Fri, Arr 22 - Visiting Aum Leki's Weaving Studio

Birding the Highway

We set off at 5:30 in drizzle east on The Highway (the only east-west highway in the country) climbing up to 11,000' to the Yotang La (pass) through roadworks deep in mud from last night's rain.  Bob and I were in the back seat as the van fishtailed back and forth on the narrow road. (Birding etiquette demands that everyone change seats everyday, rotating around so that the good and bad seats are shared equally). We pulled over on a wide spot where our crew had set up our table and breakfasted on porridge and eggs.

Typical Farmhouse

As we descended from the pass we entered the Bumthang region which consists of four wide, agricultural valleys.  This was a pleasant change from the incredibly steep and dramatic mountains and valleys we have been going through so far.  We drove through villages and orchards stopping occasionally to bird and photograph flowers.  We met our food guys again at the top of a low pass completely festooned with prayer flags.  They had prepared potato samosas, chicken curry, and veggies - just amazing the variety of food they can come up with!

In the early afternoon we came to the Chokhor Valley and pulled into Aum Leki's Guest House.

She is one of the most famous weavers in Bhutan and we had the afternoon off to explore, or tour the weaving rooms, or just re-group!

Aum Leki's house

The guest house is in an old traditional farmhouse and as colorful inside as out.  At four we were invited to have tea and cookies in the dining room and then were led upstairs to a studio where two young women were weaving with back strap looms.  Ms Leki's daughter told us about the weavings which were silk on silk with hundreds of strands of warp in one color and spools of many colors which the women intricately maneuvered into the long warp and then beat down.  

It takes several months to weave a length of cloth.  Three lengths are sewn together to make the traditional women's skirt which makes them very costly.  The women weren't using any written pattern guides and wove the incredibly complicated pattern just in their heads.  They weave 8 - 9 hours a day which really seems like hard labor.

Demonstrating the Folding of the Traditional Woman's Skirt

We were shown the sale room and our guide showed us antique hemp weavings, metallic cloth weavings, and some items designed for tourists.  Aum Leki has traveled all over the world showing her art and hosts weaving groups and gives classes.

The Hallway near Our Room 

We met for dinner in the very colorful dining room; as it was Passover, Ben sang an appropriate song and bought us some local wine.  David announced that breakfast would be eaten at the hotel at 6 AM - pretty luxurious for us!