Bhutan - Day 2

Today was the famous Taktsang Monastery, aka Tigers Nest. 

The hike was 2500 ft in about 2.5 miles one way - so pretty steep.  Taktsang is the small white building on the middle mountain. 

We started out walking around two horse trains - one for people and one for supplies to the restaurant half way up the trail.  The buildings in the picture below contain large prayer wheels turning by hydropower.

The trail was in pretty good condition all the way up and there were a lot of people on it.

And of course, there was the dog taking a nap.

Along the trail we saw lots of Tsa Tsa's.  These are small stupas made from ashes of people who died and are placed in locations that the person liked.

At the top, we had great views of the monastery and valley below.  Inside we could not take pictures, but it was very beautiful and worth the hike.

Valley with Taktsang cafe in lower right

Ski, Sam (guide), Sawako

After the hike we drove to Thimphu.  Lots of prayer flags along the road.  There are probably 108 of the white flags in the middle as that is a special number for Bhutanese.

We stopped at a roadside stand for hard cheese chhurpi  (the hanging white things) and mikans.

We also stopped at Paro Tachog temple which was across the river.  To cross, you walked on one of the famous chain link bridges of Bhutan.

Along the main road which is very winding there are many signs like these.  The speed limit on the road was 50 km/hr.  In some places even slower and they had speed bumps on it.

Bhutan is a place of contrasts.  Modern cars and cell phones all over along with cows in the streets, massive potholes in roads, and farms in the middle of Paro city.