Bhutan: Taktsang and home

Our arrival back in Paro was on New Year's eve. We knew we had an early morning the next day to climb to Taktsang, or Tiger's Nest, one of the most sacred temples in Bhutan, perched 2300 feet above the valley floor. Joan and I had a special interest in this visit, because in 2005 our group had squeezed the Taktsang hike into the end of a day that started in Thimphu. Several of our group had reached the main viewpoint, across a deep gorge from Taktsang, but failing daylight meant that there was no time to visit. Now, on New Year's Day we would visit the site sanctified by Guru Rinpoche. What an auspicious way to start 2010!

It dawned clear, calm, and frosty at the Zhiwaling.

After breakfast, Tshering drove us to the parking area for Tiger's Nest. We were in the shade for the first part of the hike, and gloves and jackets were the order of the day. As both we and the sun climbed higher, our bodies warmed up with the exertion, and once we hit the sun line it was time for me to stuff a layer or two into the daypack. At one switchback there was a look-ahead to our goal.

As we climbed higher we could look back down into the Paro valley.

Halfway up there is a teahouse, providing hot drinks, sweet crackers, and a pit stop. We regrouped and caught our breath for the second half. Here is a view of the teahouse among the trees, just before we reached it.

When most of the climbing is done, you reach a shoulder where there is an open ground with prayer wheels and prayer flags. Here you see the view as I'm about to reach it; the ground is still frosted in the shade.

A view of the grounds.

The prayer flags glowed in the early morning light.

From here until the main viewpoint the trail was a rolling level. Along the way there is a shrine dedicated to the previous Je Khenpo (religious leader of Bhutan).

He was born up here.

Tsewang told us how the Je Khenpo's body had gradually dried out, or otherwise gradually transformed itself, after his death; there had been no embalming but there was no decay. Tsewang has seen the body himself.

At the threshold of the viewpoint, Jillian proved to be a soft touch for the canine pilgrims.

We paused for a group photo with our goal in the background. (Did Namgay stay up late to see in the new year?)

You could look back and see the teahouse.

After a few steps there was a temple dedicated to Yeshe Tsogyal, a female disciple and chronicler of Guru Rinpoche, who gained Enlightenment while on retreat in this spot.

This is slightly out of order, but here is a good view looking back at Yeshe Tsogyal's shrine and our path down from it towards the gorge crossing.

From those steps, the temple was tantalizingly close.

A view looking out from the middle of the gorge.

Many have come this way over the centuries; today, we were among the first.

And now we have a pictorial gap, for no photographs are allowed anywhere at Tiger's Nest. There is a guardhouse just before you reach the complex, and everything -- walking sticks, day packs, camera, and, we discovered when we tried to walk on, even binoculars must be left behind at the little plaza beside the guardhouse. This intense security may be partially due to the "southern Bhutanese problem" and suspicions about the accidental fire in April 1998 that destroyed Tiger's Nest. (The temple was rebuilt with donations from all over the Buddhist world and reconsecrated in March 2005. I can't imagine the difficulty of rebuilding up here.)

Soon after entering we visited a large stone with an imprint or depression. The visitor is encouraged to stand at a starting line, close his or her eyes, step forward, and attempt to put their own thumb into the imprint. The rock-slab floor is uneven so it's no easy matter! None of us made it.

Then we visited three shrines of the several in the extended temple. A young girl, part of a family of what must be caretakers, unlocked each shrine room and administered the blessing water. We had an opportunity to sit and absorb some of the silence at the second shrine. At the final shrine we received a miniature dorje from a monk, on a string to be worn as a pendant around the neck. It is a reminder of the supreme indestructibility of knowledge.

After an hour or so we left the Tiger's Nest. It was an immensely satisfying visit after having fallen short in 2005. Here are a couple of looking-back views, with better light now that the sun is higher in the sky.

One our way back down to the teahouse, there was a good view down to our hotel in the valley. This picture is zoomed-in to magnify the hotel.

At the teahouse we regrouped yet again, and had hot tea, and were visited by avian pilgrims. My best guess is that this is a rufous sibia.

Near the bottom of the trail, now in bright light, were three water-powered prayer wheels.

After lunch at the Zhiwaling, we did some shopping in Paro. Joan and I spent most of our time at Chencho Handicraft, a workshop and outlet for weavers, invariably female, from more rural parts of Bhutan. Later we also spent some ngultrum at the hotel gift shop, which also had marvelous fabrics. Sadly, part of the afternoon was also dedicated to repacking. No longer would our luggage be slung into the back of a bus, but tomorrow it was going into the hold of an aircraft, with all of the reorganization that implies.

Our trekking group had a private farewell and recap dinner. Most of us started with Dragon Warmers, a drink that (we were told) was invented by a Yangphel Adventure guide. Bhutanese army officers receive a liquor ration -- sounds very British -- named Dragon Rum. A Dragon Warmer is based on hot apple juice, with Dragon Rum (or any rum that is handy) and a little lime and honey added. Cinnamon optional.

Tsewang gave us a slide show based on the pictures he had taken of our last two weeks, and it was warmly received. After dinner, each of us had a chance to speak to our experiences on the trek, and we were universally appreciative. Tshering played a couple of traditional tunes for us, and sang as well. (He's a very talented guy as well as an expert snowball thrower.)

Eventually the evening wound down, and we all returned to our rooms to finish packing. It was our farewell to Jen, who had an extremely early flight in the morning. Jim, Jillian, Joan, and I were on a late morning flight, so we were able to keep normal hours. At the airport, both of Druk Air's Airbus jets were on the tarmac; Jen's flight to India had already returned.

After a refueling stop at Bagdogra (the planes do not take off with full tanks of fuel, because of the challenging location) we found ourselves back in Bangkok. At 4:00AM the next day we took the shuttle to the airport, and were through initial security by 4:30! Because of the "Christmas bomber," there were additional pat-downs or wandings at the gate in both Bangkok and Tokyo, but everything worked as well as could be expected. Note: there is an origami museum/shop with some astonishing exhibits across from gate 26 at Narita.

Our luggage did not make the two-hour connection in O'Hare; the baggage recheck area after customs was swamped and the staff told us to just drop off the baggage carts and keep going. This spared us from doing laundry on our first day back, and the luggage arrived home safely 23 hours after we did.

It is difficult to summarize such a varied and richly packed journey. We experienced trekking, flora and fauna, cities and villages, home visits, architecture, crafts, dances and festivals, temples and shrines. Not to mention butter tea, ara, and the fiery chili and cheese national dish, ema datsi. Joan and I were blessed with great traveling companions and skilled and thoughtful guides. It will take a while to digest the trip, but writing this blog has helped that process along. Inevitably I will have omitted some things that I should not, but no casual account such as this can be comprehensive. Joan and I intend to return to Bhutan in a few more years, this time in warmer weather, to enjoy more of the flowers and birds. We've done November and December now. And we have every intention of going again with Geographic Expeditions (as long as they use Yangphel Adventure Travel).

To all of you who have kept up with this account, may I say "Kadinchey La" (thank you).