The druk symbol.
Flying from Kathmandu to Paro in Bhutan, along the Himalayas.
Mt Everest from the window.
Airplane at Paro airport. Slalom between the mountains is neccessary, and only Druk Air is allowed to fly here.
This was a "busy day" at Paro airport. Only served by Druk Air, operating with just a handful of planes (propeller and airbus).
Royal Wedding, signs everywhere (here on the airplane).
Royal wedding, October 13 2011.
The five kings of Bhutan (at Paro airport).
"Gross National Happiness is more important than Gross National Product". Sounds good. GNH was invented by the former king in 1972.
Our hotel outside Paro.
Our hotel rooms in annexes.
Greeting scarf at our hotel outside Paro.
Our luxury hotel outside Paro.
A cup of tea in the hotel. They offered luxury hotels for the few tourists allowed to visit Bhutan.
Berit and Gunbritt.
The living and/or bed room part of the suite.
Cozy corner of the suite.
Bhutanese beer.
Buffet of Bhutanese food.
Bhutanese food and beer.
Bhutanese desert, sweet.
Getting a T-shirt present.
Camilla on the horse to the Tiger's Nest on 3000 m.
One of the handful geocaches in Bhutan.
Tiger's Nest monastery (Paro Taktsang), "hanging" on the cliffs on 3000 m height. Built in 1692 (origins from 8th century).
Tiger's Nest monastery.
Paro (Rinpung) Dzong (administrative center and monastery). Built in 17th century.
Four harmonious friends (elephant, monkey, rabbit and bird ?), traditional Buddhst painting.
Inside Paro Dzong.
Traditional Bhutanese house with one or two floors for animals and storage, and the top floor for living.
Inside Bhutanese house.
The altar room is an important part.
Served "snacks".
Drying pepper, commonly used in Bhutan.
Visiting Chelela pass, on the road to Sikkim, but no view due to clouds.
Poles in memory for a dead person (probably 108 poles).
Picnic close to Chelela pass.
Bridge on the way to Thimpu. The house was used for staying overnight.
Bridge.
Bridge
Room on the second floor, to stay overnight.
Building of Buddha Dordenman statue outside Thimpu.
Buddha statue (to be ready in 3 years ?) and Indian workers. The throne is 19 meter high, and will have meditation halls. 125 000 small Buddha bronze statues will be put into the statue and throne. The Buddha is 42 meter high. (Sometimes you can wonder about Buddha statues).
Indian workers carrying stones for the building of the throne of the statue (is it neccessary?).
House for the workers.
Buddha statue (said to have a very expensive diamond in the forehead).
View of Thimpu (90 000 inhabitants), capital of Bhutan (around 700 000 inhabitants).
School girls outside the stadium for archery and other sports.
School boys outside the stadium for archery and other sports.
Flag of Bhutan (Land of Druk).
Traditional clothing (gho) for official persons. Here our bus driver.
Our bus in Bhutan.
Dochula Pass, 3100 m, (often in clouds) with 108 stupas, built 2004 by the Queen Mother to honor the 4th king and to celebrate victory and peace.
Dochula Pass with stupas.
Royal Botanical Garden, on the way to Punakha.
Typical paintings (snow lion, penis and Garuda).
Snow lion.
Penis (fertility symbol) and Garuda.
Phallus (fertility) symbol
Rice harvesting close to the Divine Madman monastery.
Rice harvesting.
Divine Madman (Drukpa Kunley) monastery.
Divine Madman (Drukpa Kunley) monastery, with young boys praying (having to spend their life there).
Punakha Dzong (threatened by flooding, partly destroyed in floodings in the 1990's).
Punakha Dzong from 1638. Second oldest and second largest dzong in Bhutan. Royal wedding was held in October 2011.
Our guide in traditional Bhutanese clothing.
Life wheel inside Punakha monastery.
Inside Punakha monastery.
School girls.
Our hotel close to Wangdu, at the river.
Angel's Trumpet.
Visiting handmade paper factory in Thimpu, using traditional Bhutanese methods.
Hand made paper factory, using bark from Daphne or Mulberry plant.
Paper factory, making sheets.
Paper factory, drying sheets.
Paper factory, sheets with watermarks.
The Takin (goat antelope) – Bhutan’s National Animal.
Tashichho Dzong in Thimpu.
Tashichho Dzong in Thimpu. Monastery and seat of the Bhutanese government.
National library, housing many ancient Dzonghka (Tibetan language) and Tibetan texts, promoting literary, cultural and religious heritage of Bhutan.
Visiting Royal Academy of Performing Arts.
Bhutanese boots.
Painting.
Our hotel room in Thimpu, they offered luxury hotels.
Bed room.
Fruit and vegetable market in Thimpu.
Pepper, used very much for cooking.
The Memorial Chorten in Thimpu. Built in 1974 to honor the 3rd King of Bhutan.
The Memorial Chorten in Thimpu.
People walking the kora around the Memorial Chorten.
Old man performing the kora at Thimpu Memorial Chorten.
Old man performng the kora.
Chorten in Thimpu, statue and mountain (symbols and memories from Bhutan).
