Even for non-birdwatchers seeing numerous Black Necked Cranes on our hike in the Phobjika Valley was an exciting experience. We watched their graceful flight overhead and they graciously posed for us as they foraged on the frosty ground. They migrate to this valley in Bhutan every winter.
Another hike took us over the Batela Pass at 3000 metres. We descended visiting the Bapzur nunnery. Here the assembly hall was packed with shaven-headed nuns. Many were young teenagers who struggled not to giggle and fidget while their more serious peers earnestly chanted verses from the Buddhist taras.
We reluctantly left the nuns to their rapid chanting and descended into the valley to our homestay which was our home for the next two nights. Our hosts were healthcare workers who spoke excellent English. They also provided us with hot stone baths – wooden baths heated by stones taken from the nearby river which apparently have therapeutic minerals to relax the weary hiker.
From the homestay we hiked even higher to the Thowdra Monastery at 3400 metres. Here is the site where Guru Rimpoche, who brought Buddhism to Bhutan, left his footprints in the rocks.
The next morning we set off before dawn to Trongsa, where a festival was starting at the Dzong, or fortress. The monk-dancers performed the dance depicting the eight manifestations of Guru Rimpoche. They wore fantastic outsized masks and fabulous costumes. Almost as colourful were the members of the audience, who were wearing their best kira, beautifully woven skirts for women, or Gho, the traditional Bhutanese tunic for men. Apart from our group, there were only a handful of tourists and we felt very lucky that our journey coincided with this spectacle.
Our fortune held good in our next destination, Punakha, where we shopped for spices and enjoyed chatting with local shoppers who came from far and wide for the colourful Saturday market. We watched local archers compete in an archery contest on the river bank, the victors performing a slightly comic victory dance. The same river gave some of us an exhilarating white-water rafting experience as well a cold swim for the most intrepid. We all enjoyed a wonderful picnic lunch on the riverbank.
Christmas in Bhutan has been full of experiences that exceeded my expectations: Bhutan is a wonderful country with a rich and inspiring culture, and warm and friendly people. While the country is inevitably modernising, the policy of prioritizing Gross National Happiness over material wealth will hopefully keep the elements that make this destination so unique.
