Day 16 and 17: Zhiwa Ling Hotel

Hello all:

THB decided to do a separate post because something extraordinary happened: THB and DB were able to see the inside of a temple while THB was holding a camera in his hands! There were no signs that prevented us from taking pics. So there you have it, THB broke a taboo, earning himself a ton of black marbles at the time of reckoning. Good news: THB earned a bunch of white marbles by making it to the Tiger's Nest and visiting a number of temples inside without taking a single picture.

The back entrance of the hotel

Our room is 2nd floor on the far left

River view...we think these rooms and all the other rooms are mostly empty

Room 103

That thing: it's a desk!!!

The front of the hotel

Fitness center: very dim, set up wit 3 machines and a bunch of yoga mats

You can see the Tiger's Nest from the meditation room. DB took advantage of the silence while THB was climbing into the clouds

Decorations from around the hotel:

In the foyer of the meditation room

2nd floor of the great room in the main building (no elevator, you gotta climb the stairs)

King #1

King #2

King #3

King #4, in color; yellow is sign of royalty in Bhutan

King #5

Kira as art

Would look great in loft if THB and DB had room for it

The guardian King of the east, plays a lute

Guardian King of the north; carries a banner of victory in his right and a mongoose that vomits jewels in his left

Guardian King of the south, carries a sword and scabbard

Guardian King of the West, holds a small stupa in his right hand and a serpent in his left

Great rug in the great room of the lobby

Now for something special: after all those posts where THB was not allowed to take pics in the temple, here are some from the temple on the 3rd floor of the hotel.

This sign is from the Paro dzong...not the hotel's temple

Also from the Paro dzong; somehow this bell is right in front of the main entrance and in India it is placed so that anyone entering pulls the bell. Not so in Bhutan Buddhism. THB is not sure what fiddling the bell means

 Now: never before seen on travelsofthb, pics from the temple

This is a prayer wheel turned by the candle inside burning and creating a draft; not all temples have something like this, THB would guess less than half of the ones visited

Guru Rinpoche

The Unifier

Very unusual: an electric candle. Since almost all the ancient temples and monasteries and nunneries and even the dzongs have burned down multiple times, this seems wise to avoid lit unattended candles

View through window into temple

View through window into temple

Day 16: Thimphu to Paro

Day 16: Thimphu to Paro

Weather:  Very pleasant in Thimphu if a bit humid, same in Paro until the thunder and lightning started about 8pm

Quote of the Day:  They are a really cute couple!

THB and DB regret not leaving the fan on and window open at the Taj, the room gets very stuffy at night. THB is looking forward to waking up without dry month, probably after arriving back in E-ville.

THB didn't think it was possible to design a worse sofa than Amankora...Taj managed it

THB does his 7 minutes in a very nice gym and then we have Indian style breakfast. The dosas are excellent and we supplement from the buffet tables.

Cooked yogurt, very good

Lost in translation

Clever way to serve watermelon, built in handle

Ahhhhh, idli for breakfast (and dosas below) brought back memories of our S India trip

Definitely a turndown

Lots to see and do in Thimphu before hitting the road for the short ride to Thimphu.

The giant statue DB could see from her window seat on the flight to Bumthang

The view of Thimphu from the giant Buddha

Takin: head of goat on a cow body. We think it is an odd antelope

Birds sharing an enclosure

This is as close as we get to the takins

Tashi's high school is having a festival day

Closed again today

Courtyard of the Institute

Closed

We tour an old house "donated" by a successful businessman; much different than the house visits we made. Of course, pics not allowed, shoes off

Is that the Flaming Thunderbolt of Wisdom?

Apparently Bhutan has several golf courses: east to convert to archery ranges

The dzong of Thimphu; the upper right holds the King's offices and the King's palace is off to the right (no pics allowed of the royal residences)

Parliament near the dzong

THB finally gets a shot of the Bhutan flag a'flyin'

Decoration near the security checkpoint

The temple/assembly hall; we've seen a ton of these so decide not to take off our shoes and hats and put away our cameras

THB just got the advanced notice that Cosport will be handing the US tix sales once again. THB should put in his bid for tix at the Bhutan office as well

Anybody know this #30...Curry? Just another guy with a jersey fetish?

The restaurant is on the 4th floor, this is the only hint (there's no name on the 4th floor)

Lunch buffet in downtown, better than most because low in oil

A brief meet-up with Chencho’s wife, she in the midst of a PTA meeting (it’s Saturday), see pic above.

Pics of the Paro dzong, which was so crowded with festival goers we never got inside

Tomorrow: Tigers Nest

Ancient stairs

Before checking in to the Zhiwa Ling Hotel, we make one last visit to a dzong, the one in Paro that we were next to three days in a row! A brief visit to the dzong temple where not only can THB not take pics, the art work is covered by drop clothes to preserve them from light exposure. So we lift up the covers and admire while raising our arm as if giving birth to Buddha (it’s a story, a good one!).

The Zhiwa Ling is spectacular, a version of the Ahwanhee in Yosemite except better. THB is going to do a post on just the hotel because it deserves it and there’s a shared secret to come…it will be worth a look-see when THB gets to it.

THB and DB are the only diners...from 6:30 to 8pm. We did see 5 35ish Chinese enjoying drinks and snacks 

Cauliflower soup

Bhutan trio

Spaghetti and meatballs: pretty good!

A kira cloth (used for traditional skirts)  as art

Same-same

Dinner all by our lonesome: no Tashi or Chencho (they are staying at a nearby hotel) and nobody else either! There are two dining rooms, one is closed for lack of business and the other is…is…just us! We even stalled by having a drink in the bar first.

Tomorrow is an early start for THB: the climb to the Tiger’s Nest.

Other pics: