On to Punakha - Bhutan
Please see additional photos in my gallery.
Punakha Dzong
Heading east of Thimphu and through beautiful valleys and agricultural fields, we landed in the town of Punakha.
The town is located at the confluence of two rivers, making it beautiful as well as prone to flooding. The Punakha Dzong sits at the juncture of these two rivers.
Building at Punakha Dzong
The temple in this complex was one of the most beautiful buildings I’ve ever entered. With three large (perhaps 30-40 feet high) Buddha figures at the alter, the side walls were encased with thousands of smaller Buddhas. (No photos allowed.)
We arrived just as the Head Abbot was preparing to speak. When a couple of monks began walking through the main courtyard area banging the ground with something similar to a whip, a hundred young monks came running from all corners, tossed off their shoes and entered a building to attend the talk.
Monks entering building to hear Head Abbot
Monk at Punakha Dzong
We overnighted in Punakha at a lovely hotel in which the rooms all had views down into the valley. On to Trongsa next…
Travel Well!
Read my travel blog on at the Seattle Post Intelligencer.
Join other Wanderlusters and help make this the most popular women’s travel blog by subscribing via email or RSS feed.
You can also add this article to popular social networking sites by clicking on the buttons below.
