The Travel Connection

I had not heard of Tiger's nest till about a year ago though I spend a good time browsing about travel. My cousin mentioned the mysterious monastery up in the sky and I was totally blown away. At that instance Bhutan dropped into my bucket. My fitness level has always been questionable . So my treks and hikes have been limited and easy. Tiger's nest would be my first high altitude hike on the mighty Himalayas. The monastery is considered an important pilgrimage for Buddhist and many a times listed under top ten places to visit for the avid traveler. The monastery is perched on a vertical cliff at about 3150m/10250 ft above sea level. Considering that I have already traveled to Leh which is at 11,500 ft and Khardungla pass at 17,500 ft, Tiger's nest didn't seem very close to the heaven. But the fact that we were were going to hike the moderately difficult trail from an altitude of 7400 ft to 10250 ft made it different. As suggested by every travel book and ...

The well organized holiday was put together by Eco Expedition in association with Norbu Bhutan. I would totally recommend them.  After a quick stopover at Punakha town , we drove to one of the most beautiful locations in Bhutan. If only i could retire in a place similar to this!!. Have a small little business to keep me going and spend the rest of the time perched on a ridge amid pine trees , overlooking valleys with 360 degree panoramic view Sangchhen Dorji Lhuendrup Lhakhang Nunnery  overlooks valleys of of Punakha and Wangduephodrang.The temple houses a 14-foot main bronze statue of Avalokiteshvara (Chenrigzig chagtong chentong). Other statues include those of Guru Padmasambawa, Gautama Buddha, Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel, Tsela Namsum, the 21 Taras and Tsepamay (Buddha of longevity). The Avalokiteshvara statue, one of the biggest in the country, was the handiwork of entirely local Bhutanese artis...

Remember the Divine mad man Sir Lam Drukpa Kuenley (1455-1570). Well, in his quest to define himself, one day landed at Dochula pass. And who does he meet there but a Demon and no prizes for guessing a female Demon. The smart she Demon turned herself into dog but unfortunately could not save herself from the Sir Kuenley's " flaming thunderbolt of infinite wisdom " . So  our mad man decided to bury the dog , uttered the words " Chi -Med(no dog)"and built a black stupa over it. In 15th century a temple was built at this site and was called Chime Lhakhang or " no dog temple". The itinerary promised a short walk through paddy fields to get to the hillock. But what was not informed us was the in your face "graphic" for lack of  a better word wall paintings. We got a taste of it earlier at Thimphu as we walked through the arts and crafts stores. As I had not read up about Chime Lhakhang or its significance, I actually had look at  the key cha...

If I had to choose my favorite structure, It would be the bridges without any hesitation. Bhutan renewed my fascination for bridges with their traditional cantilever bridge called the Bazam. Tintin's knowledge about architecture was limited. My questions on the location of  the toilets, kitchens inside the Dzong  or how the water supply/ drainage worked  and other queries must have driven him mad or made him think that the mountain air had made me go bonkers. So my hopes of understanding the bridge through Tintin was futile. Punakha Dzong is undoubtedly one of the most elegant structures in Bhutan.  To get to the main building , one has to cross Mo chhu through one of the most beautiful bridges I have come across so far. Most buildings in Bhutan are a replica of their ancient self. Due to natural calamities or fire, almost all the prominent sites in Bhutan have been rebuilt in the recent years. The Punakha bridge is no different. You can read more about i...