Oops I forgot a most interesting sight from yesterday. On our way to the hotel we passed some women playing khuru, a dart game, in a small playing field by the road. Women don’t play this often, mostly men. These women are very good. The targets are small blue dots on a wooden board. They are great fun to watch, and as in all khuru games with each score the whole team gathers in a circle to chant and sing and dance.
I am awake by 5 – even earlier. I move the carpet into the middle of the room, and cover it with a clean towel – my new yoga mat! I open all of the drapes – so have a view in 3 directions. As the darkness leaves I have all of my lights out to do my stretches and yoga with the coming light. The one direction I don’t see is east. It feels really good to start my day this way – like picking up an old friend. I am set for a new day and more adventures. I am also quite surprised I can manage all of the stretching easily as it has been two weeks since I last did them.
Breakfast on the terrace and off once again. We are going to the Khamsum Valley Namgvel Temple – which starts with a climb up the mountain – probably about 45 minutes. Oh yes, it begins with a walk over the raging river on a suspension bridge! It is hard to describe this place. The walk and place first. Over the bridge and first up a rocky path. Soon though there is a lovely small creek rushing beside us to my right. On the left rice fields with small tress and sometimes a fence between the fields and this path up. A steady climb, but not a steep or difficult one. And still this lovely stream beside us. With this incline it is a fast moving creek with vegetation on both sides obscuring the creek at times. There are small water falls cascading, and the ever present sound of rushing water. It would be a lovely creek to fish for small trout, but when asked a passing man says there are no fish.
Then we pass a small farm, and the creek is gone from us. We cross more rice fields, and then up the dirt path, steeper now, and in and out of the shade. We have started early so it is not hot, as yesterday’s climb was. A few other groups pass us. We come to a stone gate and past this is a stone walk up the rest of the mountain to the temple. It is a bit steeper going and I am glad we finally arrive.
The temple is quite amazing, though I am getting weary of Buddha’s story. Still there are three stories within the temple, a staircase between them. And it is quite amazing to see the structures built in such inaccessible places. The final staircase takes us out of the temple proper to the rooftop. The 360 degree view is so beautiful. Most especially down into the valley. The river winding it’s way. The houses in the far distance. The ever present colour of the rice fields. The chants and songs of the men scoring playing khuru all the way back at the river and bridge, but clearly ringing up the hills. Little flashes of yellow and red flowers. The rice fields are terraced, so the fields are separated, and the beauty of each field, just a slightly different colour, is so calming. Leading your eyes from one to the next, and next, as far as you can see up and down the valley!
Jamyang and I as usual have our discussions – abstract art – art in the eye of the looker. I think I offended at one point on the traditional paintings of the Buddha’s story. For him each image has an exact meaning. A story told always the same. Each the same for all eons past and all the future to come. But he does agree that the viewer must still decide each time what to attend to – what part of the story is important to her / him today.
The path down is different until we come again to the stone gate. It is steeper, and does look out over the fields. Mostly in light shade, and the clouds have come in. So the walk is not at all hot. At the stone gate we stop for water and the dried fruit Sangay sent for me. I share with Jamyang, two tourists from Cambodia, and two guides. A really pleasant 10 minutes. As we start off down again Jamyang sees 2 women with bright red jackets coming across the fields in the near distance and I too am taken with the contrast of the rice field green and the bright red. The creek joins us noisily again. Like a friend to walk beside. Over the bridge.
I walk down to the river – muddy shoes now – but I want to just dip my hands. Khamsum Valley Namgvel Temple – what a joy you are, and have been for me today. Thank-you. And to my team, the entire is important to make the full experience.
‘Joy each day!’ Chuck, you have surely been with me today. I made the temple donation to you, and placed it in the Mad Buddha’s hands. They called him mad as his life style / ways were unconventional – as you were for so much of your life. And each time I do my morning stretches and yoga, I thank-you for what you have ‘given’ me – just a small way to be ‘Mad Kathy’ in this world. Love.
Off we go to lunch at the hotel – Four Boutique. I order a la carte – and have a lovely lunch: red rice, matter paneer, green bean dashi (cheese), and lentils, which turn out to be a soup. All good.
As we can not fish here (as hoped) festival and spawning – we will go to the Annim Dratshang Nunnery at Wolokha. We can drive right up to the nunnery – up long winding roads. It’s a lovely location and the plants and gardens are so good. The temple is very ornate. A nun gives us water to anoint and I make a special donation with my thoughts of Christine. The energy of the nunnery seems so very different than the monks and temples they keep. My impressions only. The nuns seem welcoming, the monks aloof. My imagination. A good choice. The top of this mountain is so still, so quiet and peaceful. There is a very lovely flower on a shrub I see leaving. I thought at first it might be a peony, but it is a Confederate Rose (Jamyang can find out anything about any plant!) I’ll try to plant it at home.
A quick tour of the main street of Punakha and back to the hotel. Some reading. Journal up to date. A light dinner – oh my! what to say about the wine in Bhutan! (I ordered a glass of white wine, and so the bottle was already opened. I was served water! – anyway no wine tonight.)