Tshechu in Color!

TODAY'S THIMPU TSHECHU IN PHOTOS

Wearing my Gho this morning;

Couldn't have done it without Tshering and Karma;

Ready for Tshechu
With Tshering on Dzong Grounds

With Serena (from Belgium) and her Kira

The Dzong in the background

Walking to the Courtyard
From Left to Right all in traditional dress:

Me, Signe (Denmark), Youmi (S. Korea), Tshering and Karma (Bhutan)

Inside the Courtyard

TSHECHU!

We saw all sorts of dances

I have yet to learn their names and meaning

"Let's get this Kira straightened out for you"

The monks watching

and...the tourists photographing

(even though I was in Gho, today, unlike most days here in Thimpu, I was one of them)

A traditional song and dance

Getting ready to dance, waiting for cue

On our way now

It was hot in Thimpu town today!

Better keep hydrated

I am happy and honored to take a picture with this gentelman.

Whenever there's a dance, you'll see these masked characters that do silly things, interact with the audience, you wouldn't necessarily expect it but really these are the lamas, the high teachers, and the masters of all the different dances, and they are there to model the dances in case the actual dancers get lost or aren't dancing properly.

There are dogs everywhere in Thimpu

Have I mentioned that before?

But nobody minds or is bothered by the dogs,

no effort is made to kick them out or anything,

they are left alone, and they don't disturb.

A few days ago I saw the championship soccer match in Thimpu,

and in the middle of the second half a dog hung out in the field.

The game wasn't stopped and nobody cared.

These monks were the dancers,

now they are out of costume and walking back to sit and rest

The Kabnes (the scarf the men have to wear along with their Gho)

can also be used as a shield from the sun as you can see above.

"it's tiring to sit in the sun all day"

After the Tshechu we hung out at the cafe in town, where we ran into Lama who runs the buddhist center that I frequent for meditation classes and discussion groups.

Hope you enjoyed!

-Noam