Group of 11 flew to Kolkata and half day City Tour
Include visit to Mother Theresa House or Missionaries of Charity
Born in Albania and buried here
Volunteers are from Brazil and Mumbai
At her death in 1997, she established 5,604 homes in 124 countries.
Construction workers in streets of Kolkata
Some of the poor houses are architectural gems
Water is free in Communist State Government
Kolkata is the only City in India with hand-drawn carriages, introduced by China.
Its also the first city with a Tram system
Biggest area in India for making of religious figurines
Making the straw base
Skilled workers earn Rm400 a month.
The finished products is exported all over India
Manual sugar-cane juice at Rs10 or Rm0.80 each throw-away clay cup
Dinner at a fast food vegetarian shop at Rm8 per plate.
Enough here for 2 persons... burp!
1hr flight to Bagdogra, then 3.5hr jeep to Darjeeling.
Darjeeling was a British summer retreat and now popular tourist destination.
A temple for both Hindus and Buddhist is common in North India
Lucky to see Khajengjunga 3rd highest in the World
An old British hotel where we had tea.
From Tiger Hill, Kajengchunga barely visible.
Darjeeling toy train service was listed by Unesco in 2008.
Steam engines are still in working condition.
Only 2 runs a day from Darjeeling to Siligari and back in the afternoon.
Train travels at speeds that people hop on and off, while train still in motion.
The Toy train track lies next to the main road much of the way.
Day 6 day-trip to Tsongo Lake is 37km and 2.5hr away.
Unofficial border crossing into China's Tibet only 40km away.
Gangtok - Tsongo road is an engineering marvel.
Back to Gangtok and local Sikkimese at the Mall.
Dinner at a local Sikkimese Dhaba (tea shop).
Off to Lanchung for an overnight stay.
Good views of rice fields and villages along the way.
Tea break at a local Dhaba.
View from my hotel room.
Traditional farm houses
Lanchung Valley is at about 3000 meters.
Breakfast with a view
Lanchung to Yumthang Valley is 18km 45min.
Red rhododendrons seems to be the most common.
Purples ....
Rhodendrons abound here, some 30 species.
Prayer flags in Yumthang valley.
Yumthang Valley is one of the highlights of our stay in Sikkim.
Well known for it's Valley of Flowers.
The purple flowers are Primulas
Yellow are buttercups.
Regular Yonger and photography buff.
Looks like a scene from a Bollywood movie.
Pine trees and snow mountains make great pictures.
Grazing yak in Yumthang Valley
Buddhist stupa
Good picture, huh?
Day 8 and we cross to Phuentsoling BHUTAN
Bhutanese are of Mongolian Tibetan stock.
Walking home after Saturday school.
Men wear ghos and ladies kiras.
Phentsoling is at 50m above sea leve and very Tropical.
A typical Bhutanese building
From Phuentsholing to capital Thimphu is 172km and 6hr.
Bhutan is 300km across and 150km north-south.
Day trip in Thimphu began with visit to National Memorial Chorten.
Local visit to offer prayers here.
A Tibetan styled Chorten
Capital Thimphu is at elevation 2320m and population 100,000.
Buddhism in Bhutan originates from neighbouring Tibet.
Thimphu as seen from a high viewpoint.
Yongo Leemin at a Nunnery.
Bhutan had only 13,000 visitors in 2005.
Weekend market from Friday to Sundays.
Kuendeyling Bazaar near Weekend Market
With the usual Buddhihst and Tibetan stuff.
Total population of Bhutan is 670,000.
All meals included on this Bhutan trip.
Trashi Chhoe Dzong - served as a fort, granary, army barracks and refuge in times of War.
Almost always has a Monastery.
Tourist pay US$200 each day for all-included tours.
Arhery is the national sport.
Modern imported archery equpment
Jeer or cheer and dance during the competition.
Range is 140m compared to Olympic tournaments at max 80m.
Clay modeling at Zorig Chusum Institute.
Zorig Chusum translated is 13 Crafts.
Includes wood and stone carvings.
Skills taught are used in maintaining their culture.
Hand-weaving looms at the same Institute
Foot-powered turning wheels for making wooden bowls and cups.
Visit to a friendly village from Thimphu to Punakha
Returning school children
GHP (Gross National Happiness) is more important than GNP.
Fertility symbols are openly displayed on homes.
All homes in Bhutan are elaborately painted and constructed.
Monastery for Lama Drukpa Kunley aka The Divine Madness
Child monks
Having a playful evening at the Monastery grounds.
Village walks
Punakha has the most beautiful Dzong in Bhutan.
Jacaranda trees are in full bloom.
Punakha is 76km and 3hr from Thimphu
These beehives are said to be unharvested since Dzong was first built in 1637.
Entrance to Punakha Dzong
Punakha is the winter retreat for Bhutan's main Abbot and his staff.
Elevation is only 1250m and no snows here in winter.
Bhutan is known as the Land of Druks or Dragons
Length 180m and width 72m houses some 600 monks.
Our Bhutan guide Tshering Dorji and part-time actor.
New cantilever bridge to Punakha Dzong.
One of the most photographed sights in Bhutan.
A vibrant local market nearby.
We had total of 7 nights in Bhutan.
Punakha Dzong from a viewpoint.
sited on the confluence of two rivers
From Punakha we traveled to Paro 5hr.
Some 30min from Punakha we stopped at Wangdue Phodrang.
Town prayer wheel and lepak shelter.
Taxi stand and market centers the town.
Public transport in Bhutan.
Monastery for the Iron bridge builder Thangtong Gyalpo (1385-1464)
Entrance to Paru Zhong
Inside is the usual Tower.
and Monastery but photgraphs not allowed
Young monks
View from Paro Dzong
Main street of Paro viewed from Dzong.
Paro valley is the site for Bhutan's only airport.
Dinner in our 5-star accomodation in Paru.
Resort completed in 2008 has only 8 rooms.
is surrounded by rice fields.
Kyichu Lhakhang is one of the oldest and most beautiful monastery.
Construction started in 639 AD by a Tibetan King.
Today was an auspicious day.
Locals gather to chant prayers.
One million prayers which are properly counted.
Prayer beads are part of the counting processes.
Bhutanese are more than happy to be photographed.
Locals perceived tourists as polite and nice people.
Only country is the world practising “Controlled Tourism”.
Government wants to increase the daily rate for tourist from US$200 to US$250 :(
As usual, photography in prayers halls are prohibited.
Green Paro valley from a viewpoint
Main street of Paro appears to be quite bare.
Day trip to Haa valley from Paro 68km 3hr one-way.
Snowfalls near Chele Pass.
Deciduous pine trees in Bhutan do not turn yellow.
Snow and pine trees make pretty pictures.
The ladies on this Yongo trip.
Group picture at Chele La.
Postcard picture, yes?
From here its 26km down to Haa Valley.
Colourful prayer flags abound the top.
Chele Pass altitude 3988 meters, Mt Kinabalu peak 4101 meters.
Prayers are carried by the winds to the Gods above.
Pretty and fertile Haa Valley
Apples are a good cash crop and grows well here.
7th morning in Bhutan to a great day.
With clear skies and great views of the snowcap mountains.
We stayed in this Paro accomodation for 3 nights.
Pretty walks around the Resort are possible.
A full day trip to Tiger's Nest or Taktshang Goemba.
`Group rides up the half-way point.
in place of a 1hr steep hike.
From the half-way point, its another 60min to the top of Tiger's Nest.
This most famous monastery in Bhutan sit on a 900m cliff.
Called Tiger because Guru Rinpoche rode on one to get there.
Call Nest because the Tiger was said to have flown.
Anyway........has the usual holy prayer halls and statues.
Great views from Tiger's Nest.
Visits are popular with locals as well.
Pretty Bhutan girl
Hongkong actors Tony Leung and Carina Lau got married in Uma Hotel Paro.
View from Airport runway on our 8th and last day in Bhutan
Flew to Kolkata then to Kuala Lumpur.
At a nunnary in Thimphu.
