Saturday, September 19, 2015

Punakha

Friday, September 18

We made a short drive from Wangdue to Punakha in the morning, to take a (supposedly) level, easy walk and then to visit the Dzong (combination fortress, monastery, and Buddhist temple). The walk turned out to be unexpectedly difficult due to water, mud, and irregular stones on many of the paths. But it was pretty, and we eventually made it. The Dzong was very impressive. It is the largest in Bhutan, as befits Punakha's role as the old capital of the country. It was also the place where the 4th King of Bhutan was installed. And it is beautiful. We returned to the Wangdue Eco Lodge for another pleasant evening.


Fence and grassy field at the beginning of our walk



Old staffs for prayer flags



Guide Yeshey on the trail



View of the Dzong at the end of our walk



Spinning a giant prayer wheel



Sculpture of a fierce guardian



Detail of a painting in the courtyard




Young monk at a window

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