Bhutan Trip Dispatch

May 28 - 30, 2008 – To Central Bhutan, Bhumtang, and Back to Paro

We have been putting in long days driving in order to see as much of Bhutan as we can. Prim, our driver has been outstanding. He is safe, courteous and never complains when we are ready to get back in our Toyota van and go again.

On the 28th we continued on from Tsrong to Bhumtang in Central Bhutan. On the way we visited a woolen weaving factory at Yatha in the Chume Valley. Hand woven fabrics are found throughout Bhutan, but it is only here in the higher elevations where wool is commonly used. After lunch we continued down in to the idyllic Bhumtang region.

Bhumtang is an area of broad valleys at about 2500 meters elevation. This is a rich land with green meadows, gentle hills and deep forests. We eat cheese every day when we are in Bhutan, it is a national specialty. We are served Ema Datsi, or chili cheese, at every meal. Most places hot chilies are served as a spice; here in Bhutan they are literally served as a vegetable dish with a light cheese sauce. We also enjoy potatoes, mushrooms, and fresh asparagus with Datsi, or cheese sauce. Some of the best cheeses are produced here in Bhumtang.

On the 29th we asked Prim to do a long drive for us and take us all the way back to the capitol, Thimpu. We have crossed three high passes on the way out to Bhumtang, each over 3400 meters elevation and each with steep switchbacks and sharp curves leading to the top and down again. Prim said that it would take 9 ½ hours driving to return to Thimpu, so we set off early from our hotel in Bhumtang. Along the way when we stopped for lunch. Caroline, who loves all animals—yaks, hyenas, dogs, cats, it does not matter—found herself surrounded by local dogs who seemed to sense she was their friend.

We got back to the “big city” of Thimpu in time for a relaxing dinner and early bed time. Caroline left for the airport for her flight back to Kathmandu at 5:30 this morning. She will spend two nights in Kathmandu before returning to Doha on Sunday morning. Ang Temba, Dennis, Doc and I have two more days in Bhutan. This is good because we are not nearly finished with shopping and enjoying more time with the people of Bhutan. We’ve already spent the morning in shops looking at local fabrics and crafts.

Late this morning we made the short drive from Thimpu back to Paro, where we have checked into one of Bhutan’s new, luxury hotels for our last two nights in Bhutan. The architecture here is strictly Bhutanese, and the hospitality, with an entirely Bhutanese staff, is superb. But the amenities are an unexpected treat to us. Soon after we checked in I found Doc stretched out in his room going over the “menu” from the hotel spa. The list of treatments was enticing and he and Dennis have booked the afternoon for relaxation therapy. The “Bhutanese Hot Stone Ritual Massage” sounded best to me, but with possibilities such as “Raindrop Technique with Therapeutic Oils” and “Himalayan Singing Bowl Therapy” offered, I can tell that it will be hard to decide where to start.