Bhutan is quiet, mountainous and the perfect place if you want to hike and pray. I have never hiked or prayed so much in my life! The funny thing is that after hiking up a mountain for two to three hours it only seems natural to pray, and thank God you made it up! Today I will be praying again all the way up as we are going to hike Tiger's Nest. If you have ever seen images of Bhutan, then you have seen Tiger's Nest, it is the iconic photograph of Bhutan. Perched 27500 feet above the valley, I will hike half today (God willing) and then I will come back to my hotel for a blessing ceremony from a monk and then a hot stone bath and massage! I have enjoyed my trip, I have done many things that I could never do at home, hike mountains, milk a cow, try my hand at archery and see some of the most sacred Buddhist Holy places in the world. Bhutan is unique, it is remote, there are less than one million people, ten percent are monks and it is quiet. This is not the place for fancy restaurants, shopping or other "normal" things you would do on any other vacation. This is a place where you would leave your high heels at home along with your dresses and skirts and pack pants and your hiking boots. Today is our last day here, tomorrow I go back to Hong Kong and wait for my baby girl to come and join me! I have to tell you about the potato shed, it is a little room built out of stone where the hotel does a special dinner, as you can see from the photograph it is lit by candlelight and it is such a romantic setting. We sat outside by a bonfire, watched the full moon rise and then went inside for the perfect dinner! I want to make a potato shed at home in Colorado! Any volunteers?
Ken and me at the potato shed
Paro Taktsang (spa phro stag tshang / spa gro stag tshang), is the popular name of Taktsang Palphug Monastery (also known as The Tiger's Nest),[1] a prominent Himalayan Buddhist sacred site and temple complex, located in the cliffside of the upper Paro valley, Bhutan. A temple complex was first built in 1692, around the Taktsang Senge Samdup (stag tshang seng ge bsam grub) cave where Guru Padmasambhava is said to have meditated for three months in the 8th century. Padmasambhava is credited with introducing Buddhism to Bhutan and is the tutelary deity of the country. Today, Paro Taktsang is the best known of the thirteen taktsang or "tiger lair" caves in which he meditated.
The Guru mTshan-brgyad Lhakhang, the temple devoted to Padmasambhava (also known as Gu-ru mTshan-brgyad Lhakhang, "The Temple of the Guru with Eight Names") is an elegant structure built around the cave in 1692 by Gyalse Tenzin Rabgye; and has become the cultural icon of Bhutan.[2][3][4] A popular festival, known as the Tsechu, held in honour of Padmasambhava, is celebrated in the Paro valley sometime during March or April.
I must say the photos "view from the monastery" and the "monk in the red cloak" are just amazing!! I like the sound of the potato shed, maybe you could do a tree house version?? :)
ReplyDeleteSafe travels!