First stop - Bangkok
Arrival in Paro, Bhutan
Our first visit (of many) to a monastery
Prayer wheels
Practicing for the festival events
A few girls chatting up Mike
A takin - the national animal. "the head of goat, the body of a cow".
A view over Thimphu
Prayer flags are flown in windy places - every flap of the flag is a prayer released.
Thimphu market
In Bhutan, peppers are eaten like vegetables, not spices.
Dochu La Pass - looking out over the Himalayas
Rice fields near Punakha
hmmm....could you tell we are nearing the Chimmi Lhakhang fertility monastery?
A walk out to Chimmi Lhakhang fertility monastery
Spinning the prayer wheels
Another prayer wheel
And some more!
Punakha Valley
Festival season - an early morning visit to the Wangdue Phodrang dzong
Giving money for good luck to the festivals masked men.
The icy waters of the Mo Chhu River
Are you really planning to eat that yak meat?
Punakha Dzong
A scenic (and sometimes wet) trip down the Mo Chhu River
Back in Thimphu for the Thimphu Festival
(note the penis wand)
The drive back to Paro Valley
National Museum
Traditional Bhutanese outfit
The reason why we didn't eat the meat in Bhutan
The mules to carry our camping gear
Sangchen Chokhor monastery at the start of our trek
yaks on the far left, Rob & Christina on the far right
yaks
Finally our campsite
Rob's hiking boots took a beating
A much needed rest
Afternoon tea
Bumdrag Gompa meditation monastery
Our campsite
Sept 30 - celebrating our 2nd anniversary!
A glorious way to wake up
Morning tea delivered
Find the goat
Starting the trek down
There were a couple of hairy (to say the least!) parts of the trek
Descending upon Taktsang monastery, known as the "Tiger's nest"
Taktsang monastery is perched on a granite cliff that drops 2000 feet to the valley floor.
Taktsang ("Tigers Nest") monastery
Little tsa-tsas are tucked away in little nices - prayers are tucked inside
He was so desperate to splash his face, he didn't notice the phallic nature of the spout.
Our driver, Toa, and our guide, Sonam
The last glance over Bhutan - Paro Valley
A glimpse of the peak of Mt Everest...maybe?
Arrival in Nepal
Kathmandu
And to wrap up the trip....an American breakfast at a place owned by the guy who sponsored the exchange student that lived with the Mercers in high school.
