I'M IN BHUTAN
Okay, so i'm in bhutan, and i'm cold, but i'm in
bhutan (but i'm cold) i'm in bhutan (i'm still cold)
i'm in bhutan...
what can you say about a hotel where you learn where
the fusebox for your bedroom is before you locate the
restaurant? my tiny heater (the room's only heat
source) kept blowing all the lights in my room. my
door lock is a padlock, i'm doing my best not to piss
anyone off for fear that they'll come & padlock me in
while i'm sleeping...can't say that i've ever taken a
shower before w/some of my clothes on, but hey, you do
what you can to stay warm, know what i mean?
fortunately, i have one of those spray-y things in my
shower so it's not as messy as it sounds.
bhutan is beautiful and exotic and other-worldly and
poor and lush and incredible. the architecture is all
traditional and everyone wears national costume - the
flight in was wild - flew right past everest and a
host of other huge mountains (because it was a
chartered flight, we all got to take a turn viewing
the himalayas from the cockpit). the captain
announced prior to landing that we were all going to
come closer to mountains than we accustomed to, but
not to worry, that's status quo for a bhutanese
landing.
went to the paro tsechu yesterday & watched some
amazing dancing (only happens once a year). climbed
way up into the rafters to get an aerial view - it was
really incredible. hardly any tourists at all.
last night went with a group of wedding guests to buy
traditional attire for tomorrow's wedding. have
spoken w/the hotel manager about getting one of the
maids to help me in the morning as i am not
particularly capable of getting myself into my kira
(kind of like a sari, but with pins & a sash & stuff).
today took a 3 hour drive to see another dzong
(fort/temple, that's the structure that the tsechu was
in yesterday). incredible drive over a small pass
(10,000 feet). saw some snow (i'm cold, i'm cold, but
i'm in bhutan, i'm in bhutan...). the dzong was
incredible. we weren't allowed to take photos inside,
but we could hear all of the monks chanting & they
were rebuilding a part that was damaged in a recent
flood & we were able to climb up into the rafters (i
know, for someone who's afraid of heights, i'm doing a
lot of climing ladders up & down into rafters lately!)
and watch the plasterers work on the buddah & some
dragons - really cool.
then, on the way home we stopped at a temple where
infertile women go (mentioned in the recent new yorker
article) - plenty of linga to touch. they tell me
that the blessing you receive is good for future
endeavors, so i lit some incense for future fertility!
it was a neat temple & we had to walk about 20
minutes through someone's rice fields to reach it.
okay, i'm 10 minutes late for a wedding reception (the
manager of the hotel here was kind enough to let me
use his computer) so i'm going to go up to my room &
gussy up.
hope to send another missive later in the week.
i'm in bhutan!!