Going Places – Bhutan

(Continued)

We spent our first night at the Zhiwa Ling hotel, which is an entirely Bhutanese-owned and managed five-star property and quite unique in its style. The name means “place of peace,“ which is fitting. Every part of the hotel was hand-crafted by Bhutanese master craftsmen and enriched with seemingly endless wood carvings and paintings. This place also serves as a great “base camp” for the steep and long hike to one of the most important religious sites in the Himalayas, Taktsang Lhakhang, the legendary “Tiger’s Nest.”

The next day we continued on to Thimphu, the capital and largest city of Bhutan with a population of approximately 70,000. Here you can find the most modern-day influences in all of Bhutan. We stayed at the majestic Taj Tashi hotel, which offers top-grade accommodations and comforts you would only expect in a major metropolis.

Shortly after our arrival, one of the highlights of our trip was about to take place at Thimphu’s Tashicho Dzong, an imposing fortress that was completely build by hand and without using a single nail. We had timed our itinerary to partake in the annual Thimphu Festival, one of the most important events on the Bhutanese calendar. The festivities began with an all-day archery contest, to which we were generously invited as honored guests. Archery is a national pastime in Bhutan, like baseball is in America or soccer in most parts of the world.

The boisterous and most colorful tshechu (festival) is held in the courtyard of the dzong to celebrate the life of Guru Rinpoche, a.k.a. Padmasmbhava, the 8th Century Indian saint who is revered for having brought Buddhism to the Himalayas. Bhutanese worshippers travel from near and far to attend this annual festivity. At the center of the celebration are religious dances, rooted in ancient liturgical traditions and performed in dazzling costumes and masks.

After two more days in Thimphu and environs, we set out for central Bhutan, driving east over the Dochu La (la means “pass”). In good weather, you can see from the summit the surrounding Himalayan mountain ranges 200 miles away. Our next destination was the Punakha Dzong, one of Bhutan’s most imposing. We lodged nearby at a comfortable resort, called the Amankora Punakha, a compound of structures reminiscent of traditional Bhutanese architecture but with all modern-day amenities added.

Bhutan is well known for its outstanding hospitality, but at the Amankora resort guest are treated like royalty. Private candle light dinners for honeymooners and lovers of all ages are served nightly in several small dining rooms of an old farmhouse at the center of the premises.

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