We visited so many forts, temples, monasteries, nunneries, Stoopas, and other places it is hard to keep them straight except in a slower walk-through than this blog permits. Here we are in front of the temple and monastery in Haa.
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Our guide Phuntsho and travel assistant in Bhutan, Vikki, outside of the monastery where we had a private blessing ceremony with a Lama (senior monk). In the overwhelming temple, 8 monks, chanting, horns, drums, then words in English, then blessings, neck mala, and Q&A–he had been to Spirit Rock! Small world.
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A 400-year old farmhouse. We had hot-rock steambaths here before we had dinner with the family. Note the angle of the support beams.
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Post-earthquake repairs at a pass at 11,000 feet–108 Stoopas of great significance–one for each joint in the body.
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One of the structures at the pass.
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The never-ending maintenance… mostly out of view except for us nosy visitors…
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… a fort from about 1650…
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A “new” “barn” like many across the landscape as we hike through villages filled with people with eager smiles.
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Bamboo scaffolding that the workers scamper over carrying concrete, etc. Probably would have some difficulty meeting OSHA standards– even in the era of Trump….. (first time I have uttered his name in days.)
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We spent a couple of days at the Black Necked Crane Reserve for the last few hundred of these magnificent birds. They breed and summer here before migrating to the Tibetan Plateau for the winter–flying at an astounding 33,500 feet! This poor one is living in a compound (they are building it a bigger and better one) because a predator ripped one of its wings and it can no longer fly (even after two surgeries). Their eye coloration is fierce. Their red crown is befitting a bird with holy status among the Bhutan people.
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