Travels thru Life: 4/24 -- Drive to Thimphu, Bhutan Capitol

We started our morning driving to a nearby monastery, Kharbandi Gompa, established in the 1960s by the old kings mother, who preferred to winter here where it is warmer than in Thimphu, the capitol. It was on a bluff overlooking the Indian side of Phuentsholing, which is much bigger than we thought.

The Bhutan side of Phuentsholing is on the right, past the
line of greenery.

The main body of Phuentsholing. In a nutshell, this is the
difference between India and Bhutan.

We drove along twisty, narrow roads that lead up from the valley floor at 700 feet to finally reach Thimphu at 7600 feet. The traffic here is much reduced from India, in part because it has only about 700,000 residents and fewer than 50,000 tourists.

Above and below: The joy of anticipating our route through
the mountain roads.

At the top of one hill, we took a rest break outside of a business college, where many students were also on break and had a chance to talk to them. Children who grew up on farms are now getting a chance to be educated, but there are not enough white collar jobs for the graduates. The graduates are mostly not inclined to go back to the farms they came from and this shift could significantly change the culture here, where for years it has been the custom of extended families to live together and the children and grandchildren take responsibility for their elders when the elders can no longer work. We did learn that government representatives seek out unsupported elders in the villages (perhaps no children or grandchildren available) and provide them with housing and a monthly stipend for their support, but this is the exception, not the rule.

Entry to the business school

Huge prayer wheel across the road.

Students on a break

In several places, we saw horses grazing unattended on the roadside. Horses here are generally not used for riding, but for porterage. When a farmer takes his potatoes to the market or migrates to lower or higher ground or trekkers head out, they use horses to carry their goods.

Each time we drove into a new district, we had to stop and
show documentation that we were allowed there. This sign
was posted at one checkpoint.

We also saw a number of little ledges with dozens to hundreds of little stupa-shaped objects called tsa-tsas. They are made of clay and cremation ash, are about 3 inches high and occasionally painted. Bereaved families will make 108 of them and place mantras inside as a remembrance of the departed. They are found along the highways in scenic or auspicious places that are sheltered under natural ledges.

We had a good lunch at the only place on this road that is certified for tourists. It looked pretty ramshackle and the interior was rustic, but the food was good. It also had a very friendly cat. We see lots of sleeping dogs that don't seem to belong to anyone (and a few that do), but very few cats.

A very good restaurant, in disguise

The friendly kitty

Thimphu stretches on quite a ways. We must have driven a half hour through apartment buildings before getting to the center of the city and our hotel. Our room was like a small apartment -- a separate sitting room and useful kitchen in front with a good sized bath with heated floor and towel warmer and a nice bedroom in back. Along the outside wall, there was also a balcony that stretched from living room to the bedroom.