We arrived in Bhutan Monday afternoon the 21st. We touched down in the western town of Paro just an hour after an earthquake struck in eastern Bhutan, but didn’t hear any news about it until Wednesday. Apparently this was the most powerful earthquake in Bhutan since 1941. Over 1100 homes were destroyed and the death toll stands now at 13. Cynthia and I are fine. Tuesday was a holiday, the Rainy Day Festival, to celebrate the end of the monsoon season. Actually, the day was sunny and pleasant. It was a day for families to pack a picnic lunch and go out to watch archery and darts competition. Archery is the national sport of Bhutan. Men use traditional wooden bows and bamboo arrows. The target is placed 113 meters away and teams vie for the greatest number of hits. Whenever anyone hits the target (perhaps one out of twenty shots), the whole team stops to perform a little dance together in celebration. We spent two nights in Paro, then drove about 50 km to the capital city of Thimphu. Both towns are a welcome contrast to Kathmandu — nothing like the extremely crowded streets, the noise and the litter that dominates the Kathmandu scene. Here, you are struck by how neat and clean the streets are, the well kept homes and businesses and the prevailing quiet, even in downtown Thimphu. Kathmandu suffers immensely from the overcrowding, the unregulated over abundance of cars, trucks, motorcycles and vans, and the deterioration of the city due to the inability of the government to deal with any of the pressing social issues. In Bhutan, it’s clear that the leadership of a benevolent king has been crucial for maintaining a way of life, preserving Bhutanese culture, protecting the environment and cultivating a sustainable economy. The monarchy in Bhutan began in 1907 and there have been five kings since then. The fourth king, now about 55 years old has turned over power to his son, now 28. Last year the son relinquished his royal authority to a democratically elected government. The Bhutanese people were quite happy with the monarchy, but the fourth and fifth kings have made it their mission to educate their people about the benefits of a democratic system and have moved to install such a system to replace the monarchy. Prior to relinquishing power, the king set up an electoral commission, an autonomous commission with the power to investigate corruption, two legislative houses, and a supreme court. A constitution was drafted. Now the country is gradually learning how to use these new democratic institutions, while the king serves an advisory role only. Today was a special festival in which people dressed in the finest clothes and brought their families to the courtyard of the dzong where they watched monks perform a dance with elaborate costumes and masks. There were several thousand Bhutanese in attendance and a few dozen foreign tourists.

For a collection of photos of Bhutan, go to: http://www.flickr.com/photos/11790404@N02/sets/72157622449743440/show/

We’re on a rather routine schedule here in Bhutan. Having a prearranged tour means that we never have to figure out where to stay or where to eat or how to get from one place to another. There’s one main east-west road that winds around these mountains. It’s paved most of the way but very narrow. Our driver skillfully negotiates the curves, the occasional oncoming traffic and the passing around diesel fume-spewing trucks. Just as in Tibet, the cars here are equipped with seatbelts but no one uses them. Generally at home I always use a seatbelt, so I feel uncomfortable without one, especially as I look over the edge of these steep mountain roads and witness vehicles passing with only a few inches of clearance. Unfortunately, the back seat of our car is covered with a Tibetan carpet that makes it impossible to insert the buckle into the metal fitting. So for the past several weeks, I’ve just been trying to accept the local custom of not using seatbelts, and gradually I’ve forgotten about it. However today, I started thinking about seatbelts again, especially about how stupid we would seem to our children if we were to meet our demise because we hadn’t buckled up. After lunch, I mentioned my concern to our guide and we talked a bit about the seatbelt campaign in the states, how we teach our children to use them and the safety statistics. When we got back in the car, the Tibetan carpet was removed and voila! Cynthia and I were able to fasten our belts. And so did our guide (but not our driver). We only have a couple of days more in the car, but maybe this will benefit some other guests in the future. Cynthia asked if I felt better now … Yes, indeed I did, but it’s nothing compared to how good I will feel as we roll over the shoulder into a ravine. The restaurants we visit have essentially the same fare, all served buffet style — red rice, white rice, chow mein noodles, sliced beef, roast potatoes, mixed vegetables, and the Bhutanese favorite, chili-and-cheese. It’s amazing how similar the whole meal serving routine is from one hotel to another. Seems that restaurateurs would rather do what others have found to work with tourists rather than try something new. The hotels we’ve been staying in have hot showers, if you can figure out how to regulate the temperature. Unlike some hotels in Nepal, the shower drain seems to be installed at the lowest point of the tile floor rather than somewhere else. Unpredictable as to which knob controls the hot and which the cold, and sometimes puzzling as to how to open and close the sink drain, but all still workable. Every sizable town in Bhutan seems to have its own dzong — a large fortress-like structure built in the mid 1600s and containing watch towers, administrative offices, monks quarters and shrines. They each accommodate both secular and religious functions and they are very formidable. Some have burned at times over the past 400 years, but they are always rebuilt and put into service again promptly. The first four or five dzongs were quite fascinating, but they were all built in the mid 1600s with similar architecture and by the 15th dzong, we felt totally dzonged out. Religion has an important role in Bhutanese daily life. It’s important to make offerings to the various deities, both on designated days and in accordance with things happening in one’s family and among one’s friends. Buddhist shrines in Bhutan are quite interesting. Here is a pop quiz question for you. Question: Which of the following items would you NOT expect to find at a Bhutanese Buddhist shrine? (a) a statue of the Buddha or Guru Rinpoche (b) a pile of money (c) a multi-colored flower arrangement made out of butter (d) an oversize anatomically correct model of an erect male organ (e) an AK-47 rifle See answer at the end of this post. To an outsider, there are uncountable numbers of different deities and historical figures the Bhutanese people pay homage to. However, there is enough commonality among their attributes and icons that if a person lived in this culture long enough, it would definitely be something you would gradually develop a sense of. Guru Rinpoche is one of the most prominent figures. There are his eight manifestations, his consorts and his disciples. There are long lines of reincarnations— of body, of speech and of mind. There are those lamas who left secret treasures behind for others to find later (such as sacred texts) and there are those treasure finders who found them. There are all kinds of demons and evil spirits, and all kinds of deities who subdued the demons and spirits. It would take a lifetime of study to grasp all the personages, to say nothing of the daily ritual practices and sacred objects. Of course, all the items (a) – (e) can be found at the alter of Bhutanese temples we have visited.

After three days of travel we ended up in a tiny village outside the small town of Jakar. As we drove through Jakar, it reminded me of a wild west town with small wooden storefronts on both sides of a narrow main street. Half of them were a General Store and Bar/Saloon. Virtually all of them advertised cell phone recharging cards. Across the road from our rural hotel was a small 14th century monastery. We spent most of two days at the festival there which had a very local flavor. The night before the festival the Lama came to bless each house (and our hotel) in the neighborhood after which a half naked monk dances through with a flaming branch. That completed, we walked down the road to a field in which a large circle of branches had been erected. The Lama’s completion of home blessings and arrival at the circle signalled the masked scantily clad monks to light the circle. The crowd of hundreds surged forward and began moving through the circle, a purification ritual. Next day the sacred ceremonies began at the monastery with rather bawdy clowns (monks) entertaining the crowds with wooden phalluses prior to the real cham (sacred dances) beginning. In the intimate atmosphere of this small monastery, we were able to see the costumes, masks and dances, musicians and locals’ reactions. These dances are often lengthy and intricate which gave us a great appreciation for the effort put into these ritual performances. We were amazed at the number and size of cameras at this event. I finally learned that a number of photography clubs from around the world had organized excursions. I wish they had paid more attention to honoring the local people and it’s significance to them. They came across as fairly self-centered groups. As interesting and colorful as it was, after 2 full days we were ready to move on and begin our trek. The first day was a pleasant walk through forest and fields, gaining a little altitude. Camp was set up in a field above a river which was inhabited by cows, horses and dogs. Nearby farmers were happy to porter tents, food and other supplies 3 km from across the river where the car was. This was camping like I had never experienced it before. There were folding chairs and a table and even a latrine tent and someone to cook our food. Wow! Because of the ongoing challenge of my knees, David thought having a horse in reserve was a good idea. Since there were horses already going over the pass carrying supplies for another group, this was no problem. My success the first day made me quite determined to cross the pass on my own two feet. Allieve at night and -Ibuprofon in the morning seemed a winning combination plus the aid of my hiking poles. The temperature was perfect, my shoes were comfortable and I was confident as we started climbing through beautiful forest of evergreens, rhododendrons, bamboo, and a diversity of plants we had never seen before. We wondered if David Hinkley had cataloged or propagated the plants of Bhutan. We continued to play leap frog with the farmers and group of horses and each time I was asked if I wanted a horse yet. Given that the saddles were uncomfortable wooden things and the path frequently very steep over large rocks and occasionally less than a foot wide with a precipice on one side, I felt far safer on my own 2 feet. It was a long way up and I was exhausted and very sore by the time we got to the pass. The prayer flags flying all around us immediately lifted my spirits as we shared lunch with Sangay, our very steady guide. He said it would be about an hour down to here our camp would be. Three hours later with dusk upon us, I dragged into camp, wanting only to wash up and sleep. After forcing down a bowl of soup, I did bask in my accomplishment. I did it on my own 2 feet and my walking sticks and with the support and encouragement of David and Sangay, both very patient men. It was a brief 2 hour hike the next day to a small very rustic house (actually the vacation home of the minister of agriculture) where we spent the next two nights. We also became acquainted with a Bhutanese tradition, the hot stone bath. Large stones are heated on top of a fire until they are white hot, then they are put in a wooden tub of fresh spring water. This steaming hot outdoor bath is very soothing after physical exertion. We are thinking of building one at Greenbank. The next couple of days we had shorter hikes to nearby dzongs and visited a nunnery which is under construction. As in China, I felt a completely different energy at the nunnery than I felt at the monasteries. We saw the small cell that 4 nuns shared and had tea with them. Some part of me would have liked the opportunity to spend a few days with them. The other still aching part of me realized that I would be useless in the hard work of construction that they were engaged in. Maybe on another visit. We are back in Thimpu, the only capital city in the world without so much as a single traffic light. In a few days we will be leaving Bhutan, but not without dreams of someday returning.

[Written by Cynthia Oct 8th, 2009] In some ways Bhutan seems like a much larger country than it actually is. In this small country there are 14 dialects and 16 different ethnic groups. It seems surprising that it developed a national identity centuries ago. It is likely that the strong spiritual practice of Buddhism is a major factor. Although it is less than 400 miles across the main transportation route, the east-west highway, it takes two full ten hour days to drive that distance. This drive is not for one subject to car sickness. The road has few sections that are straight for as much as 20 feet as if winds up and down through the mountains which cover most of the country. We found ourselves grateful to have arrived back in Thimphu just ahead of the recent unseasonable 30 hours of continuous hard rain. It is likely some of the road we just traveled has been blocked by landslides. Yesterday in traveling 2 hours to Paro, there were many large rocks and a few huge boulders on the road making travel hazardous. The only airport in Bhutan here in Paro was completely shut down yesterday and we are uncertain what it will take to catch up as only one airline with two planes flies into this airport. We are scheduled to fly to Kathmandu tomorrow and will wait and see if flights are back on schedule. As I write, the sky is clearing and I just saw a plane take off. We feel concern for trekkers in the mountains when this storm occurred. Hiking here involves crossing many streams and rivers, often by balancing on logs or jumping from rock to rock. Many of these temporary “bridges” many have washed away and some of the more permanent ones may be damaged. I am certain that the people living in the mountains will find ways to get trekkers safely down but it may take some time. As I look out my window there are already white sheets, towels and pillowcases drying on the line and things are getting back to normal.

[Written by David Oct 8, 2009] The Taktsang (Tiber’s Lair) hermitage is located on the face of a sheer 3,000 ft cliff above the Paro valley. The trail up to the hermitage is steep and requires a lot of knee action, so Cynthia decided wisely to sit this one out. Sangay and I set out in a light rain and thick clouds; we had no idea what we would be able to see when we got there. But as we moved up, the clouds lifted and the rain stopped and the hermitage came into view in all its glory. The several temples have been recently rebuilt as they were destroyed by fire in 1998. The new temples have been authentically restored and are quite impressive. The head lama, Lama Dorje is a freind of Sangay, so he invited us in for tea. Apparently he is a highly revered and well known lama who has many disciples. I used the opportunity to ask him what was the most important teaching of Buddhism to be remembered. He replied simply, “learning to control the mind”. At dinner yesterday evening, Cynthia and I were talking with Sangay about the phallus symbols that we saw in some temples. Today, Sangay asked the lama what the meaning was of these. He said that there was no meaning in Buddhism. He though that perhaps they were put there by lay monks who did not fully understand. According to Sangay, the mages of phalluses painted on the walls of people’s homes and the wooden phalluses suspended from the roof corners were believed to protect the home from evil spirits. He didn’t think they were fertility symbols.. Obviously the phallus had prominent role among the clowns or jesters during the sacred dances we saw in Jakar. They made quite a display of miming sexual activity, often directly with members of the audience, especially the tourists. There is certainly a great deal of overlap between the role of the phallus in Bhutanese culture and its role in Buddhiist temples. I also asked the lama about the meaning of the AK-47 rifle that we saw in two temples we visited. He said that the protector dieties have always had weapons — originally swords and bows and arrows, and that the AK-47 was just another weapon for protection.. He said that ideally, the protective dieties would have all the weapons of the world, but since they couldn’t all be included, these would have to suffice. We heard a story about how long ago a lama created a miraculous animal from the bones of a goat and an ox. The animal, called the Takin is the national animal of Bhutan. It does in fact resemble a goat, but it’s much larger. The information at the Takin refuge says that it has been difficult for taxonomists to classify the animal, given its unique characteristics.

Since the 1970s, the king of Bhutan has been advocating the concept of “Gross National Happiness” (GNH) as measure of societal well-being. He has often contrasted this idea with the widely used measure of economic development, the “Gross Domestic Product” (GDP). Computation of a country’s GNH uses a “methodology of multidimensional poverty” developed by Alkire and Foster. It uses 72 indicators of well-being, including both numerical and categorical variables. Examples of numerical variables include number of years of schooling or annual income. Examples of categorical variables would be answers to questions such as, “In general, how would you describe the state of your health? (Excellent, Good, or Poor)” And “To what extent do you trust the media? (Trust, Trust Somewhat, or Distrust)” Quoting below from an article in Business Bhutan, Sept 26, 2009, Vol 1, Issue 1: __________ Last month, the Prime Minister [of Bhutan], Lyonchen Jigme Y. Thinley, delivered a speech on Gross National Happiness (GNH) in Japan where he said the world now has to review its pursuit of economic progress. Three weeks later, on September 14, the same message echoed from France but with a new found optimism. The French President, Nicolas Sarcozy, declared that France “plans to include happiness and well-being in its measurement of economic progress.” The president made his assertion after embracing a study he commissioned last year was published. The study was led by two Nobel laureates, Joseph Stiglitz and Amartya Sen, with 23 other experts including four other Nobel laureates who studied the limitation of having Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as a measure of economic development. Summing up the study, Joseph Stiglitz said, “The main message is to get away from GDP fetishism and to understand the limits to it.” Addressing President Sarkozy’s new found reason for hope for the future, Lyonchen Jigme Y. Thinley told Business Bhutan, “the world is acknowledging Bhutan’s intellectual leadership” in “human society’s search for an alternative development paradigm, an alternative framework for the growth and continued progress of human society.” … GNH was advocated by the fourth [king of Bhutan] Druk Gyalpo igme Singye Wangchuck since the 1970s who declared collective happiness as the national goal. … Joseph Stiglitz describes GDP as a “false choice” for measuring national progress. The GDP measures market economic activity and not societal well-being. He added, “What we measure affects what we do. If we have wrong metrics, we will strive for wrong things.” Advocates of happiness as an index stress that an increase in GDP can also occur in a society where the majority of the citizens have become worse off. GDP does not take into account unemployment, cultural disintegration, resource depletion or environmental degradation. Tshoki Zangmo of the Center for Bhutan Studies said, “In GDP, externalities, i.e. Outside events over which we have no control — such as war, natural disasters and disease — and which lead to increased spending would be considered to be unambiguously positive inasmuch as they increase economic activity.” … The economic affairs minister, Lyonpo Khandu Wangchuk said pursuance of GNH does not mean undermining economic growth. He said that Bhutan is looking to contribute to GNH through economic development. Only through sound economic development can a country have peace, security and prosperity. “For Bhutan, the transition to a successful democracy can only be possible with economic development” he said “because only then can we meet the aspirations of the people.” While the French President publicly made a bidding of his new claim, Bhutan was not mentioned even once. Neither the 291-page report nor its five-page references used for the study, mentions Bhutan. But the findings of the report bear stark similarities with the works of the Center of Bhutan Studies which has been trying to quantify GNH for about five years now. __________ Makes some good sense to me!

I’ve uploaded more photos to our Bhutan slideshow, at http://www.flickr.com/photos/11790404@N02/sets/72157622449743440/show/ Enjoy! David