I'm back to Bhutan...

Back to Bhutan. Stunning landing, enjoying the aftershock of Thimphu Tsechu, eating tear-making ema datshi and meeting friends not seen for a year...

Popular games played at Tsechus

Last year, I visited Paro Tsechu. This year I was in Haa and Thimphu to enjoy the local versions of these religious festivals which tend to be real festivities with people dressed in their best, picnicking, chatting, watching mask dancers, shopping and playing. They play one of the country's traditional games such as khuru (dart), digor (throwing stones), and the most popular archery. 

But they also play other games as you can see in the pictures. And they involve monks, too. 

This is roulette where you can win different things from the shelf. I played with the no13, no surprise I lost my 20 Ngultrum.

It requires full mental concentration to pick up the full beer bottle, so this monk has some advantage. 

This game is universal, also played in Hungary. 

This combines dart with roulette.  You put your money on numbers, throw your dart towards the target, and the referee loudly announces the number you hit. 

This is an advanced version of a game, caramboard, played across the country. You pick a numbered bottle cap  (see DVD box on the right) and try to put as many numbered disks as necessary in the corner holes by hitting them with another disk to reach a total figure of 20 - adding up the numbers you put in the holes + your bottle cap number.  If you pick the bottle cap numbered 20, you immediately win.

Taktsang Palphug Monastery

Taktsang Palphug Monastery, Tiger's Nest. 3120m above see level. Visitors and clouds come and go. Magical memories last forever...

Paro Bhutan Landing Runway 15 A319 Cockpit

When I arrived in Bhutan in 2011, I made a short video of the stunning landing on one of the most dangerous airports in the world. Here you can watch someone's similar landing video, but made from the cockpit. Don't worry: if you prefer you can chose to visit Bhutan by bus on four wheels entering the country from India...

Leaving behind a footprint

My unforgettable stay in Bhutan has come to an end after nine amazing weeks of volunteering at the Loden Foundation and discovering new faces, stories and dreams. It is time to get back to my life, family and friends in Europe. However, I have become a forever friend of Bhutan and its beautiful lands, minds and hearts.

I aim to keep in touch with people I met at the Loden Foundation : Ashe Kunzang Choden, Dasho Mehgraj Gurung, Aum Dago Beda, Dr Karma Phuntsho, Dawa Dem, Gerard and Anne Tardy, Dorji Tashi and Rinzin Dema; many of their beneficiaries, young entrepreneurs and kids in need; and numerous locals and chilips (foreigners) as well.

Going home from Bhutan, most visitors fly out from Paro airport. I also stayed here for a day before my departure. I walked around, visited the National Museum and had my last hot stone bath.

Driven by human desire to leave something permanent behind, I hid Bhutan's 9th geocache on the left side of the river, not far from Jangtsa Dumtseg Lhakhang, an ancient temple. If you want to find it, here are the GPS coordinates: N 27° 26.128, E 089° 24.795. Do not forget to leave a note in the logbook, put the box back where it was, and leave another small gift for others to come. I will surely come back one day to check...

During my nine weeks in the kingdom I didn't have time to write about everything I was doing. Among other things, I didn't cover my visit and treatment at the traditional medicine center; my horse ride with a member of the National Council; my visit to a rehab center and the great social work a Welsh lama does in Thimphu; I didn't write about my conversation with monks who left he monastery to start a new life; the world's smallest political opposition; or my visit to Chimi Lhakhang for a phallos blessing.

Given all the unpublished stories and pictures, I will keep writing this blog for some more time to benefit all my readers in numerous countries from the US to Europe, from Russia to China, from India to Australia and from Afghanistan to Thailand. Later, this blog may become a permanent site on Bhutan and I also plan to write down my stories in more details in a book with several unpublished photos. Stay tuned.


In the meantime, please feel free to contact me at valcsicsak.zoltan@gmail.com in case you have questions, comments or anything to discuss.

Tashi Delek !

Paro Tsechu, colorful religious festival

Paro Tsechu is one of the most important religious festivals in Bhutan taking place in Paro in March or April following the moon calendar. Here you can see a few photos I took when I attended.

Going and coming to/from the festival location

Everyone is wearing his/her best dress

Gathering around the main stage

Community Police maintains order

Nice atmosphere

Dancers on the stage

The misterious man in red

Atsara has two 'things', one for blessing.

He collects money in return

I can't see him.

I will be like him.

The misterious man in white

Practical advices

Other protection for legs

Shooting monks. Well...

Mobile cinema halls to further entertain people

He looks like a pirate of the Caribbean

Scary program

Kezang D Wangmo on the cover

Miss Bhutan happens to be the daughter of a Loden trustee

There is also a market

One can go home with a new car after the festival

Going home

Lennon in Paro lives forever

Snapshots with people I met in Thimphu and Paro

 

Two Bhutans meet: monks and Coca-Cola consumers.

Thimphu's main road, sunshine

Going to the weekend market

Going to the market, slowly

Traditional and modern clothes, Thimphu

Men near the weekend market.

They wanted me to take a picture

He may have played football against me.

I bought vegetables here.

Buyers at the weekend market.

Chili vendor.

Balancing.

Woman with Mani Lhakhor, hand held prayer wheel, in Paro.

Man with a prayer wheel in  Paro.

On the way from Drukgyel Dzong to Paro. They said this horse kicks.

Three little happy monks with two legs. Magic !

Everyone has a mobile phone.

Leaving the Dzong in Paro.