A Variety of Photos
Month: June 2013
Rock Star Layla
As we traveled toward Trongsa we stopped at Namgay’s former elementary school and walked to his village. We had the chance to meet with students, teachers, and the principle, and we offered the books we collected as a gesture of support.
The school is a boarding school that also includes students from local villages. The facilities are very basic with one light hanging from the ceiling and students crammed into tiny rooms.
We met Sara, a Canadian teacher working at the school from the Canada-Bhutan Foundation. She was eager to show us around and the principle agreed.
While the facilities are rough, Sara shared that the work is challenging and rewarding. Access to supplies is limited and even basic things like paper and crayons are hard to come by. We had already talked to Namgay about adopting this school and sending supplies the school needs, and I think this cause is both worthy and needed. More on supporting this school later.
Rock Star Layla
As we settled in and hung around students and teacher, Layla got out her ukelale and began playing. She immediately drew a crowd and they listened, silently. Layla played the songs she knew and they wanted more! In fact, I had to step in to prevent a melee as students started to push and shove wanting to get closer to her and the instrument!
We stayed until late in the afternoon and then headed over to Namgay’s village and his mother’s house. Namgay told us all stories he heard as a child about the Yeti that lives in the area, and we were all mesmerized by these tales. His mother fed us dried rice, cooked in sugar and butter and then dried to a crispy consistency. We also had butter tea, a combination of salt, butter, and black tea. The concoction was wonderful.
What these kids really wanted was some of that kind of attention; structured play and engaged participation in an activity not associated with academics!
Photos: Trongsa and Jakar
In and Around Chamkar Town
Pema Sherab Choling Nunnery
After our visit to the museum we headed to a local nunnery. The women are supported by an important lama and financially by an American family from Texas.
On our visit, Sebi decided to have his head shaved and a nun came out and shaved Sebi’s head in the same way the nuns shave their own heads. See the pictures for the details!
The Burning Lake
Our last stop before returning to Chamkar was a visit to Burning Lake. According to local history, Terton Pema Lingpa was born with the ability to find secret writings handed down by the founder of Buddhism in Bhutan, Padmasambhava. Lingpa was not believed and he was forced to prove that he was given the gift of finding Padmasambhava’s secret writings (hidden throughout the Himalaya region).
Lingpa agreed to a test and led many people from the local village to a point on a river where the water pooled into a small lake. At this point, Lingpa told the people that he would show them he was the “terton” or finder of these texts. He took with him two butter lamps and jumped into the water. When he came out the lamps were still lit and a light appeared in the water revealing the path to enlightenment for those willing to look.
From that point on, Lingpa became an important leader of Buddhism in Bhutan in the 15th century and found more than thirty hidden documents written by Padmasambhava.
In Chamkar Town
After our long day, the group stopped in Chamkar and Sebi, Matt, and Jordan purchased a tradition outfit for men called a Gho. All men and boys in Bhutan wear this outfit and each was fitted with the perfect one for them!
We headed back to the hotel and prepared for an evening of conversation and laughter.
In the Tang Valley: the Heart of Bumthang
The province of Bumthang spans the middle part of the Bhutanese kingdom and includes some of the most beautiful terrain in the world. Our day included a trek to the Tang valley, an almost pristine valley of family farms and small communities.
Near the center of the valley, on a hill, is the Orgyen Choling house constructed by a governor of Bumthang about five centuries ago. The house and grounds have been preserved in excellent condition over the centuries and the house has been converted into a museum highlighting Bhutanese culture.
The drive to the house was on muddy dirt roads passing through fields and past farms all the way to the base of the hill. The road up, sketchy in the best conditions, was soaked with a recent rain and the sky threatened another storm.
Our driver, Sangey, is exceptional and his work, on this day, was no less than inspiring. He drove us to the top of the hill just as a light drizzle descended from the sky.
The grounds include a four story house of thousands of square feet. To reach each of the floors, folks had to climb very steep steps that included hand rails for support.
In the museum, the signage told the story of the origins of the place, beginning in the 14th century. Longchen Rabjam, one of the most famous Buddhist scholars, traveled from Tibet and founded the house and temple here. His descendants became the leaders of the region and the family that lives on the property today is related to the current royal family.
The museum houses artifacts and information about Bhutanese life from the 14th century to the present. Objects that came with the house included hundreds of important Buddhist texts, brought to this property for safe keeping. Of these, one of the most important was the text Prajnaparamita written in gold ink.
Our lunch of noodles, rice, and eme datse suited us well as we ate in a farmhouse, wood stove burning, rain falling.
Padmasambhava
Kurjey Lhakhang
Our visit to Jakar included a walk to one of the most famous sites in all of Tantric Buddhism in the Himalayas. Kurjey Lhakhang is a temple built in the 8th century by the Indian scholar and so-called reincarnation of the Buddha, Padmasambhava. Kurjey literally means body print as it is believed that the stone Guru Rinpoche layed on was imprinted with his physical form.
The stories of Padmasambhava’s travels to Nepal, Tibet, and Bhutan are legendary and fantastic. At one point he traveled on the back of a tigress, according to legend, that became his consort and later wrote down his history in poetic verse.
Kurjey Lhakhang is known for the cave that Guru Rinpoche meditated in and the temple is built around the cave. Our walk to the temple passed through rice patties and cattle-rutted roads past a stupa and onto the temple.
We were the last guests of the day and had an extended visit in the shrine room. We sat as Namgay told the story of the temple and we saw the cave, now painted bright blue and gold with a large statue of Guru Rinpoche.
Jakar
The town of Jakar has burned three times in recent years and the town we saw today was newer that the one we left three years ago. A festival and performance was being held on a stage in town and we stopped to watch local students perform elaborate dance moves for the crowd.
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From Trongsa to Jakar
Trongsa to Bumthang
As morning dawned we had breakfast and headed into the town of Trongsa and a visit to the Dzong and Watchtower. The Dzong is by far the largest in Bhutan and we toured every inch of this fascinating structure.
However, the most interesting part of the Dzong for the students were the monkeys perched on the trees at the western side of the Dzong. A whole group of monkeys played in the trees and we got relatively close to them as we walked down through the back door entrance to the building.
The one notable feature of the Dzong was the fact that all folks heading east or west through Bhutan had to cross through the Dzong and pay a tax to the officials. The doors into and out of the dzong are situated in such a way that they pass through the center part of the building and on to the next place. Namgay gave us some idea of the time involved in travel in the 16th century: someone walking from Trongsa to a festival in Thimphu would walk for about three weeks! Today, it takes about 5 hours by car. Amazing.
Our visit to the watchtower museum culminated in a quiet sit at the top of the watch tower. This spot is one of the most peaceful in Bhutan. You sit on benches with a 360 degree view of the valleys surrounding Trongsa. The view is spectacular and the space is about the most quiet open space I can imagine. Many members of our group sat there for about forty-five minutes just taking in the place.
We left Trongsa and traveled the empty roads to Bumthang and the town of Jakar. The government declared this day a “Green Day” meaning that all vehicle movement was halted. Walking was the only way to get around (except for tourists traveling from place to place). As a result we made good time on this leg of the journey.
One of the most notable features of this road is the long, straight stretch of road passing through pine trees (similar to an American White Pine) along the roadside. What really stops you is the fact that we are no longer driving around corners…the road in the valley is straight as it heads into the town of Jakar….that one change really lightened the mood of the group.
In addition, we passed folks working along the roadside building drains and curbs next to the roadway. These folks carried their tools in large baskets slung on their backs and we met them all as they walked along the road back home after a long days work. With the workers were children from infants to probably ten years old, all involved in the days efforts. I remember having two young children at home and trying hard to get work done…and not being very successful; I admired the work of these folks on that afternoon.
We arrived in the town of Jakar in the late afternoon, checked into our rooms and headed to two famous temples in town.
Jam-Lhakhang
The first temple we visited, Jam-Lhakhang, is one of the most sacred places in Bhutan. This temple, built in 659 C.E., has been continuously run by Buddhist monks. The building just feels ancient as you walk through the doors. The weight of the roof weighs down on the doorways and the slight bend in the door frame is testament to the age and use of this structure. It’s quite amazing to realize that this ancient structure is made of stone and wood and still survives in the world virtually unchanged in 1500 years.
As we entered the building, we saw many towns folk spinning prayer wheels and praying in the temple. They walk clockwise around the structure, spinning prayer wheels that are built into the walls of the building. Folks gave us a quick red, smile as the betel nut juices flowed out of their mouths, spit on the ground. The moment was serene.
In the inner shrine room is a sculpture of Maitreya, the future Buddha, sitting on a chair. The room and the relics in the room are very old and the space is very small. We gathered in the inner reaches of this building and Namgay explained the significance of the images and the structure.
Seeing this inner sanctum, you can’t help wonder at the power of these images and sculptures. The dominant image of Buddha, sitting in the center of the room surrounded by statues of later teachers and practioners was moving to us all. Combine that feeling with the dim light in the room, casting shadows on the beams above and the floor below, and you feel a real sense of being centered.
Photos from Thimphu
On the Road Across Bhutan
The Main Road Through Bhutan
Bhutan has only a few paved roads across the country between Thimphu and any place to the east. The main road is a sometimes one lane, sometimes two lane thoroughfare that includes passenger vehicles, cargo trucks, construction vehicles and farm equipment. Travel on this road is exciting and on virtually every turn, a fascinating dance between truck and car, bus and dump truck.
Our route today included the ubiquitous landslide or mudslide, and the occasional vehicle breakdown. Driving about an hour past Punakha, a truck carrying about 20 tons of rocks broke down as it headed downhill from a rock slide. The truck blocked almost the entire road. Behind the truck were about 40 vehicles of varying shapes and sizes, the largest were more trucks carrying rocks away from a landslide up the road.
Vehicles traveling from Punakha (headed east) creeped past the truck; our vehicle, however, came to a dead stop, blocking the east bound lane (more like a foot path at this point). We were, literally trapped in the vehicle as the door to the outside was within inches of a cliff that dropped about 1000 feet through thick forest to the river below.
While we waited, a busload of police trainees, monks, drivers, and some other folks trapped in their own vehicles headed west, came to survey the situation. In a matter of minutes about thirty people gathered in front of our bus, pointing, and shaking their heads.
To our right, inches from the windows, were a line of ten trucks filled with rocks….everyone speculated, could we pass the dead truck and make it past the line of cars, busses, and other vehicles?
We crept, very slowly forward, the wheels of our vehicle on the edge of the abyss. As we inched forward we made it past the stalled truck and about 30 feet later, stopped again by another truck, pointed downhill at a diagonal.
At this point, we exited our bus, and all of us jumped out, realizing that it was better to have our feet firmly on land than at the mercy of a bus.
To better set the scene let me explain one more thing: it was raining, slightly, and had been raining for days. The road was more mud track than road, and the hill on the south side had collapsed in places, rocks and mud blocking sections of the pavement.
In addition, as we walked along the now muddy road, the unpaved portions of the road to the north showed huge cracks in the dirt, looking as if, at any minute, the entire hill would give way to a mudslide, taking us all with it.
So, the question you may have is: was it dangerous? Yes and no. You could see where the road had taken a beating from the mud and rocks that covered its surface, but somehow the road felt stable….I kept us all away from the edge (as much as Cole wanted to peek at the steep drop to our north), and we walked down the road, our bus trying to negotiate the track.
After about 45 minutes, cars and vehicles had inched to the side, allowing our bus, and all of the vehicles behind us, to make their way east. We cheered our driver, knowing that he had done yeoman’s work and performed a task much beyond our humble driving abilities.
Stay glued for more excitement to come!
To the Temple of the Divine Madman!
Our travels today led us to the temple of the Divine Madman, Lama Drukpa Kunley (Kinley). The Temple was established in honor of this bizarre spiritual leader in Bhutan.
While the story of Lama Drukpa Kunley is one that is inappropriate for an online journal, the main idea behind the story is that even someone who exhibits crazy behavior can be enlightened. The message here is that any person you meet might be that teacher, that friend, that person who can change your life for the better and help you understand the world a little bit better.
This author, Keith Dowman, has written a version of the story of this remarkable person and you can check it out here: http://www.keithdowman.net/books/dm.htm
A Word About Food
Food in Bhutan is full of vegetables, especially ferns. What? Yes, ferns. People pick the ferns from specific places in the country and they are stir fried like any other vegetable. They come in a variety of forms (from bright green, thin stalks to black thick bean-like pieces) and are very tasty.
In addition, our group has grown to love the Ema Datshi served at every meal; Eme Datse is a national dish made of hot, green chilis and cheese curds. Very much like a hot New Mexican chili, the dish is wonderful and varies slightly from place to place. Check out information on this dish here: http://www.food.com/recipe/ema-datshi-bhutan-477883
Of course, on the bus rides, we have some hungry folks and Isa has been nice enough to buy snacks for the students….snacks that get devoured by the time we stopped!
On to Punahka
We continued our travels down the road to Punakha. As you travel through Bhutan on this main road (when I say main, I should say ONLY West-East road across Bhutan), you rise out of the Thimphu valley into the mountains that separate Western Bhutan from Wangdue and the dry lowlands in west-central Bhutan. The climb reaches to about 10,000 feet at the pass, with views (if you are lucky) of the Himalayas. The sharp peaks, snowcapped and gleeming in the sunlight are a dramatic sight when compared to the dense forests that surround you on this drive. As Isa mentioned, this forest reminds one of the cloud forests of South America and Peru in particular.
When crossing the Dochu La Pass, you arrive at the site of a newly built temple and 108 chortens constructed in the center of the road. These small (four to five foot high) structures, painted white with a deep orange color around the top and sides, represent important deities and lamas. The chortens (also referred to as stupas) were built to honor the fourth king of Bhutan, His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck. Each time we have visited this place, the mists enshroud the chortens giving the whole area a sense of mystery as if you just found this site deep in the middle of some forest.
As you drive down the road into Punakha, you wind your way through forests and around the mountainsides. The descent is long, dropping from about 10,000 feet to about 1,800 feet above sea level. As you can imagine, the heat came upon us slowly and by the time we made it to the little town at the site of the temple of the Divine Madman, the heat was around 90 degrees F!
The short drive from the temple to the historical capital of Bhutan follows the Pho Chu river toward the Dzong. The structure is impressive, straddling two rivers, the Pho Chu and Mo Chu and saw the impressive 17th century Dzong built by the man who unified the country, Zabdrung.
The most impressive aspect of the Dzong is the shrine room, including massive statues of Padmasambhava, the founder of Buddhism in Bhutan, Buddha Shakyamuni, and Zabdrung. The temple includes a painted version of the life of the Buddha on the walls surrounding the interior of the structure, and the massive quality of the structure feels BIG.
After leaving the building we walked a short distance to a large suspended bridge stretching across the Punakha river. Near the bridge is the cremation ground for the western part of Bhutan. Families bring their loved ones here after they die and place them on the concrete structures that are then covered and surrounded in wood. We saw two families praying over the bodies and some can sit for days according to the specific instructions of lamas and monks.
The suspension bridge was cool in that it swung side to side in the wind as we crossed. Cole decided to run quickly from one side to the other, making the whole thing swing in the breeze. Awesome.
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