Finally we had a morning to sleep in! However, from going to bed early, I woke up around 6:30 AM. I went to breakfast and prepared my luggage. We met as a group about 11:30 in order to go shopping before our flight from Paro International Airport to Bangkok, Thailand. It was a relaxing day before departing to home, from Bangkok to Doha, Doha to Chicago, and Chicago to … [Read more...] about Bhutan -> Bangkok: June 6
We had a very early morning to start our hike to Tiger’s Nest. We ate a sack breakfast prepared by the hotel and started our short drive to the famous monastery. We drove up to the main base camp where some people rented walking sticks, and the group decided it would be best to rent horses and mules which carried us to the halfway point. The staff helped us get on our horses … [Read more...] about Paro Taktsang, Tiger’s Nest, Bhutan: June 5
The day started with breakfast before loading the bus and stopping in at Punakha Dzong. It is an ancient fortress, more than 400 years old. It is now a temple for the Buddhist people. While we were visiting, it was prayer time for the monks, lasting from 10am to 2pm. Therefore, we did not get to see the inside of the fortress, but the courtroom was spectacular. Bhutanese … [Read more...] about Traveling back to Paro, Bhutan: June 4
We started the journey to Punakha from Thimphu today. First, we stopped to see a Dzong in Thimphu, an old fortress. We didn’t unload the bus, but had a picture opportunity. Our second stop was at Dochula Pass, home to 108 memorial stupas known as "Druk Wangyal Chortens" have been built. The day was cloudy in the mountain tops, so we were not able to see the third largest … [Read more...] about Punakha, Bhutan: June 3
Today we awoke to eat breakfast provided by the hotel. A buffet consisting of an array of items. It was very good. We then loaded the bus with our driver and tour guide. First, we visited Memorial Stupa. It is a worshipping place for Buddhism followers. The temple had at least four prayer layers, accessed by stairs. On the third floor, we could go outside. Below, people were … [Read more...] about Thimphu, Bhutan: June 2