Bhutan - A Sweet Little Country

Actually in Bhutan you must be escorted. It is the law. This is not a country that allows tourists to just go willy, nilly unaccounted for. The people are very much into nature conservation and the country only allows a limited number of tourists each year. This number is growing all the time, but it is still rather restrictive. So plan ahead in order to get your traveling papers (visa). Also they only allow foreigners to stay for 10 days maximum. They also tax the tourist severely. But it is worth every penny.

When I went my friend and I called the tour agency we used called WindHorse Tours and they were able to get the 2 of us into a "group" with only 2 other people. So it was the 6 of us altogether with the driver and the tour guide! What a great size for the group - intimate and we all got along great.

Because Druk Air (druk means dragon) is the exclusing government-owned airline with a monopoly in Bhutan, you must make two separate arrangements from the US. One part is the round-trip from your home to Bangkok, Thailand and your accommodations there and the second part is arranged by the tour you are using inside of Bhutan. Therefor I am making the airline destination Bangkok. You will actually need some time in Bangkok in order for your body to adjust time-wise. Also once you are in Bhutan you will be going everyday from dawn until after dinner.

In my experience the food was excellent! We never had to make any decisions except which buffet item to choose for your meal. Everything went smoothly and we saw soooo much. The countryside is beautiful, and we actually saw Mt. Everest (known there as Mt. Kalaish) on a clear day when we traversed a pass. That is very unusual!! What a thrill and a blessing.

We also took in some masked dancing at a festival and I highly recommend planning to see one of these. Our group was well matched because none of us was into trekking.

We were not a physically fit group and that suited us all well. So be sure to communicate with your tour group about what size of group you want and what you want to see and do while in Bhutan. I highly recommend Wind Horse Tours, When you give them a call or look on-line, please tell them that Marsha Camblin referred you.

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Jamie Zeppa's book Beyond the Sky and the Earth: A Journey into Bhutan is an autobiographical account of a woman who went to Bhutan to teach English and her wonderful adventures and experiences with the local Bhutanese people.

Reading this book was responsibe for my trip to Bhutan. Great writing - I've read it 3 times. Highly recommended.

If you enjoy reading travel adventures or autobiographies
Butter Tea at Sunrise is a wonderful book! Often seen as a magical paradise at the end of the world, Bhutan is inaccessible to most travellers. Set against the dramatic scenery of the Himalaya, this beguiling memoir recalls hardships and happiness in a land almost untouched by the West.

When Britta Das goes to work as a physiotherapist in a remote village hospital, her good intentions are put to the test amid monsoons, fleas, and startling conditions. But as she visits homes in the mountains and learns the mysteries of Tantric Buddhism, the country captivates her very soul. Gaining insights into the traditions of the mystical kingdom, Britta makes friends, falls in love, and battles illness.

Throughout it all, as she writes, she worries about the "destructive nearness of technology" and fears that Bhutan's charm and innocence may soon be lost. Still, Bhutan has endured for centuries, and there is no denying that the country has transformed her life forever.

Review By Sandra Kroll

"Buttertea at Sunrise" by Britta Das is the fascinating true tale of a young woman who decides to leave her comfortable life in Canada in order to teach her physiotherapy skills to medical workers in the unique kingdom of Bhutan, just emerging from a medieval society into the late 20th century world. Having traveled in Bhutan for a few weeks recently, I was particularly interested in her observations of a somewhat different part of the country than I had experienced (she lived in southeastern Bhutan), and in a somewhat different era - although only a dozen years ago! Das's prose throughout the book is remarkable for its clarity and richness. The story is compelling, the language is satisfying.

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While in Canada Christmas is nearing, everywhere in the district of Mongar people are busy with the yearly preparations for Tshechu, a lively four-day festival in honour of Guru Rinpoche. Tshechu is celebrated in the dzong with dances, performances, and prayers, but it is also a popular social gathering, a time to chat, feast, and show off the finest clothes.

Now, two days before the big event, preparations are in full swing. On the clay stoves in village homes, colourful dishes are spiced and seasoned, there are pots of simmering rice and boiling potatoes, and bags are filled with zao and thengma. From the road, you can hear the diligent knocking of looms as oung women feverishly try to finish their new festival garments. Even the hospital is caught in the industrious calling of the upcoming celebration. patients in the ward ask to be discharged, and the outpatient chambers remain empty. No one wants to miss the commemoration of the great master Guru Rinpoche.

From within the dzong's walls, I can hear the drums of dances. It is the last day for rehearsal of the religious performances of the tshechu. Tomorrow the dancers will take a day of rest before the festival begins. Inside the lhakhang, there is much to do. Offerings are made and butterlamps filled for many hours of midnight prayers. Fruit and baked goods line the altar; packages of Dalda and sugar join a huge variety of fresh produce. Villagers offer even the most precious items for merit during this sacred festival of dance and prayer.

Delight your Buddhist loved one.

This is a must watch 18 minute TV program on Bhutan and how it is changing.
Click to See this great program!

This is a Beautiful Book and good reading as well.

A Painter's Year in the Forests of Bhutan

By Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA)

A Painter's Year In The Forests Of Bhutan by scholar and painter A. K. Hellum is an impressively presented artbook offering unique botanical and visual insights into the flora and culture of the land of Bhutan. Featuring color illustrations of more than 100 rarely seen Bhutanese plants, Hellum's extensive and thoughtful commentary enhances the gentle, museum quality illustrations, and provides the reader with a thoughtful perspective in the form of an exotic giftbook which is most especially recommended for lovers of nature and students of botany.

Endless Songs from Bhutan

I would recommend this cd to anyone who likes traditional music. Jigme Drukpa is an extremely gifted artist who displays his talents with a beautiful voice and a wonderful instrumental accompaniment. His work depicts Bhutan in its true character-an endless melody of tranquility and peace. - Customer Review

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Bhutan:
A Trekker's Guide
(Cicerone Guide)

A SERIOUS trekker's guide, January 19, 2009
Reviewed By John Wehrheim (Kauai USA)

Solid information for the serious trekker/climber, Jordans' `BHUTAN: A Trekker's Guide' is also a delightful read with good photos for the armchair traveler (2nd edition 2008 January). There's a saying among the Bhutanese `A crow is not a bird/ A bush is not a tree/ And Thimphu is not Bhutan.' This is the real Bhutan. There are several Bhutan guidebooks but none like Mr. Jordans. This is a guide through rural Bhutan by a professional with intimate knowledge of the country's cultural heartland, starting with a wealth of in depth information from the point where you leave motorized transport behind.

Mystical, Powerful, Engrossing!

Tibetan Buddhist Rites from the Monasteries of Bhutan

A devote and heartfelt expression of great faith and passion for their spiritual beliefs. Wonderfully played and recorded. Mystical, powerful and engrossing from beginning to end. This program of intriguing sounds and voicings plays somewhat like modern musical composition, for me. In the beginning sessions of disk 2, the "tin horns" overwhelmed me somewhat, but that only lasted for a short while. Some of the small bit pieces of disk 2 are quite endearing. Disk 1 was completely satisfying. If you like alternative and/or meditative sounds, I believe you'll take quite readily to this collection.