In the tiny Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan, the air is so pure that, oddly enough, it nearly takes your breath away.
Once you step onto the tarmac of the country’s one airport in Paro, you’re quick to notice that something is missing.
Traffic. Chattering people. And the smells that accompany modern development.
Instead, you immediately realize you are in God’s country. Or in the case of Bhutan, Buddha’s country. At 4,000 feet, Paro’s skies are blue with a smattering of clouds and the Himalayan foothills seem so close that you could touch them (surely you would have thought the plane’s wings were going to skim the treetops upon approach).
You take one deep breath and though the air is thinner here, you quickly notice that it is fresh, clear and pure.
Half way around the world, I take in the scent of meals being prepared in homes as I walk Seattle’s International District neighborhood: chicken and pork prepared in a wok; meat being barbecued on an outdoor grill. The power of smell is such that I’m immediately transported to Saigon, Bangkok or Delhi, where outdoor cooking is not a luxury but a necessity. These are destinations where my senses are bombarded at every turn.
In Bhutan, where Gross National Happiness is the measurement of the country’s health and well-being, I take in a unique smell — that of pure air. And, sadly, I’m convinced that there are few places on the planet that could evoke the scent of this country. Certainly no other place I’ll likely ever visit.
*****
(Note that I will be traveling in Bhutan at the end of October to breathe in the air once again!)
This is a sponsored post from Sephora and Leslie Blodgett’s Perfume Diaries. From October 16 — 23, Sephora is hosting a contest in which the Grand Prize winner and a guest will receive a 5-night luxurious vacation to Honolulu, Hawaii as well as a gift basket of Leslie Blodgett’s Bare Skin collection (approximate value is $2,000!).
Three second-place winners will receive the Leslie Blodgett Bare Skin gift basket valued at $100.
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Tina says
Bhutan is indeed a beautiful and happiness country!