Just back from a fantastic five day excursion to Bumthang, a district located approximately 10 hours east of Thimphu. I had the great joy of experiencing the breathtaking beauty of this remarkable country, sharing in the fantastic spirit of its people, and relishing one of Bumthang's Tsechu's (festival) and many sacred sites. For those that want to read more you will find a detailed report below the photos.
Our bus driver loading up the luggage on the top of the bus! 
Here are some of the packages that we dropped off along the way which I was telling you about.
The 108 chorten monastery at Dochu La Pass, about 45 minutes from Thimphu. The 108 chortens were built in 2005 as atonement for the loss of life caused by the "flushing out" of Assamese militants in southern Bhutan.
The view from Dochu La Pass
Shot from a crack inside the toilet shack near where we stopped for breakfast...
Wangdi Dzong
With Youmi!
More views from the journey to Jakar...
The kind of sign you see all over Bhutan, this one in a very small village which we stopped at to drop off a package.
An image from village life...
Already in Jakar now, my friend Kinga walking up towards the Dzong, having to put his kabne on in order to get into Jakar Dzong. Bhutanese have to wear traditional dress when entering Dzongs, whereas foreignors can wear western clothes. 
The view from Jakar Dzong: this is the valley where the town of Jakar lies. As I mentioned, it's landscape appears significantly more tame then any other part of Bhutan i've seen thus far. But it is merely an illusion, as any 30 minute walk up a mountain will reveal new impressive mountain ranges. 
Inside Jakar Dzong. 
At the Kurje Monastic Complex
I bought my first souvenir in Bhutan right outside the Kurje Monastic Complex (one of the most sacred sites in Bhutan). A singing bowl with the mantra om mani peme hung engraved onto it in dzongkha. This is the lady I bought it from, and here she is demonstrating the beauty of its sound.
The entire Bumthang group! what a fantastic group of people! From left to right. Top: me, Kathrin (Germany), Pia (Sweden). Bottom: Kunzang (Bhutan), Kinga (Bhutan), Line (Denmark), Anne (Denmark), Youmi (S. Korea), Fumie (Japan). 
At the tsechu. Tired baby...babies are often strapped to their mothers' (sometimes fathers') backs, as you can see. Sometimes their heads dangle in funny ways! 
Tsechu (festival) grounds. Food stalls. 
Saddening to see that toy guns have made it even to the non-violent Kingdom of Bhutan. I think they were being sold at various booths in the adjacent fair to the festival, and were a big hit with the young boys. Sigh.
We were sitting right next to the Cymbal man who was accompanying the masked dances with his rhythmic punctuations. From where we were sitting, the cymbals' sounds were almost deafening, but, if you let your ears get beyond the higher pitched loud and repeated tones that came with every strike, a beautiful low fundamental note emerged.
The view of the calm and peaceful Jakar valley.
Now, on our way to Ura! 
There it is! The tallest mountain in Bhutan, Gangkhar Puensum, at 7,541 meters (24,596 feet).
The village of Ura from a distance. 
The temple in Ura village.
This is the devoted elderly woman, who was circamumbulating all alone, in the cold windy afternoon. 
A painting on the outside walls of the temple.
Another shot of the village of Ura.
With Anne, on the way back to Jakar. In the background is Gangkhar Puensum again, but because it's so white with snow, you cannot see it. 
Before reaching Jakar, we stopped at a holy lake, decorated with hundreds and hundreds of prayer flags. 
Now, on our one day trek up to Penseling Goempa (a monastery on the top of a mountain in Jakar). We ran into these three ladies who were coming down towards town, right as we were beginning our hike up. 
The view between two large prayer flags. 
We saw several such structures all the way up, whenever there was a stream of water. 
The view of Jakar, and Jakar Dzong perched up on the hill straight away. 
Views from our hike. 
As we were finally getting close to the Monastery, there it is. 
The view from the Monastery in one direction. 
Top of the world?
Young monk wondering what my friend Pia is up to...
The toilet...I'll spare you the picture I shot of the inside...
Outside the monastery itself, young monks taking a short lunch break from the puja, amongst the chortens and prayer flags. 
These are the young monks who were our fantastic hosts. 
On the way back down, about half way, we ran into these same three women, who were now making their way back up to their village which was up top the mountain, having sold the goods they brought down, and purchased goods from the market in town. 
On our way back to Thimphu, the mountains between Jakar and Trongsa.
Another impressive mountain. Not sure which...
Between Wangdi and Lobesa...
About an hour before reaching Thimphu, as we were climbing up towards Dochu La pass, a loud explosion, and a flat tire! 
The view from the spot where we got the flat...
Much love,
Noam
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