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Published: September 26th 2007
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Day 4 I spent in Punakha. We started at the Punakha Dzong…again an incredible structure but even more impressive were the buddhas inside the temple. Unfortunately we cannot take pictures inside so you will have to trust me. Every little detail is there and it all means something. I don’t know how anyone can remember what it all means! Along the road we saw more workers trying to pave the road…in the photo album it shows the extremely primitive way they make their own pavement! And the construction is also very basic. Much of what they use is man-power and bamboo. I cant imagine…I mean I see it, but that would never fly in the states.
We then went for several hikes…both to difficult to reach temples where I was given holy water to sip and put the rest on the crown of my head. Anyway, the first hike I was inappropriately dressed and I was not happy that I didn’t know I needed appropriate clothes…i.e. big socks, pants. You know me and my bug bites and I was wearing short pants and ankle socks…don’t worry I didn’t need any timeouts! But I did tell Tshultrim that he must tell
me when we do hikes because I need to be prepared!
Despite having said I wish I went in a group, I think I am happier by myself. I get to do things at my own speed and don’t need to feel rushed or like I’m waiting around for someone else. I also get to sit shotgun and tell the driver to pullover and stop so I can take some pictures…it has worked out pretty well.
The hotel I am staying at in Punakha, Hotel Zangto Perli, is pretty decent…so far I like the Druk Sherig in Thimphu better. The bathroom is not so hot here…lots of bugs…no showerhead or curtain…definitely interesting taking a shower. Although at least the water was consistent! At the druk it couldn’t make up its mind…every three seconds changing from scolding hot to frigid cold! Oy.. and no hair dryer or iron for me this entire trip! Im actually looking forward to the fact that I may have really purty hair when this is all over
There are a lot of tea breaks here. They want to give you tea at breakfast and lunch and afternoon tea and evening tea and dinner
tea. After our second hike today we were supposed to go back for tea and I turned it down…ive had enough (although the regular black tea is tasty here..no more butter tea). Instead we headed into town/village and spent 15 minutes trying to locate the only place in Punakha with internet. It is Jareds birthday today and I wanted to email him…I don’t think at five he has an email address but I am sure jay and Jackie passed it along! The internet is slow as molasses. Ugh it was terrible. I was using one of the two computers at the only “café” in town. It’s remarkable that the internet has not really reached here at all!
Oh and just in case you were wondering, I am in the western part of Bhutan. I will not have time to make it further to central and eastern. It is a shame, but I will be planning a trip back here no doubt…hopefully they will have built a second airport in the east by then, but that is even more remote and underdeveloped than the west. I bet no one there knows of emailing…
I’ve been emailing with Erika who
is in Thailand and Vietnam and I’m hoping we will have a chance to meet up after each of our respective tours. We are both done mid-october, so we shall see! Could be fun!
Another thing I have not mentioned is the whole clockwise thing…one of the rules I was given before I arrived in Bhutan is that I have to walk clockwise with anything to do with dzongs and I think Bhutan as a whole! We enter every dzong to the left and walk around clockwise once and then enter…even on the hikes …if the trail splits we have to go the other way in which we came - to the left or clockwise. The littlest things Tshultrim has to remind me! It’s a funny concept but it got me thinking, if everything has to be clockwise I wonder if they have daylight savings time cuz in autumn they would have to change the clocks back and that is counter clockwise! Well I guess they could go all the way around…whatever, just a thought! Anyway, this along with a number of other things, donating Ngultrum (local currency) at the alters, spinning prayer wheels and the like are all
done for blessings and good fortune in the future. To some degree I am in awe of how they base everything they do around what is auspicious. I think I will be fully blessed for my life upon leaving Bhutan! Well at least enough for the rest of my travels!
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