Bhutan: The Secret and Gaurded Treasure

My first morning in Bhutan was a tad startling when Kinzang showed up in a dress. Actually it was the national outfit for men called a "Go." Having seen no pictures of the people and knowing nothing about the culture, it took me by surprise. After that, I realized how good it looks; somewhere between a short kimona and the outfit worn by samurai warriors. Walking out of the hotel, I saw that all men were wearing gos and the women where wearing floor length skirts topped with blouses, (much simpler than the saris worn by the women of India). It turns out that wearing the traditional go is mandated by law and you can be fined for not wearing it, (fashion police?). Also, the entire country is smokefree, but I could smoke in my room....At first I found all of the restrictions hard to understand, but after experiencing the country, I realize why so much is being done to protect it. It is a place frozen in time within the unparalleled beauty of the green mountains. There is so much dignity and pride in the people. Perhaps because the country is primarily Buddhist, I found myself settling in to the calm zen-like rythm of the country. Everyone smiles and waves and the country is filled with lovely Bhuddist shrines, temples, and prayer flags. Homes are decorated in the unique designs that remind me of the mountainous areas of Nepal and Tibet. Personally, I'm torn over the fight against change in Bhutan. You can't find Visa, Master, or American Express cards, ATMs, convenience stores, chain restaurants, American type stores, etc., but after being there - it is easy to see why they work so hard to protect what they have. There are no easy answers. For now, it is a rare opportunity to see and experience life on much simpler terms, in a gorgeous setting......Next stop - back to India for a week in Mumbai (formerly known as Bombay) before heading to Hong Kong.....Namaste, Marion

The Exclusive Club Known as the Kingdom of Bhutan

If I had been following the rules for entering the Kingdom of Bhutan, I would never have gotten in. Bhutan may be the toughest country to enter. (1) You cannot enter Bhutan without being part of a tour and all tours are run by Bhutanese agencies. (2) You cannot enter Bhutan without flying on the government sponsored Druk Airlines which has 2 planes and lands only in the one airport in Para, Bhutan on its' one landing strip. By the time my money had transferred to the travel agency, I had already bought an airline package for 4 stops in India. Since Bhutan is surrounded on 3 sides by India, I thought I could use this package to get to Bhutan. At the last minute I was informed that I couldn't enter without flying on Druk Air. At this point I threw the international equivalent of a hissy fit and the tour guide agreed to drive to Bagdogra India to pick me up. Kinzang the guide and Nobbin the driver met my plane at the airport and they were, to use a technical term, real hotties. They were both dressed very preppy in golf shirts and kakhis.....Every country I visit seems to ratchet up the driving difficulty level and the ride from Bagdogra India to Phuntsholing Bhutan was no exception. Before reaching the border, we experienced all the fun of driving in India - streets filled with people, every kind of animal, Took Tooks (Indian Taxis), carts, motorcycles, bicycles, potholes, etc. Things got tougher, however when we crossed the border into Bhutan. Almost automatically, it became mountainous (VERY steep mountains), with roads cut out of rock on the sides of the mountains to create a 1 lane road. Driving rain started as soon as we crossed the border. Much of the road wasn't paved or it was filled with potholes. This meant driving through muddy lanes sometimes filled from the rock and mud slides. Everytime we had to drive around an oncoming truck I wondered if the muddy shoulders would hold. Like most of Bhutan, Kinzang and Nobbin are both Buddhists, which means no drinking, smoking, etc. In every country so farI've been good about honoring that countries beliefs, but not here! I was so stressed that I was smoking with one hand and drinking out of a bottle of Chardonnay with the other. Don't be surprised if Bhutan announces a ban on all American women. And yes Dennis, it would be all about me....... Happy Trails, Marion (hic !)

No agra in Agra

After my exciting trip from Delhi to Agra (see last blog), it was a relief to finally check into the Taj View Hotel. True to its' name, the hotel provided me a "room with a view." In the evening haze the Taj Mahal looked like part of a dream. To quote my guidebook, "Its' perfect proportions and exquisite craftmanship have been described as, 'a vision, a dream, a poem, a wonder.'"...A 6am pickup and Bishan the driver and I headed to the Taj Mahal to watch the sun rise on this beautiful white marble creation. It was one of those experiences where it is difficult to think about taking pictures: it seemed more important to just experience the white shimmering beauty of the place. Unintentionally, I arrived in Agra just in time to celebrate the 350th anniversary of the Taj Mahal. It was built by by the leader Shah Jahan as a memorial to his wife who died in childbirth. It is open at night during the full moon (a photographer's dream), but my timing was off on this one.....Agra is so well known for the Taj Mahal, that I was surprised by our trip to the Agra Fort - a massive red sandstone fortress, complete with high walls, turrets, and a moat. It was built (1565-1578) by Shah Akbar and, unfortunately, it served as his prison for the last 8 years of his life, following one of the many invasions of India. I was intrigued by the Shah's solution to where his daughters could store their jewelry. They each have a large room with indentations built solely as a "jewelry box." We should all have this problem!......From Agra, I flew to Bagdogra, India for the tour guide and driver from the Kingdom of Bhutan to "fetch" me. Bhutan is a country like no other.......Happy Trails, Marion