The next day is an important holiday in Bhutan (Death Anniversary of Zhabdrung Kuchoe) so our guide suggests visiting the National Memorial Choten in Thimpu, as many locals will be gathering here for prayer activity. Since I am still feeling a little shaky, I ask to sit in the front seat for the windy road downhill to town. Unfortunately, by the time we reach the Choten, I am green around the gills and need to head back to the lodge. This is beginning a 3-day ordeal with a very violent stomach flu. I am unable to leave the room for the next 48 hours. By the second evening Norbu, the lodge manager, suggests calling a doctor. The local doctor, diagnoses me with severe gastroenteritis and provides me with various medications. By day 3, I am able to eat some toast and tea but still can’t leave the room for more than a brief walk around the lodge. We decide to spend a 3rd night in Thimpu and see how I feel the following day.
My husband continues on with our planned activities without me – although I think he feels really guilty leaving me in the lodge by myself. My description of the things he did is not going to be very detailed because he is not really a details guy :-). The first afternoon they returned to Memorial Choten and joined the locals in circling the Choten, spinning the prayer wheels and chanting (well at least he listened to the chanting). He visited the large Buddha statue, Buddha Dordenma, on a hill overlooking Thimpu – I think he said this is the largest Buddha in the world and was financed by a wealthy foreigner. They hiked one-hour hike each way to the Tango University of Buddhist Studies in the woods outside Thimpu and made offering with the locals on the holiday. They were among hundreds of Bhutanese people who were making offerings and giving prayers on this holy day. He also had an astrology reading at the Pangrizampa Lhakhang Monastery, a paid activity that we prearranged. The Lama gave his reading verbally in the local language and our guide Ugyen translated. My husband got a real kick out of this, particularly the part about coming back in his next life as either a pigeon or the son of a wealthy man – depending on his ability to eat less meat in this life! He visited the zoo to see the Takin, the national animal of Bhutan. He also visited Thimpu city and walked around, did a little shopping at a Bhutanese hand made paper store and took photos of the traffic conductor.
World’s Largest Buddha
Buying Offerings for the Temple
Seen Along the Hike: tsa-tsa’s, stray dogs and rock painting
At the Temple:
The Takin – National Animal of Bhutan
The Famous Traffic Cop of Thimpu
