Home » Bhutan » Paro, Sunday the 7th of August

Day 50!
 
Gosh, it seems like a long time. Thinking about it, it is a long time. Looking at a map, I find it hard to believe that I have covered all this ground. 50 days represents the half way point of my journey, not only in time (I have planned for a 100 days trip) but also geographically: I am now turning around to make my way back home. Until now, I was always heading towards the east, now I am looking towards the west, towards home.
 
The morning is fresh and for the first time, the skies are blue.

Paro, Sunday the 7th of August

Degrubenc
2005-12-09 17:50:07

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uniforms reflecting in the silver dishes. No alcohol was served at the table. We discussed the country, the region’s politics, the role of the army in Bhutan and other such trivial matters. The Colonel explained that their current missions where sporting, they had to provide teams to compete in the Inter-Army sports competition between Nepal and India which will take place in September and build defenses and road blocks on the road from Nepal as the Nepalese refugees will soon attempt a peace march in Bhutan.

After coffee the Colonel gives me a brief tour of the barracks and their new swimming pool and gets a jeep to drive Mr. Nice and myself back to our hotel.

On the way back to Paro we stop at the most magnificent Dzong yet, Simtokha Dzong, a huge fortress lying by the river. It is reached by taking a small iron chain bridge across. The inside is grand and majestic, there is no one wandering inside bear a few chickens. It reminds me of the Potala in Lhassa. The prayer hall is gigantic and could hold some fabulous parties (or prayers of course, depending which way you are inclined). The roofs are gleaming in golden sheets, the doors are guarded by giant prayer wheels and the tranquility is nearly overbearing, the only sounds come from the prayer flags slapping in the wind.

After a short meditation from my part and a quick prayer from Mr. Nice we set back off for the 4-hour journey back to Paro.

We stop on the way in Thimphu for a quick visit to the weekend market which seems to be filled with chilies of every color and size available in large baskets. I buy at the market one of those long tumpets I have already seen in Tibet; the Bhutanese ones are thinner and more elegant. Carrying it might be a problem but Mr. Nice tells me he has a solution. Before we leave Thimphu he takes me back to the embroidery factory as I want to buy a small flag of Bhutan to saw on my bag (I have a flag of every country I am crossing on my bag). They don’t have one but they can make me one in 20 minutes. During that time we return to Tangka painting workshop where I buy a Tangka depicting the legend of the Four Friends, Very popular in Bhutan. The story says that 4 animals, an elephant, a monkey, a rabbit and a black-nekced crane where friends. One day they decided to plant a fruit tree so that they could always have food. The crane found a seed, the rabbit dug a whole to put it in, the monkey found fertilizers and the elephant stumped it and guarded it. After a few years of vigilance and maintenance they had the most beautiful and tallest fruit tree around. They could only reach the fruits by standing one on top of the others and helping each other out. This is the story depicted on my Tangka and I like it.

After having picked up the flag we head to Paro. We get there spot on for super time back in the old Royal hotel where I yet again have the choice between any of the suites. Mr. Nice takes my trumpet and disappears off in the night with a promising smile. He returns an hour later having commissioned a cover for it. I am leaving in the morning for the airport at 0430 but Mr. Nice will go to see the tailor at 04:00 to get the cover. After a long day I am glad to find my bed and slumber in an all too short sleep.