From Paro to Thimpu

Yesterday evening we watched a dance performance outside at the Aman resort.  The dancing style is a little bit closer to the Hawaiian hula (moving around slowly with precise arm movements) than to a vigorous tango.  Our dinner was quite good.  Those who talk about how bad the food is clearly aren’t eating at the Aman resorts!  Guy and Lenny both decided to experiment with the local specialties, which arrived in an array of white bowls each one full of a different flavor and color.  I think they both regretted it a bit later when the food didn’t quite sit right! 

This morning started with a farewell ceremony.  Really.  A monk met us in the Aman courtyard, and proceeded to bless us with holy water.  He threw rice at us, and tied red threads around our necks that we’re not supposed to take off for 3 days.  Believe me, we’re all obeying as we figure we need the good luck on these roads.

Speaking of roads, we then headed out in our minivan for Thimpu, the capital.  The first half of the journey was on the windy side, and all of us were feeling a bit carsick.  After a stop and some fresh air, along with a straighter highway, we felt better.  The scenery was spectacular, with each curve revealing a new valley, shear mountain walls, and interesting structures, including many with red peppers drying on the roofs.  I kept scouting for a better spot for the airport, with no luck.  I started to think that perhaps they should switch to helicopters.
Thimpu is covered from one end to the other with brightly colored banners and posters in celebration of the royal wedding.  However, the streets were pretty much empty, which seemed almost eerie, until we realized that everybody was at the stadium, where the wedding festivities were taking place.

We checked into the Aman Thimpu.  I say “checked in” but I have to tell you that it is a bit of a different process than normal.  You arrive and are invited in for tea or cider.  You sit chatting with the host and then, when you are ready, you are taken to your room, where your suitcases already have magically appeared.  There is no paperwork or credit cards. 

After lunch, we went to join the festival at the stadium.  Our guide expertly steered us into the full stadium somehow.  The stands were packed with people, while other people were sitting and standing on about half the field.  The other half of the field was full of dozens of dancers in elaborate costumes.  We arrived in early afternoon, and the events had started very early in the morning, so we assumed we had missed the good parts.  But, to our delight, the king and his bride made an appearance, and made their way along the edge of the crowd just several yards in front of us.  It was an amazing scene because they seemed to be without security, only a few attendants.  The children seated in front of them continued to stay seated in a quite orderly fashion, and the king would stop and talk with one or the other.  The student would then politely stand chat with the king and queen, then sit back down.  No rushing, no grabbing, no cameras, virtually no hoopla.  As if one met the king every day!  In the meantime, people in the stands starting taking out white shawls to put on their heads as apparently the king was actually going to go up into the bleachers, and the shawls were a sign of respect (Lenny thought they looked like tallit).  We didn’t stay, but it was amazing to imagine a king and queen walking through the throngs of a stadium.

I have to say that this was the calmest 70,000 people I have ever seen in one place.  Folks were milling about, gently wandering from place to place, perhaps having a little picnic, perhaps watching the dancing, but mainly relaxing.  The only moment of tension was when I was taking photos of the king and a guy approached me chastising me, saying “no photos”!  This in spite of the fact that he had a huge camera around his own neck, and there were multiple cameramen following the royals every move.  We decided that he was one of the Royal Photographers, and they must have had the IP rights to the show.  We got a few photos anyhow.

We then went on a relatively short hike high above the valley on the side of the mountain.  We wandered through forests of prayer flags.  I have to say that I love the prayer flags.  They are all colors, shapes and sizes, and definitely benefit from being in large groups.  I am going to have an abundance of prayer flag photos.

Our path took us to a very small 18^th century Buddhist temple, accessible only by this hour-long walking path.  The monk on duty let us in to see the giant Buddha statue.  The most notable thing was a pair of footprints seemingly carved into the wood floor, but actually caused by a diligent monk who prayed in the exact same spot over one million times.

After a quick stop to see the national animal, the "Takin", which is part goat and part cow, we returned to the hotel.  We stopped outside for a cup of tea, and while having it, a beautiful young woman dressed in elegant clothes came out.  We enticed her into conversation so she joined us.  Her name was Tanya, and she was quite an enigma.  Born in the US, studied at Stanford, lives in Jordan, and is a close friend of the Bhutanese royal family.  She appeared to do some business and development advising and was quite well informed about the country.  We also were joined by a Canadian named Jeff, who Lenny and I had met in Bangkok, and who we will see every other day since he is one day ahead of us in the circuit.  Jeff was determined to get the whole story from Tanya, but she artfully dodged most of his questions.

Sorry to write so long, so thank you to those who have made it to the end of this entry!

-- Donna