Other Trongsa and Bumtang Sites

Trongsa Dzong

 Wheel of Life- A favorite Buddhist scene of mine

To briefly explain:

                     
         

      Shoot arrows thru here to protect Dzong

  

The Burning Lake

More of a creek with a widened area…  Mona, Wangchuck and I drove up to a path and walked for about 10 minutes to reach the lake.  There were so many prayer flags, you could barely see anything.  Story goes that a man named Pema Langley declared if he was a genuine revealer of treasures, he would jump into the lake with a burning lamp and  would emerge with the lamp still burning.  Not only did his prediction hold, but he also came out with a statue and a treasure chest.

Jakar Dzong

Amidst Chokhor Valley

Look who we bumped into inside dzong:

We then coincidently stayed at the same guest house and ate dinner at the same place.  When Mona and I walked into the restaurant, the youngest said "Why do these people keep following us?"

Kurjey Lhakhang

Tamshing Goemba

Built 1501

If you can see the paintings, they are thought to be the original.

Pema Lingpa's chain mail, weighs 25kg.  You wear it and run around the inner sanctuary three times as an auspicious act?

The heater at Phuntsho Guest House.  We had to burn wood to heat up the room.  We threw a log in at about 10pm.  Mona woke up at 1am to throw another in but the fire was already out.  We learned different types of logs burn longer than others.  It was a cold morning!

Yearly festival at Chumey

Traditional Ladies Dance:

Masked Dance:

Phobjikha Valley

Home of the Black Necked Crane

We didn't see any of these birds as they only reside in this valley between October and March, but we did watch a video in the nature center.  Should count for something!  When not in Bhutan, the cranes live in Tibet-- yes they fly over the Himalayas twice a year!  The cranes takeoff is rather elaborate and requires so much space the government does not allow any above ground wiring in the valley or surrounding areas.  The birds circle one of the temples before leaving for Tibet every year.  Cute.  It just so happens when the large number of cranes visit these valleys, which are snow bound, the village community migrate to warmer regions, therefore avoiding human conflict with the cranes' habitat.  The birds feed in the marshy lands that are ploughed before winter providing insects and plant material and seeds. Llivestock also helps by grazing on grass which in turn helps in bamboo regeneration on which the cranes feed.  What a perfect ecosystem!

Nature Center:

See the cranes in the painting?  The Bhutanese really love these birds.  There are many songs, dances and a yearly festival to honor them.

Wangchuck grew up near this valley.  He took us to his house where his parents served us lunch!