As we hike and bike through the villages we’re making lots of little friends
I’ve long heard Bhutan described as magical. Five days into our two-week journey here, I’m starting to believe it.
From the capital Thimphu we flew 35 minutes east to Bumthang (pronounced boom-tong, or something like that) into what seems the world’s smallest airport. We learned, in fact, that we were lucky to get in; because the airport has no radar, flights are canceled in case of bad weather which is apparently pretty common. When the planes are grounded, you drive some 11 hours through the mountains on terrible roads to get here. Instead we had a quick hop over the Himalayas that included a peak at Mt. Everest.
This old guy was tending his horses in what seemed like the middle of nowhere as we hiked by
When we arrived in Bumthang we had lunch and then decided to go for a bike ride. Ever since we did a day ride in Cambodia with a guide who complained that I was riding too fast – and who then got into the truck to just follow behind us – I’ve been somewhat leery of bike guides who don’t really want to bike. Would our guide grudgingly agree to bike with us, but not really want to go? I needn’t have worried. It turns out our driver doubles as our bike guide … and is Bhutan’s top bicycle racer. Seriously. The biggest race in the country is a 160-mile ride over four Himalayan passes from Bumthang to Thimphu, and he’s won the race two of the last three years (he rode injured last year and still came in third). Instead of a guide who complained I was going too fast, we were riding with a world class athlete!
Here I am having climbed to the top of Kikila Pass, 9,383 feet in the Himalayas. I was pretty pleased with myself, though our guide calls it a “small pass.”
The view on the way down from Kikila Pass. Did I mention beautiful?
The food is worth noting, too. Given all the traveling we’ve done Mark & I are surprised to find a cuisine that is just utterly new to us, unlike anything we’ve found anywhere in the world. The mainstays of Bhutanese cuisine are hot chills and cheese. One dish we’ve had in two different places is pretty much just that: green chilies and local cheese, and it’s fantastic. They do a lot with buckwheat and make local wines out of all sorts of ingredients. The big surprise, though, is just how spicy hot the food can be. I think of spicy food as belonging in hot, tropical places like Thailand, India, or Mexico, where the heat of the food actually cools you down. Bhutan isn’t hot, but it sure has the spicy food.
Like I said, hiking, biking, and great food, surrounded by unmatched mountain beauty. Here are some of our favorite photos. Or more than a few, I guess.
As long as we’re on the topic of food, one day’s hike was to a farm house, where we sat on the floor and ate a great lunch of cheese, chili, butter tea, buckwheat pancakes, homemade butter, and lots of other stuff. Such a treat!
Here’s our cook, after clearing the table/floor, showing off her homemade wheat wine. Her grandfather used to cook for the king and she still uses some of the same recipes.
Yup, that’s marijuana. Grows wild here. Our guide said they mix it into the food for pigs, who then just lie around, eat, sleep, and get fat. We should suggest this to our Iowa friends.
The view from our lodge one morning
And another view one evening
This monastery where some famous Bhuddist master meditated in the 17th century, hanging off a cliff, was the destination for one of our hikes
Inside this … hut? cave? … is a monk who is meditating in isolation for the rest of his life. He entered it a few years ago, and communicates with the outside world only by leaving a note about his food needs in a slot that someone picks up. Otherwise he meditates and prays to make the world a better place for all sentient creatures. I think that’s weird, but hey, maybe I’ll end up doing that some day.
Just a typical farm house we walked by one day. We’ve been surprised at how big and attractive many of the houses out here are.
Another beautiful home far away from everything
The seventh century Jambay Temple, just two miles from our lodge. It is said to have been one of 108 temples built by a Tibetan king in a single day to pin an ogress down to earth forever.
More cute kids that greeted Mark on his ride past
Two brothers walking down a dirt road. The one on the left, whose English was remarkably good, said he’s 12 years old though he sure doesn’t look it
This suspension bridge connected us to a 400-year old trail that people used to go to a temple
After taking that picture part way across we discovered that part of the bridge was missing. Thankfully, locals had “fixed” it.
Another hike, another suspension bridge
More happy biking
Beautiful mountain streams to cross
And finally, Bumthang’s tiny airport terminal. I particularly loved the VIP lounge over on the right, just another room separated from the rest of the chairs. Because every terminal needs a lounge, right?