Trongsa to Punakha

Awoke to another dreary day and the long drive back over the Pele La and down the worst stretch of road to Punakha Valley, about six and a half hours of rockin and rollin through drifting cloud and mist.Had a compulsory stop for road works.While road stabilization is an ongoing fact of life here it feels voyeuristic watching heavy plant teetering on the edge of the cliff amid tons of rock and shale crashing over the edge.The work was scheduled  to keep the road closed for another hour but when the road crew became aware there were tourists waiting,they made a path through the rubble for us such is the value placed on foreign tourism here.It is very flattering,it humbles me whereas some foreigners from certain countries seem to think the high price of tourism here justifies there high and mighty attitude to the Bhutanese.There are no young people touring here everyone is older than me at least in my biased view,you would think being steeped in Buddhism from morning to night a little of it might rub off on them.

Moving right along,this morning I set off on my hike across the swing bridge ,through the rice paddy currently being harvested and up the trail to the picturesque temple built by the Queen mother to honour her son the crown prince,now the 5th King.This will be the last training hike before tackling the daunting climb up to the Tigers Nest at Paro on Sunday.

Had a delicious lunch of pea soup,rice,braised beef and vegetables,mushrooms,spinach and broccoli  in butter and chicken curry, I find hiking really helps the appetite.We set off for one of the most important of the Monastery's.Built as a fortress monastery in 1637 it sits where two major rivers converge and now houses the usual government offices,monks and temples and the all important Central Monk Body has its winter residence here.The current king was crowned here and as today is coronation day it is a national holiday.A jolly good excuse for a drink.

Roadworks.

The bleak Pele La.

Rice Harvesting.

The stalks become winter cattle fodder.

The Hike objective.

Through the paddy.

Past the prayer wheel.

The 108 Stupas

The Temple.

The view down Punakha Valley.

And up the Valley.

The Terraces of rice.

Tashi on the bridge

River view.

Punakha Dzong

And how to get there.

The Temple within.

The Horoscope.