Monday was a full sight seeing tour of Thimpu. I saw some more Buddhist stupas (they look similar to the ones in Nepal), a gigantic bronze statue of Buddha that a Malaysian billionaire is building a park for (it’s been in the works for 10 years! It was kind of cool to see, and I will definitely have to go back once it’s completed! Duptho called it the Statue of Liberty of Bhutan), an ancient arts and crafts school, a small hand-made paper making facility (very cool!!), a nunnery (female Buddhist monks) and a “reserve” of some sort with the national animal in it—the takin! That is the strangest animal ever! LOL. Apparently, as legend has it, a very powerful Buddhist monk who’s famous for always being naked to “do away with shyness,” was at a gathering where people were being fed but by the time the bowl of meat got to him, there were only bones left and he told those bones to grow. What came out of it was the takin, an animal with a yak’s body and a goat’s head, that can be found only at certain altitudes in Bhutan.

After sightseeing, I went for a full body massage and a steam bath!! It was sooo good, and just what I needed. It was hilarious though because the girl massaging me got right up on the massage table to do my back. It was slightly weird, but the massage was awesome! The steam bath reminded me of Le Nordik. It was nice and relaxing. 🙂 We went to a Korean restaurant for dinner and I was sad because Duptho is a vegetarian and couldn’t share the barbecue with me, and they wouldn’t serve just me. Boo to that. I did have some bibimbap though, which was yummy!!

–Bea

Buddhist monastery

Bhutanese elders hanging out at the Buddhist monastery. Apparently this is a normal thing for elderly people to do!

The Buddhist stupa

People praying

At Buddhist stupas, people walk clockwise and pray for good luck

Some of the art at the Buddhist monastery

Leaving the monastery

A Buddhist statue at the monastery

On the way up to see the gigantic bronze statue of Buddha. That building is a hotel!!

People walking up the mountain to see the Buddha statue

Crazy bikers!!

The gigantic bronze Buddha statue

View from the Buddha statue

View from the Buddha statue

Gorgeous view from the Buddha statue

View from the Buddha statue

View from the Buddha statue

Me in front of the Buddha statue

View from the Buddha statue

Me trying to stay far away from the edge of the mountain…

Another view of the Buddha statue!

This woman was planting stuff on the side of the mountain. Crazy!!

Going down from the Buddha statue

A face in the mountain!

Statue at the arts school. It symbolizes peace and friendship and working together.

The art school!

Art school

Love the motivational and inspirational quotes all around Bhutan!

The red roofed buildings are the Parliament buildings and the ones on the right is the entire civil service!

This the future home of the Supreme Court of Bhutan

On the way to the nunnery

The nunnery

Inside the nunnery

My guide Duptho spinning the prayer wheels

A nun getting some water

Prayer wheel

View from the nunnery

My guide Duptho and a friend of his who’s also a nun!

The national animal, takin!

Funny sign at the reserve!

View leaving the reserve

Yummy Bhutanese food!

Bhutan Kitchen restaurant.

The hand made paper factory

The hand made paper factory — that big block is sheets of paper!

Love the signs.

The cutest gas station ever!

The hand made paper factory — the finished product!

The hand made paper factory — drying the paper

The hand made paper factory — leaving paper to dry

Bhutanese post office!