Every morning I pinch myself, I just can not believe that I am actually in Bhutan, it is just as incredible as I thought it would be, possibly even more, if that is possible? The day starts off with a drive down a crazy road down the side of a cliff, then a suspension bridge across a raging river and a hike up a mountain through fields getting ploughed by cows up to a Choeten built by a Kings Mother. Some start to the day hey???
After we crossed the prayer flag covered suspension bridge I watched a local farmer ploughing his field with the help of his two cows. My guide was a little surprised that this caught my interest. I find this style of farming, almost micro farming absolutely fascinating. Us westerners are so used to big super expensive machinery farming broad acre farms and mass producing food. So watching one man with his wife ploughing his small patch of land with his two cows and a wooden, most likely home built plough was not just a step back in time but a peek into a simpler life, a life that intrigues my imagination. As we walked through this valley I soon realised that this was a beautiful way to farm. I walked through fields of large, well cared for tomatoes, fruit trees covered in fruit and fields and fields of lush green crops. The small farms were producing such a high grade of food, with no machinery or complex irrigation systems. Zig Zaging their way through the terraced fields were tiny little streams, these were the only way that the farmers would irrigate their crops. Along the streams I noticed systematically placed rocks, these were used as gates and were moved to redirect water into the terraces and flood the field and moved back when it was complete, how simple yet so effective this was.
As we turned a corner I watched as the Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Choeten grew out of the thick trees. This Choeten was built by the current Kings Mother for peace to the Bhutanese people and the world. This Choeten is very unique, not only in Bhutan but else where in the world. It is the only Choeten/ Stupa tourist are aloud to enter in Bhutan and the only one that I have ever seen inside myself any where. It was a real treat to see inside such a breathtaking building, even if it was not a ancient Stupa. It was built for peace so the immense feeling of peace as I entered came as no surprise to me. Once I made it to the top of the four stories always walking up in a clock wise direction, I could look over the vast mountain range and I felt this feeling of insignificance. How can the human race have such a massive detrimental effect on this world. Emotions came flooding in, all the horror through out the world, all the wars all the animal cruelty all the environmental destruction that we cause and we are just this little insignificant dot on the planet. I just do not understand.
Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Choeten
As we walked back down the mountain I was very quite, my head full of emotion, I feel that my guide and now very close friend Pelma felt this and shared a traditional Bhutanese love song with me (you will hear part of the song in the vlog). I love music so this was great, I always love to hear music from the country that I am visiting. Thanks Pelma, I hope you do not mind me sharing your singing with the internet???
That afternoon I was treated to something really special, we made our way up a huge mountain, slowly navigating our way around the tight windy road to visit a magical monastery, perched high on a mountain over looking the valley and the incredibly windy road that we came through the other day. As we walked through the gate of the monastery I was surprised to see some Australian Bottle Brush growing.. The distinctive smell of incense and the sound of monks chanting flowed over the valley. The very unique
Young Monks Chanting
sound of young monks playing and chanting caught my ear and I went to investigate. The young boys were reading their scripts in the garden next to their class room, all dressed in their red robes, their smiles were contagious. I watched for a while and when I caught a few of the kids intrigued at this tall, strange, long haired traveller I nodded and snapped a few photos. You should of seen the kids faces when I showed them their photo in the view finder, it was just one of those moments that I will never forget.
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My Monk guide
We walked up to the main temple and I was invited in on a tour by one of the monks. I was introduced to two young monks one 13 and the other 18. These two boys were the “True Re-incarnation” of the 69th Chief Abbot and the 9th Chief Abbot. This was such an honour to meet these two young boys who will grow up to be very wise old men. On the way home we visited a nunnery, perched on the tip of a mountain and in one of most windy places I have ever been, I could hardly speak.
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Have you had a sense of clarity or a moment of “what does it all mean” I would love to hear about your spiritual moments whilst travelling, please comment below.
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One Life, One Search,
Peace Out,
Shane.
Tattered Passport 