Bhutan > Over the Lawala mountain pass

Early in the morning, the pigeons outside make a hell of a racket. I take a shower. Fortunately, the boiler provides wonderfully warm water. At breakfast, rice, pancakes, and omelet are ready. I also see a jar of peanut butter. I spread my pancake with it. After breakfast, we say goodbye to the family and walk back to the suspension bridge. The luggage has already been brought to the car with the wheelbarrow. Today we will drive a little further east to the Phobjikha Valley. For this, we have to cross the Lawala mountain pass, a pass at 3,080 meters. First, we follow the Puna Tsang Chu river. Just outside Punakha lies the Wangdue Phodrang Dzong. This dzong was hit by a fire in 2012. Because of its location on a rocky outcrop, it was difficult to fight the fire, and the entire fort, including the monastery and temples, was destroyed. With financial support from Japan, the monastery was rebuilt in about four years. As we approach the fort, Rinchen notices many people wearing traditional clothing on the street. "Something is going on," he says. He asks Gelle to turn around. A little further on, everyone appears to be gathering for a Buddhist event. A lama leads the prayer, and the hundreds present repeat the mantras. Rinchen explains this is a five-day event. Today is the fourth day. The prayers continue all day, and food and drink are provided.

Bhutan - The whole village gathers for a fiveday event

Next to the temple, food is prepared in large pots. A group of volunteers washes and cuts the vegetables. At the Wangdue Phodrang Dzong, it is quieter. Most monks are at the festival. As soon as I walk through the gate, I see that the monastery-fortress has been beautifully rebuilt down to the smallest details. The paintings, wood carvings, and decorations seem authentic. Around the first courtyard are the administrative offices. I have also seen this at the Punakha Dzong. At the second courtyard, the monastery begins. On both sides are small living quarters for the monks. The dzong houses a total of seventeen temples, some small ones dedicated to specific gods and several larger temples. At the back of the complex is the largest temple. I take off my shoes and enter the temple. Around me are many depictions of Buddha again. In the center stand large statues of Guru Rinpoche, who brought Buddhism to Bhutan, Buddha himself, and Ngawang Namgyal, the founder of the Bhutanese state. Rinchen then takes us to a second temple. This temple is dedicated to the founder. A large statue stands in the middle of the temple. The crown is made of 35 kilos of gold, Rinchen assures us. Around the temple are hundreds of small images of Ngawang Namgyal. The complex is beautifully restored. They are also prepared for future fires. Fire alarms, extinguishers, and even some hoses hang everywhere. I think this is a good thing

Bhutan - The monks quarters in Wangdue Phodrang Dzong

. As we walk back, we are sternly addressed by an older monk. We must walk clockwise to the exit according to Buddhist custom. From the Wangdue Phodrang Dzong, we drive to the Lawala mountain pass. Via winding roads, we quickly gain altitude. Gelle does his best to avoid potholes and to make the bends comfortable for us. It feels like we are crawling up slowly. Rinchen explains that the maximum speed on mountain roads is forty kilometers per hour. Only on the main road between Paro and Thimphu is fifty allowed. For the narrower mountain roads, the limit is thirty. This gives us the chance to enjoy the surroundings. The deep valley below is especially beautiful. Just before the top, we stop for lunch. All tables in the restaurant are occupied by tourists. The couple from Sri Lanka who sat with us at breakfast yesterday morning are also there. I will probably see them again tonight at the hotel in Gangtey. The buffet tastes no less good for that. At the Lawala mountain pass, there is a stupa and many colorful prayer flags. The souvenir stalls are mostly closed. Just past the pass lies the Gangtey Goenpa monastery. Gangtey Goenpa is an important Buddhist monastery and one of the oldest Nyingmapa monasteries in Bhutan. The monastery and temples were renovated in 2008, practically rebuilt. Young monks of barely twelve years old walk around the courtyard. Some are washing dishes, others are playing in the sleeping quarters. The monks’ rooms lie around the impressive Gangtey Goenpa temple. I enter the temple. The marble floor feels cold. Until now, all temples had wooden floors. Around the temple are depictions of Buddha.

Bhutan - The entrance of the Gangtey Goenpa temple

In the middle are long benches where the young pupils learn Buddhism. Behind the statue of Guru Rinpoche is a smaller room. Here stands the stupa containing the remains of the founder of this monastery. The Gangtey Goenpa monastery lies in the Phobjikha Valley. In this valley, black-necked cranes come to overwinter. From the end of October, the birds arrive from the highlands of Tibet. The information center notes that three birds were spotted last week. From the viewing platform, we scan the valley for white dots. Unfortunately, we see no cranes in the nature reserve. We have to make do with two captive cranes in an aviary. At the end of the afternoon, we arrive at the hotel. The sun has already disappeared behind the mountains, and at 2,900 meters altitude, the temperature drops quickly. At the hotel, we are welcomed with tea. The table setting is already prepared for dinner. It appears that only tourists are here. We count that the restaurant is set for 29 guests. The hotel room is spacious, neat, and well cared for. This is a fine accommodation. Because it is still early, we order a beer at the bar. A Druk 11000, a local beer. When we sit down for the dinner buffet around seven o’clock, most tables are already occupied. Remarkably, five guests are traveling alone. This doesn’t seem like a destination for solo travelers to me. The buffet is good but not very local. When we leave the restaurant, we are the last guests.