back in sunny wangdue
Susan and I opted for our layover in Wangdue instead of Bumthang. Bumthang is about dead-center in the country, the furthest east into Bhutan we ventured and by far, the most rustic. We actually got up in the middle of the night and stoked our wood fire but it wasn’t nearly as cold as we expected and we easily could have done without it.
After a few phonecalls by our guide and a 6 1/2 hour drive through switch-backs and passes (where we got to see white langur monkeys!)we arrived back in Wangdue where banana trees, oranges, and warm winds awaited us. We ‘re now at the Dragon’s Nest Hotel where we’ll be for one more night.
Today we visited the Wangdue Dzong, the last of our trip. I can’t remembered if I mentioned that a Dzong is a fortress in which the administrative goverment offices and the monastic bodies of each region are housed. At Wangdue’s Dzong we were treated to a sit-in with a group of about 20 young monks chanting prayers.
After a little walk-about the town, we convinced our guides to take us to the little white sand beach that runs along the turqoise river here. Simply beautiful with frog-eggs and minnows in a tidal pool and mountain goats cautiously feeding nearby. The four of us spent an hour there where the guys got downright goofy hiking up their dresses and playing around in the water and later, Tenly (sp?) Dorji hid one of Kaphel Dorji’s (we call them the Dorji boys) shoes in the sand. Have I mentioned the fashionable shoes the Bhutanese men wear with their traditional dress? - both Susan and I said we would wear them given a chance.
I cannot believe that we only have one more day together. Once back in the capitol, Susan and I will part ways: she to Paro where she catches a flight back to Delhi and me to Phoentsoling where I cross the border into India. We should have good internet tomorrow so expect some pictures. There have been some amazing photo-ops.
Sue Borchardt in Wangdue, Bhutan. February 23, 2006 at 2:58 where it reached the mid 80s today!
