“Bhutan all but bases its identity upon its loneliness, and its refusal to be assimilated into India, or Tibet or Nepal"
Thimphu, Punakha, Wangdue, Gangtey, Paro Bhutan -8 days in Shangri-La
The Kingdom of Bhutan was a much needed peaceful retreat from 15 intense, chaotic days in India. Bhutan is a remarkable throw back to centuries past with a unique outlook on progress. There are few that have ventured here and experienced the natural charm of a country where Gross National Happiness is deemed more important than Gross National Product. By law, at least 60 per cent of the country must remain forested for future generations. It is also a deeply Buddhist land, where monasteries are part of its fabric. We found the country mysterious and magical. Every sign of human settlement repeated the mantra of contentment: “This is just enough.”
We enjoyed many pleasant surprises. The Bhutanese are very well educated, fun loving and vibrant. Our guide Tashi is one of the smartest and most spiritual human beings that we have ever met. His reverence and respect for nature constantly lifted our spirits. When we returned we brought home a new schnauzer…. a 2 month old puppy and we named her Tashi. However, Tashi, the puppy is rarely peaceful, but also very smart.
Similar to the Navajo Nation here in Arizona where basketball is an important piece of their culture, the same passion for hoops exists in Bhutan. Every school we saw had basketball courts. Tashi told us that the local high school team warmed up to Survivor's smash hit.. “Eye of the Tiger” And yes, there are Tigers in Bhutan as well as Snow Leopards and an amazing diversity of plants and other creatures.
Archery is their National Sport (see photo) below and the Bhutanese always bring home Olympic medals.
The Bhutanese pride themselves on a sustainable approach to Tourism. Visitors must apply for a visa and pay a minimum tariff of $250 (US) per day which sounds pricey, however this fee is all inclusive- accommodations, food, transport and an official guide.(Tashi)
Bhutan is a picture-book landscape that rivals Patagonia South America. If I could choose one word that separates Bhutan from the rest of the world it would be “civility”
So where is Bhutan? Look at your globe or world atlas. No one we know has been there. Hardly anybody in the U.S. knows where it is. It is NOT part of India. However there are very close ties to India and India serves as protection from a Chinese invasion.
The King and Queen of Bhutan are beloved. They are both quite physically attractive people.
Health care is free for all Bhutanese AND all foreign visitors. A gentleman in our group of 6 became very ill with urinary issues and he was taken to a hospital twice, treated, hooked up with a catheter and was able to continue with the trip, all at no charge!
There were so many but our biggest highlight was a demanding climb to a monastery called the “Tigers Nest” described below.
Gerry was suffering from a throat infection but being the warrior that she is, she nailed it!!
I would love to return and do the “Snowman Trek” one of the most difficult in the world. It takes 24 days at elevations between 4500 and 5320 meters.
There were so many cultural discoveries and drop dead scenic beautiful locations that we experienced in our short visit that took us over narrow, winding, white knuckle, dirt mountain roads in the Himalayas to remote locations. I wish I had the time to tell you about all of them. The pictures below tell a better story.
In closing, Bhutan is simply unreal, the landscape gives the impression of vast space and intimacy at the same time. If there is one location to pick on this planet that is truly unforgettable, and a dream come true it is the Kingdom of Bhutan. You can make it happen!!
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