Exploring Bhutan!

I took this photograph!!  It was taken from a spot called “the second viewing point.” After that it’s about 950 steps down, then up, and across a bridge, and you’re there!  But I didn’t make it all the way to the temple, just this far. It took me a little over three hours to get to this point. It was uphill all the way. The gradient varied between about 25 degrees and 45 degrees. Much of it was a wide, unpaved, often rocky path. A lot of that was in the form of steps.  I preferred the parts that were just a slope. Steps were often tall and difficult.  Of course it was all complicated by the fact that the elevation starts at about 8,400 feet and goes up to 10,240 feet.  Any exertion at that altitude causes difficulty breathing, at least for me it did.  According to my smart watch, my pulse never got below about 125, and it was often at or just above 150.  The hike up is about 2.6 miles.  The viewing point I got to is about the same elevation as the...

At a mountain pass. The sign says Beautiful Bumthang. Saw lots of monkeys as we were driving down the road. Stopped and got this through the bus window. Taken from inside Trongsa Dzong (fortress) Inside the Dzong. It's a huge place, over 200 meters long. It houses both government administrative offices and monks.  This one was taken from my hotel room. We're staying nearby. The Dzong is at the bottom. The smaller building above the Dzong used to be a watchtower. It's a museum now. We visited the museum a few days ago on our trip East. We're heading back West now.  View from a mountain pass.  With my friend Renee and the young woman at the reception desk as we were leaving the hotel this morning. 

We got to go tomorrow local festival today right here in Jakarta, where we’re staying. School was closed, and the whole town turned out in their best clothes. I think they were celebrating the consecration of their very old temple.  It was beautiful.   

Here's a photo of a woman who has been weaving most of her life doing it for us to see.

Sorry I haven't posted in so long. My internet connection wasn't strong enough. On Tuesday we visited a monastery in Gangtey. We had to walk a while to get there. We heard from one of the monks who teaches the students. It was fascinating.  Getting ready to hear from one of the monks.                  Spinning prayer wheels. .                     Young monks