Bhutan Day 2 Thimphu
25 degrees and sunny – the weatherman here is as good as at home – so in fact it was cloudy with intermittent showers
Peak altitude – 8593
Everyone Well
Philosophical Musing – while turning the prayer wheels or walking around temples, using beads individuals say the following mantra om mani padme hum – The 14th Dalai Lama (Wikipedia) stated that the six syllables, om mani padme hum, mean that in dependence on the practice of a path which is an indivisible union of method and wisdom, you can transform your impure body speech and mind into the pure exalted body, speech and mind of a Buddha.
Bhutan Facts – the country is 550 km east to west but takes 2 days to drive across. It is broader than it is tall, but you can’t drive north/south as there are no roads….. It is bound by China to the north and India to the east, south and west.
Update from last night – we had an archery competition – this is the national sport!!! Dale did the best.
Up today and off to tour Thimphu. We visited a number of sites including the Art School, the Cultural Museum, the Textile Museum – brilliant. We had an opportunity to see how life has been lived here – with 3 story houses – cattle/animals on ground floor; grain on 2nd floor; living quarters kitchen and prayer room on third floor. Houses are made out of mud but it is beaten down so it both looks and has the texture of cement.
Had a local lunch and then stretched the legs on a ridge above Thimphu – gorgeous but it did rain down on us – we were able to break out our OSC gortex – that stuff is impermeable! magic – reached 8593…….all i could think was 2 miles down and about 248 to go.
Back in to town to our now favourite Karma Kafe.
This evening we were dressed up in local Bhutanese attire – a Kira for the girls and a Koh for the boys. Its a lot of fabric wrapped and wrapped around you and then tied but like a Sari there isn’t really any formally fasteners….We watched a traditional dance company perform masks and everything and then on to a very traditional dinner – it was an immersion for sure.
You think we should adopt the Om Mani Pame Hum as part of our program mission statement?? Nice to see you guys are o.k. The pictures, the history and geography lessons are great!! Safe Travels.
The girls look lovely in the traditional outfit…. The guys look happy:)
I can’t believe I am in – Wow – Stella has been helping me and maybe it is going to work for me – remember
I can’t believe I am in – Wow – Stella has been helping me and maybe it is going to work for me –
Cool clothes. Best of luck catching dinner with that bow and arrow????
Cool clothes. Best of luck catching dinner with that bow and arrow????