolly" one) is an interesting driver. He goes very, very slowly - he creeps along at a very slow speed and lets everyone and their dog pass us, then he'll all of a sudden speed up at a very strange spot and totally hit a big bump HARD, launching us into the air. So funny to me.

Anyway, our guide told us that there was a festival in a nearby town, so we headed in that direction, making our trip a 3 hour drive instead of a 6 hour one. Upon arrival at the fortress (or as they call them, dzongs) where the festival was located, we walked across a beautiful bridge and scaled some very steep stairs into the main courtyard. Upon arrival, Jen and I realized that we were the only caucasians for miles! Everyone is in their beautiful traditional celebration clothing - for women a skirt, a top that looks like a short and fitted blazer, and a sash that they hang over their shoulder. The great thing about that outfit is that none of those items have to match at all - you can just pick your 3 favorite items! We watched the dancing and celebrating and were quite fascinated. The monks dress up on clothing representing different gods and saints and dance to different songs.

One thing that I have noticed here is that music is VERY different. They use their voices in a very different way and use instruments mostly to make sounds, not to play notes. That's been a bit of an adjustment for me considering my years and years of musical training to not EVER cringe.....

Anyway, we looked around the rest of the dzong at the other courtyards and the temple. One thing that I haven't mentioned but that you may have figured out at this point is that almost the entire country (population a little over 600,000) is Buddhist. They have a very peaceful demeanor and very strong convictions about what they believe in. I had a conversation with my guide in the temple about Buddha's life and the fact that he left his wife and child to find nirvana. He told us that they believe that marriage is suffering and a distraction as we try to find nirvana and gather our merits in life. Now, don't misunderstand here, he said that most Buddhists do marry and it is a good thing. It was just interesting to hear the statement "marriage is suffering". Can't wait!!!

After lunch nearby, we drove to a beautiful valley called Phobjikha - the winter home of the Black Necked Crane. We stayed in a farm house there that was amazingly beautiful! We were going to stay in a place next door but their water went out, so we had to upgrade! :)

We did still have the great experience of a hot stone bath. When you first hear that, it may sound either really great or super sketchy. Both Jen and I were a bit leery about the hole prospect, but thought, why not?! We walked next door to a farm where they had a little house with a long tub in it and a separate space at the end that they put the hot stones into and it heats up the water. They told us that we could take the bath together, but we opted to take turns. I went first and was looking at the water that had turned a bit dark in color and had small twigs and things floating in it - makes sense when you see the fire that they are pulling the hot stones directly out of. :) I got in and it was actually heavenly! It felt like a nice warm hot tub and it was wonderful except for the layer of black soot on the bottom of the tub that I just hovered over. It was a fun experience.

We finished off today with the best dinner that we have had in Bhutan - lots of fresh vegetables that had the most amazing sauce that turned out to be oyster sauce - it was AMAZING! We had also something that tasted like a chicken stroganoff - so good! Time to head to bed!

Moving the hot stones from the fire into the tub....

Bhutan - A Very Romantical Place

The day started early with a 3:30 a.m. wake up call which consisted of a nice man knocking on our hotel room door with fresh fruit! The second he knocked I sprang out of bed and struggled to get the door open, but finally got things going. We left for the airport at 4 a.m. Jen and I finally got to see the inside of the New Delhi Airport (remember that last time we just walked through emergency exits and on the tarmac to our next flight...)! It is beautiful and huge and very, very nice. Our flight left for Bhutan at 6:35 a.m. It was a quick flight - about 1 1/2 hours. I was basically in and out of consciousness on the flight since we have had about 6 hours of sleep in the past 2 nights combined (first the train ride from you know where and then the 3 hours of sleep..). Once we disembarked the aircraft, it was a beautiful site to behold. #1 - it is so peaceful and quiet - #2 - it is very, very clean - #3 - it is peaceful and quiet!

It took us all but 10 minutes to clear customs and get our of the airport and there we were greeted by our guide, Karma Tenzin. He gave us white scarves to welcome us, introduced us to our guide and our driver for the next 5 days, and piled us all in the car. Jen and I couldn't get over what a completely opposite place this is from India - and so close. The people look completely different (very much like Tibetans), the laws and freedoms are aplenty, it is very clean and quiet, and best of all, GNH! Gross National Happiness. I'll write more about that later...

Before I expire and have to go to sleep, let me just say that we had a lovely day driving from Paro to Thimphu and seeing the beautiful sights here - a paper mill, an art and handicraft school, an animal sanctuary for some really weird looking creatures that look like they belong in Star Wars, the town with all of its little shops, the Parliament Building, The Fortress and King's Palace (that is probably about the size of my parents' house) and a few other things. I can't get enough of the beautiful architecture here. Everything has beautiful intricate designs painted all over it and I am fascinated. Completely.]

To cap off Valentine's Day, Jen and I had a romantical dinner with our guide, Chencho and our driver, Ugyen. After thinking that they stood us up as we waited in the lobby for 15 minutes, we came to find out that they were in the restaurant upstairs. We had a great time talking about Bhutan and trekking - it was a great Valentine's date! One of them speaks English pretty well and the other speaks barely any, but our guide says that he is "very jolly"! Jen and I then had an evening of watching an episode of the Bachelor on my iPad and painting our toenails - such luxury!

Happy Valentine's Day from Bhutan!!!

The paper mill

Weaving

Prayer wheels at the Stupa

A Stupa

The Takin (a creature from Star Wars...)

The Handicraft School

The Parliament Building