Thimphu in early morning light, and Wangdi, our lovely driver
David let us sleep in and we didn't meet for tea and biscuits until 6:15 - this was because we were going to bird a narrow valley which doesn't get sunshine and bird activity until later. We could overlooked the city from our hotel and see how lovely it is. All the buildings, no matter how tall, are built in the Bhutanese style and are most attractive. The day was clear and sunny as we drove along the Wang Chhu River north along a narrow winding road. We stopped to bird and found ourselves by a large rock painting of Guru Rinpoche.
Guru Rinpoche
David lead us further up the river to a famous monastery, or Goemba, Cheri Goemba. We crossed a small bridge to a beautiful temple, around which you can only walk clockwise (prayer bells can only go clockwise also), and there our crew had set up a table and our breakfast was ready! We were joined by several semi-feral, but healthy, friendly, and endearing dogs. We had our delicious porridge and honey, plus eggs, sitting at the foot of a very steep, forested hill on which the monastery sits and where monks climb up to stay and meditate. Sitting at our table in the sun we also saw good views of several birds.
Prayer Bells
Wangdi took us up into Jigme Dorji National Park, a park of virgin forest, full of tall, huge Blue Pines, larches, hemlocks, spruces, and enormous gnarled oaks covered with epiphytes. The spacing of trees in an untouched forest is greater than in a denser cut-over one, making the birding somewhat easier. We drove up a very steep slope switch-backing on the narrow road with huge drop offs - somewhat scary except our driver is so careful and skilled that we had nothing to worry about. He dropped us off and we walked down the road stopping frequently for David to whistle the call of a Pygmy Owl which usually brings in a large flock of amazing species - quite overwhelming and confusing, but I'm trying to learn a few so I can take more in.
At noon we returned to Thimphu for a good lunch at a restaurant and then David set us free to wander the city and shop for handicrafts. Bob and I went to the National Handicrafts Emporium and saw piles of beautiful weaving and jewelry and then walked along a line of 50 small huts selling more crafts. The amazing thing was that no one pressured us to buy anything and pleasantly answered all our questions. If we had been in Latin America we would have been overwhelmed by vendors swarming over us and begging us to buy. We found a crafts coop and purchased a few things before finding our way to the Clock Tower in the center of town where our driver picked us up at 4 PM.
We returned to the Riverview Hotel, cleaned up and at 6 PM met our Santa Barbara neighbors, Bryan and Leila, who are living in Thimphu for three months while Leila, a pediatrician, helps at the hospital (where medical care is completely free!) and Bryan is taking wonderful photographs of the local people. It was great to see them and hear more about their inspiring lives.
Tomorrow, our first night of camping!
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