Got to bed late as Finn dropped by the room for a chat after dinner.
Excellent breakfast at our home stay, rice porridge with Ginger and peppers.
Drove from Thimpu towards Paro and stopped at Tamchhog Llakhang to see
an example of an "iron bridge".
A reconstruction from 2005 and using original iron links that Thangtong Gyalpo, the builder of 108 iron bridges, had fab'd.
Wont get me on this thing - that a fast moving river you can see under Tshittim's feet. You can see the "iron" links on the right of the image running the length of the bridge. There are 7 strands.
After getting to Paro we headed first National Museum in the Ta Dzong watchtower above the Paro Dzong. Interesting artifacts but clumsily laid out. Couldn't get a pattern of what was going on. Needs new curator ideas. No cameras allowed, or cell phones. Generally a disappointing event and we really should have headed to Taktsang early while the sun was shining.
On then to Taktsang or Tiger's Nest Monastery.
Surely the iconic image of Bhutan. After yesterday's 5 hour hike through mud another 5 hour jaunt up the side of a cliff was less than appealing. Nevertheless it had to be done. Took us 1:30 to get up to the top but didn't feel like entering another temple so bailed at the point of the ultimate photo
The weather turned and there was lots of dramatic rain on the horizon that we could see from the top
Pleasant enough walk through thevspanish moss laden trees
particularly as 90% of the tourists do this hike first thing. So when we got up there it was relatively deserted. Aborted the plan to go buy prayer flags in Paro and instead checked into our current location.
- from my iPad
Location:Tashi Namgay Resort, Paro
