Bhutan > The Kila Goenpa Monastery

I slept very well and deeply last night. I was only awakened at two o’clock by a phone call from the Netherlands. Someone didn’t know I was on vacation. At seven, I enter the restaurant again for breakfast. I am greeted kindly and asked if I want tea, coffee, toast, and eggs. Shortly after, a plate with an English breakfast follows. Besides the egg, there are also fries, beans, and sausages. After breakfast, we leave Paro and drive towards the Chelela Pass. At 3,810 meters, this is the highest drivable pass in Bhutan. Before we get there, we pass the airport. From a viewpoint, it is clearly visible that a flat spot was found in the valley exactly for the runway, but that mountains surround it. A plane is just taking off. Right after liftoff, the plane makes a sharp turn to fly safely through the mountains. Outside Paro, we turn towards the Chelela Pass. Via a narrow winding road, we quickly gain altitude. Sometimes we have to pause briefly to let oncoming vehicles pass. Gelle drives the car calmly over the twisting road. Not a hundred meters is straight. Just before the top is the turnoff to the Kila Goenpa nunnery. An unpaved rocky path leads to the monastery. "Free massage," Rinchen laughs, as we drive over the path. I clearly notice the altitude when I get out at the small parking lot. I feel a bit dizzy from the thin air. I’m currently at about 3,500 meters. Usually, it takes a few days to acclimate to the altitude. Carefully, I walk along the narrow path to the monastery. The path ascends, and sometimes there are steps. I see the monastery clinging to the mountainside. Rinchen explains that Kila Goenpa is a Buddhist monastery dedicated to the Drukpa Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism. The monastery is a refuge for nuns who devote themselves to a life of meditation and religious study. For meditation, nuns retreat into self-imposed isolation in retreat huts for three, six, or sometimes even twelve years. The nuns in the monastery support the meditating nuns and wait their turn. The monastery was built in the 9th century on a steep cliff.

Bhutan - View of the runway from the lookout point

It is the oldest nunnery in Bhutan. When entering the temple of the monastery, I must take off my shoes. From here, photos are not allowed, Rinchen says. For all of Bhutan, “shoes off, cameras off” applies. The temple is dedicated to the Buddha with a thousand eyes and arms. Next to the richly decorated statue stands the figure of Guru Rinpoche. In all temples, you find these deities, Rinchen explains. The colorful and lavishly decorated little temple offers Buddhists the opportunity to pray. According to Buddhist teaching, the more one prays and the more modestly one lives, the better one returns in the next life. From the monastery, it’s a short distance to the top of the Chelela Pass. Here, several tourist buses are parked. However, there are no more than sixty tourists gathered. I also meet the Danish motorcyclist who sat next to me on the plane yesterday. We leave the crowd behind and walk to the mountain top. Colorful flags hang to the left and right. The flags bear prayers and mantras. The wind spreads these prayers. We also pass tall poles with white banners. These were placed to honor deceased persons, Rinchen explains. We walk to a small stupa. Stupas often contain sacred relics. From the mountain ridge, I have a beautiful view of the surrounding valleys. On one side, I see Paro. On the other side lies the Haa Valley, our destination for this afternoon. In the distance, the famous Tiger’s Nest monastery also seems to be there, but I can’t quite tell which dot it is. In about thirty minutes, Gelle drives the mountain pass down towards the Haa Valley. The Haa Valley is located in western Bhutan near the border with Tibet. For a long time, this area was not accessible to tourists. Bhutan is still afraid of a Chinese invasion. There are disputes between China and Bhutan over the precise border in several places. In 2009, China claimed the area around Kula Kangri mountain, until then Bhutan’s highest mountain.

Bhutan - The nunnery is built against the rocks

More recently, in 2017, there was a dispute over the strategically located Doklam region. India supports Bhutan. A large Indian military force is stationed in the Haa Valley. In the center of Haa, we stop for lunch. A nice combination of local dishes is served with tea. After lunch, we walk through Haa. The traditional Bhutanese building style is clearly visible here. Old farmhouses are built from clay. The attic is open so crops can dry well and hay can be stored. Children hang out of windows to say hello. Other people on the street kindly respond with “Kuzu Zangpo,” meaning good day. The town of Haa is not very large. When we reach the end of the buildings, Gelle picks us up again. He drives us a few more kilometers through the valley to the border with Tibet. The border is closed. From a distance, we see the border area and the mountain ridge behind which Tibet lies. Back in Haa, we visit Wangchuk Lo Dzong. It is uncertain if we can visit the Dzong. The temple lies within the Indian military base and is used as an administrative center for the army. “Sometimes it’s allowed, sometimes not,” says Rinchen. We are lucky. The guard allows us to look into the courtyard of the Dzong. At the end of the 19th century, the monastery burned down. It was rebuilt and expanded in 1915. Around the temple were the monks’ living quarters. These rooms are now used by the Indian army. A little further lies Lhakhang Karpo, the white temple. Lhakhang Karpo is an old temple dating from the 7th century. It is attributed to Songtsen Gampo, the Tibetan king who played an important role in spreading Buddhism in the region. Around the white temple is a monastery complex for young monks.

Bhutan - We are welcomed with local butter tea

The boys run around the temple in their red robes. Although we arrive within the temple’s opening hours, the caretaker is nowhere to be found. There is nothing else to do but try again tomorrow morning. Three young monks of barely twelve years lead us via a shortcut to the back exit. The gate is open. Along a path, we reach Lhakhang Nagpo, the black temple. Here too, the temple is closed, but the caretaker comes walking over. With little enthusiasm, he opens the small temple for us. Inside are the Buddha deities. There is also a picture of the Bhutanese royal family. The fifth king of Bhutan currently rules the country. Elections and political parties are less valued. People trust that the king has the country’s best interests at heart. When we leave the monastery, it is starting to get dark. The sun has set behind the surrounding mountains. Along an unpaved path, we walk back to the main road. We arrive at the homestay. The family welcomes us kindly. Fortunately, an electric heater is on inside. At 2,600 meters, it cools down quickly. The rooms are simple with a mattress on the floor. The laundry room has a toilet, washbasin, and tap for washing. Tomorrow morning, I can get a bowl of warm water to wash myself. Meanwhile, food is prepared in the kitchen in the basement. We are allowed to help make butter tea. Although I have had bad experiences with butter tea from Tibet, this tastes less bad than expected. During the meal, several dishes are served on a mat in the dining room. We sit on the floor. The family, guide, and driver also eat with us. Nice! It sometimes feels a little awkward that every bite is watched to see if it tastes good. Bhutan’s national dish, emu datshi, consists of cheese and chili. The dish is too spicy for me. The meal ends with ara, the locally produced strong alcoholic drink. I taste a little. Fortunately, the alcohol is mild.