Onwards west from Punakha to, eventually, Paro. This is where the International airport is located and where we flew into many days ago. Paro is quite a large town with many 'touristy' shops and cafés.
Today is a National Holiday. It is the late 3rd (much admired) King's birthday in 1929 and National Teachers' Day. We started off by calling in at the village of Chimi Lhakhang en-route from Punakha towards Thimphu. It is in a little valley which, for reasons which will become apparent, I called 'Willy Vale'.
We were treated to another long 'legend' concerning this place. It features a 13th century lascivious and randy Tibetan monk called Drukpa Kunley (amongst other names). He fired an arrow from Tibet and fate told him to go to live and preach where it landed. He must have had a powerful bow as the arrow travelled a few hundred miles. He somehow found it next to a house here in which lived a widowed woman. He proceeded to to bed her! Not only her, but many other ladies in the area. His licentious behaviour was not only tolerated but revered as it was proclaimed that he 'enlightened' these women and they would seek his blessing in the form of sexual intercourse. It earned him the title 'The Saint of 5,000 women', and also, less flatteringly, 'The Divine Madman'! I think his behaviour might be frowned upon in my parish. (PS. He is also said to have killed a dog, or two, with his 'substantial' member which explains why there are no dogs in the village).
Left: In any event a temple was erected in a monastery compound on a hill near the village in his honour. We walked up to visit it. Apparently it houses the arrow which he fired. It is called the 'Temple of Fertility'. Perhaps it should have been called 'The Mad Monk's Erection'?
Right: ....and back down to the village of Chimi Lhakhang in the small valley known as the 'Valley of Phalluses'. From the following photos I think you will get the drift!
Left: So many, if not most, of the houses were decorated like this.
Right:......another example of many. I won't bore you with any more, but I did find it somewhat curious!
Left: A café dedicated to the Mad Monk.
Right: So sorry! A souvenir shop in the village
Onwards again via Lobesa and the 11,200ft Dochula Pass (the place with the 108 stupas we visited previously) where we stopped for a tea break. Then on around Thimphu to Paro. We passed nearby the airport and stopped at another 'Momo' restaurant in town (right) for lunch. I was not too impressed by 'momos'...soft dumplings.
After lunch the plan was to visit a museum and perhaps the Pano Dzong. I asked to be excused as I felt I had seen enough museums and dzongs, so spent the afternoon wandering around the town, which I much enjoyed. I started off in a delightful café/bar with garden.The Book Café if you are ever passing. Then to see the local shops.
An extensively stocked wine shop sold, amongst many well known Western brands, that pleasant Bhutanese red wine 'Vintria' (shown and sampled earlier), plus Bhutanese whisky (right) which I did not try.
Left: There were some lovely cafés staffed by very pretty and delightful ladies.
Talking of the 'ladies' (and please don't compare me to the 'Mad Monk'), they all tended to be slim, trim, well groomed and well dressed. Right: This photo was taken, I think, at the Ura Festival and gives you some idea.
Left: Local lasses on the street. There was absolutely no sign of the elephantine, tattooed, nose-ringed, face-studded variety so common nowadays wobbling about blocking the pavements in UK.
Indeed, smart appearance and good manners (and a good sense of humour) was noticeable amongst all the locals I met; both those who served us and those only to chat to. Perhaps it is just that they like to look after 'tourists' as tourism is a big source of income here, but I got the impression that they are naturally decent and polite folk. Right: Locals sitting outside a bar. It helps that English (along with Dzongkha) is universally spoken.
Left: ....more locals wearing their smart 'ghos'. Definitely the 'gho-to' form of dress for men.
Right: These clothes shops hiring national dress were common in the larger towns. I did my bit by wearing a gho at Ura.
Left: Children leaving school. Even the schoolchildren dressed smartly. I expect they were all well behaved, were taught well and were enthusiastic learners.
Right: Some sights around town. One of several parks with 'exercise machines'.
Left: A Snooker Hall. I saw several of these but never found one that was actually open. Maybe later in the evening. I was actually looking for a 'Pool' table as I am a staunch member of our local 'Geriatrics Pool Society'.
Right: Just another pic of a 'normal' private house. As mentioned earlier they are all beautifully decorated with intricate carvings around the windows. Not built by Barratt Homes I expect.
Left: The inevitable souvenir shop (one of many).
Right: So I went in to find a suitable souvenir to take home. Oh dear!
I promise not to show any more of these. You just couldn't avoid them!
That was it for the day. I was duly picked up at an appointed spot. Apparently the museum the others had gone to visit was closed!
Left: On to our next, and final, residence - the Olathang Cottages out up another hill to the west of the town for supper and bed. It is a hotel consisting of chalets at the rear and very comfortable (as with all the others!).
The next day we were to embark on what is the journey/hike to the Bhutanese 'Mecca' (or Buddhist equivalent) on the tourist trail.
From Jakar, via the Yotongla Pass (11,300ft), along more forested and mountainous hairpin bends to Trongsa, the capital of Trongsa District, which is smack in the centre of the country. We visited the Trongsa Fortress (a Dzong in Bhutanese), the largest in Bhutan and established as such in the 17th century (1647 I believe) when these fortresses became the outposts to unite and control the country. They house both religious and civil administrative sections and is the seat of power in the district.
Left: We were given a comprehensive tour around the several courtyards and inside the temple of course (no shoes, no photos).
Right: ....Elaborately constructed offices and accommodation.
Left: Plus the omnipresent prayer wheels.
Right: The fortress stands on the bank of the river Mangdi Chuu.
From here we ventured west and then north through the charming town of Wangdue Phodrang and over the Puna Tsang Chu river towards Punakha.
My notes and photos got a bit muddled en-route but we stopped somewhere for lunch (with beer!) and stopped at this impressive chorten (left) which, I think, was built by the 1st King.
Right: This impressive plaque, a Dharma Wheel, was on a wall of the chorten and represents the 'teachings of Buddha'.
We arrived in Punakha in the early evening and drove to a 'Spa' Hotel called the Zhingkham Resort. It was up a hill to the west of the town and most comfortable with 'chalet' style buildings plus an excellent bar and restaurant. In doing so we passed the nearby Punakha Dzong (left) which sits on the confluence of two large glacial rivers; the Mo Chhu (Female River) and the Pho Chhu (Male River). The Fortress is surrounded by colourful Jacaranda trees.
More about this fortress/dzong later because the next morning we set of on another 'hike' up and down the hills to the north of the town. It started by crossing the river by another of these swinging and wobbly suspension bridges (right).
Left: These rivers are home to white water rafting. It looked rather fun...but no time (or inclination) on our trip to do it. It is also rather expensive; organised by 'Druk Rafting Service'. But 'no fishing' as explained earlier.
I have little record or memory of where we went but the hike lasted for over 3 hours and at some point we arrived at this stupa (right), the Kamsun Yulley Namgyal Chorten. It was built up on top of a hill on instructions from the Queen Mother (mother of the 4th King) in 2004.
Left: A view over the river from the chorten.
Following lunch at an out-of-town restaurant we returned for a visit to the Punakha Fortress. Right: This photo of it, lit up, was taken the previous evening from my bedroom veranda overlooking the river.
Punakha was the capital of Bhutan until the 3rd King moved it to Thimphu in 1955. Thimphu was growing and had more space for development.
Left: The entrance to the fortress over the bridge with the jacaranda trees prominent. It was built, as were other fortresses, in the 17th century, by the warlord Zhaborung (whose statue sometimes sits on Buddha's left side). It is the second largest in Bhutan. It supposedly houses the relics and remains of Zhaborung which are only 'viewed' only once a year..perhaps.
It is still used as the venue for coronations and Royal weddings etc. The present (5th) King was crowned here in 2008 and married here in 2011.
The compound is again, as per the Trongsa fortress, a combination of administrative and religious sections. Right: This fig tree in a courtyard is a sacred Bodi tree and revered as directly descended from the original tree in India where Buddha attained 'enlightenment'. Maybe.
Left: A view inside the temple. Many more myths, legends, magic, Buddhist beliefs etc. were explained at length by Sonam. There was something about a 'magical dagger' which features highly in the Buddhist faith here. I'm afraid I got rather confused by all these stories.
Right: Sonam posing at a prayer wheel nearby. I can't remember where exactly it was.
Left: Portrait photos of the present Royal Family feature in most of these places. They are genuinely much respected.
Back to the hotel, and then out to a restaurant in town for supper. Can't think why we didn't eat at the hotel which had a perfectly decent restaurant.
Today we were to travel the farthest east on our journey to Ura village (or a collection of villages) in the Ura Valley.to attend the third day of a big four day Festival called the Yakchoe Tshechu.
However, before that, we made a diversion to another pilgrimage site called the 'Burning Lake' on the Tang Chou river. Left: The track, festooned with prayer flags, which led down to the 'lake'. Not a long walk this time thankfully!
As always in Buddhist Bhutan there is a long and complicated 'legend' surrounding this place. I will attempt to summarise: In the 15th century a chap called Pema Lingpa (now known as Bhutan's greatest treasure revealer) had a dream that some of Guru Rinpoche's (yes, him again) 'relics' known as 'terma' were lying at the bottom of this 'lake' which urged him to go and look. He went, dived in and swam into a large cave where a woman with one eye handed him a treasure chest. The locals were cynical of his claims so he invited them to return with him and he would retrieve another terma. He told the assembled crowd "If I am a genuine revealer of treasures, then I may return with the treasure and my lamp still alight. However, if I am a devil, may I drown". He dived in. After a long while people began to think he had drowned. He then suddenly burst out of the water holding a statue, a treasure chest, and the butter lamp in his hands was still alight! He became a revered character as a result. I believe the 'statue' is now a relic kept in a monastery or temple somewhere. He also went on to prophesy that that one day there would be a great centre of learning for women in the Tang Valley, and that has come to pass. It is the Pema Tekchok Chuling Nunnery which was founded in 2000, the place nearby (with absent nuns) we visited a couple of days ago. It is the only Buddhist university for women in existence in the country so far.
So, down to the 'lake' (right) which was somewhat unimpressive. It is just a pool in the river. It is a popular site for tourists and pilgrims. We had no idea of how deep it was but were told that five people have drowned here since 2011 including a French tourist and his Bhutanese guide in 2015. Were they treasure hunting I wonder? We were urged not to fall in.
Left: Looking back on the bridge viewing area.
PS. It is said that 'enlightened beings' can see the temple at the bottom of the 'lake'. Nobody in our group appeared to be 'enlightened'.
The nuns frequently visit this 'sacred' site and have built a small cupboard near the bridge where they store butter lamps as offerings. Right: There are also many 'tsha tshas' lodged in the crevices. I described these little clay conical things in a previous blog.
Left: The sign at the bridge briefly describing the site.
Next on for a rather good breakfast of bacon and eggs in the town of Chamkhar, plus a bit of shopping. I bought a good map.
Then a further couple of hours drive east over a pass or two to Ura (photo at top).This is the home village of our guide Sonam and his parents, and other family members, still live here. It is a very pretty and rustic place with several other similar villages in the area. Right: There are many cows wandering the streets, as is the case in most towns and villages in Bhutan. You had to be careful where you trod!
We were warmly welcomed by Sonam's parents and sister (left) at their house. Other tourists were also present and tea was provided. The reason for 'other tourists' will be become clear.
Before moving on I was kitted out in a traditional 'Gho'. Right: I stand proudly showing it off. My right hand is on my wallet and other valuable documents. There are no inside pockets. The area above the waist band serves as large pouch and place to store all your bits and pieces. It was relatively secure.
Now, the main reason for our visit was to attend the 'Ura Yakchoe Tshechu', or at least an afternoon of it.
This is a major four day Festival attracting all the locals and many tourists. The origins of this shindig centre around another long and complicated myth/legend involving a revered relic, a small statue I think, believed to have been left behind by a mysterious lama centuries ago. The story involves an elderly woman, a visiting and disappearing lama (suspected to be that man Guru Rinpoche yet again, in reincarnation), the relic, its mysterious flight to a secret place, a nine-headed snake and the cure for leprosy in the area. Most confusing. Anyway, the locals gather to honour this relic, believing it offers blessings of health, prosperity and protection from misfortune. I was not sure where this 'relic' is held, but there is a ceremonial unveiling and blessing of it at some point.
There is a good YouTube video which describes the 'legend' and the Festival in detail. The 'link' below the photo might work if you click onto it and put up with some irritating adverts to begin with. Give it a go, but it is rather long at 42 mins.
In effect it is a four day religious and social get-together involving much ceremony, dancing, feasts and plenty of wine. We started off at the temple on the edge of the main square. After a short religious ceremony we were given an interesting talk on the Festival, in very fluent English, by a most erudite 'professor' who had become a Don after studying at Cambridge University and still spends much time in UK.
Then out into the square where there was a good crowd of locals and tourists in sheltered seating around the perimeter. Luckily sheltered as it was drizzling with rain, and the locals had brought picnics.
The dances were performed to the sound of loud horns and drums. They seemed non-stop and featured mostly masked performers wearing very elaborate costumes. I believe they are traditional centuries-old dances telling stories of guardian deities, moral triumphs, spiritual cleansing and the victory over evil spirits. I was most impressed by the two guys blowing their horns. They never stopped for the two hours or so we were here! Quite exhausting I would imagine.
I show below some pics and a couple of videos of dances in progress. It was somewhat difficult for an ignorant tourist to fathom out what they represented.
Right: This character ran into the stands. I learnt that he is the 'masked joker' known as an 'Atsara' wearing a distinctive mask with a large grin. While they engage in slapstick humour their role in Bhutanese culture is deeply profound....the only figures permitted to openly mock religion, societal norms and the crowd itself. They are to remind people not to take themselves too seriously. We could do with a few of them in UK! They also have other social duties at festivals.
Left: He latched onto me and borrowed my cap.He wielded a large wooden phallus and poked it threateningly in my direction. This rather rude object is normally used to bless the crowd....I was reliably informed. I think they might be 'misunderstood' at the local village fête in UK.
What a Festival it must be and we were only there for an afternoon of the four days of it. We left to go back to Sonam's father's house for a good late lunch and departure at 4.15pm. I was rather sorry to have to return my smart Gho.
It was then back west for the long mountainous journey back to Jakar and the Mountain Resort Hotel where we stayed three nights ago.
As a total 'non-sequitur' I post this video which, I think, was sent by Sonam and not part of our trip. It involves more 'willies'. There is no doubt that they play a very important, respected and widely visible role in Bhutanese life (and prolific in souvenir shops). They are talismans not only for fertility, but protection, subduing evil spirits and good fortune. So, coming soon to a fair near you.......
