Tuesday, May 25, 2010

A Journey into Tranquility

An Auspicious Weekend: Part III


Prior to leaving Punakha, we had stopped at a small roadside market to pick up ingredients for the weekend's meals. To feed 8 people over the course of 2 days and 2 nights, I think we were especially well prepared with the chili!



Having mixed nuts and raisins and sliced apples at home, I shared the responsibility of carrying healthy snacks in my pack for the weekend. The guys tied boxes and bags on their backs to haul 20kg of rice, soyabean oil, cheese, and fresh vegetables.



Following our treacherous drive followed by the rainy 1-2 hour walk to the guest house, the Bhutanese on the trip prepared dinner for the whole group on Friday evening (and insisted on doing so the entire remainder of the weekend, for that matter!) We enjoyed rice with cabbage salad, shamu datse (mushroom and cheese curry), and nakey (fern), each dish topped off with generous helpings of the chili:









Wine was poured from bottles opened without the availability of a proper bottle opener. The task was accomplished. Imported from South America and Europe, I felt as if I were dining at a 5 star hotel!

Following dinner and drinks, a late night hotspring session was in the mix. Sliding down mud and holding onto each other to prevent falls into the river, in the pitch black of night we found our way to the hot springs. The next morning we discovered some very muddy clothes that were clear evidence of our mudslide adventures!


Saturday morning we had tea and coffee at the dining room table prior to rice and nakey datse for a filling breakfast. Some people then went to take photos while others returned to the hot springs for one more dip.


After returning from our morning activities and having lunch (rice, cabbage & chili salad, and nakey datse (fern, chili and cheese curry with the fern just picked that morning from a walk deep into the forest), we set off for an afternoon hike up to the Gasa Dzong. Although grateful the blaze of the morning sun was resting behind the clouds, by the time we had taken our first few steps, those clouds began to open and the drizzle came down. Passing through rhododendrons and strawberry fields, we climbed what felt like nearly a vertical ascent. The rain came and went, sometimes seeming bothersome because of the worsening of the already slippery surfaces, other times seeming to be a relief from the heat. Sweating profusely with the weights of our packs on our backs, we finally came into a clearing. The Gasa Dzong stood up ahead and was now within our reach.

As we continued our northward climb, little kids ran by us "on their way home from school". I was taken aback by this route they were taking, until remembering that there is no direct road to the district of Gasa. Being passed on the trail by horses carrying supplies and men carrying solar panes reinforced this. Again having established connections through hospital physicians that proved to be quite incredible, upon reaching Gasa we were taken on a tour of town and hosted for a homemade dinner by the dzongdag (district administrator).

The following morning we arose at dawn ... finding a quiet spot below trees to sit, I appreciated the silence around me and eventually began journaling my inner thoughts and impressions of the beauty surrounding me.



The next time I come to Bhutan, I hope I find myself in a peaceful place such as this ... in an area that can be reached only by foot, volunteering alongside the local Bhutanese to heal the villagers in this tranquil Himalayan land. This weekend, everything just seemed to have fallen into place to create an incredible weekend complete with great company, delicious Bhutanese food, and outdoor adventures. Everything seemed to have been auspicious.

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