Travels of THB: Day 8: Paro to Bumthang

Day 8: Paro to Bumthang

Pic by DB; moon setting

Weather: Crisp and clear early in Paro, under the full moon, crisp and clear in Bumthang with intermittent light showers in the afternoon, heavy rain in the evening

Quote of the Day: Does it sound like the latest Butanese dance craze? Do tha funky Bum Thang

Factoids: Paro has about 50K in population, Bumthang maybe 30K, and Bhutan 800K

THB and DB went to sleep early and thus THB struggles to the fitness center bright and early. The TV is pre-set to show a live NBA game. THB has had that experience on the road before and it is always a welcome shot of home…oops, it is some meaningless game between the Jazz and Hawks.

For breakfast THB and DB go for the pumpkin pancakes. THB slathers on the plain yogurt and has a very mild banana muffin with his decaf au lait and a bit of smoked ham cut off the bone.

Off to the airport: 8 minutes to get down the mountain road (maybe ½ mile at most) and 2 minutes along the main road and we’re in the airport. Another 10 minutes and we’re at the gate 100 minutes before our flight time. Amazingly, some kid (he can’t be 18 can he?) is scanning and patting down every male person going through security. He sussed out my plastic pen…another merit badge!

The rest of the post is mostly told through pics and their captions…and sorted by category rather than chronologically.

Keep ‘em guessing THB, keep ‘em guessing

Flying

50 seater

the tallest mountain range in Bhutan, this is a great 25 minute tourist ride as long as you're on the left side of the airplane

the highest peak in Bhutan; THB has a premature book review, Into the Silence by Wade Davis, on the British expenditures of 1921-24 to summit Mt Everest. THB is 60% of the way through, terrific if you plan to visit this area and terrific if you like these types of books. 40% left to go and easily doable if these posts didn't get in the way

CYS and SAS seats going unused

One of the two helicopters in Bhutan

The terminal for the Bumthang airport

Chencho is waiting in the parking lot

Feeding frenzy is worse than at the carousel in a regular airport

Just when you thought you'd seen everything, something new pops up: they are building a new airport terminal...really?

Amankora Bumthang: room and meals. There's actually a lot to say about this ultra-luxurious hotel and our room. THB will hold off until after we check out. Tonight there are just three rooms occupied: an American family of four and THB/DB and Tashi/Chencho (taking the room of CYS and SAS)

Front entrance

Back shot of rooms

Long hallway with sets of four rooms off to the left. Not easy to tell which is your room

Out back (it's raining)

there's a temple (and altar and palace - under renovation) behind the hotel

Night time mood shot from DB's i-phone

How expensive is the Aman? Well, it's built into the price of the tour package so we're not sure

They do the laundry (all your laundry) for free!! we're about halfway on the trip, so we're good for clean and semi-clean clothes until we get back to E-ville

The room greeting: very lightly alcoholic and carbonated apple cider made from local apples

Not as distinctive as the Tieton cider we've become used to

the temple out back

Another strong ginger tea at check-in greeting

At least the water doesn't come down from the ceiling like at the Loews 1000 in Seattle

His and her sinks/vanities. We're told that nowhere in Bhutan is it safe for turistas to drink straight from the taps

Wood burning stove at side of bedroom; we're already inhaling too much smoke as it is. Rocks on top help retain heat and there's a bowl of water for humidity aid on top of rocks

Large couch

Dining room

THB's first taste of yak

There's yak sausage inside a heavily cheesed grilled cheese sandwich

DB goes western style for lunch

DB is tasting churros in every country we visit, just Thailand left to go

THB doing same for ice cream

Tashi and Chencho and THB and DB go Bhutanese for dinner

DB and THB share s'mores for dessert at dinner

Old style baskets at one end of the long hallway

Temples and Monasteries and religious sightings

A temple. In general, the temples and monasteries, of which there are 1000s, don't seem to have English names (true? so sez Tashi)

That's an incense burner in the courtyard

Just to repeat for emphasis: all the great religious displays are inside the temple and monastery and nunnery sanctuaries and tourists are not allowed to take pics there.