Runway on top of a ridge

The flight from Bumthang to Paro involved a stop along the way in Yongphula... way out east. The landing strip was AMAZING. Basically a small runway on the top of the mountain. Miss the strip, and die. Land too late and crash into the mountain and die. You have to be pretty good on your landings here. Our pilot wasn't great, but we didn't die so I can't fault him too much.  Below you'll see pictures from the air to mountains, from the air looking down on the runways, from the runway itself, a group of monks welcoming a famous old monk, and also the world's lamest airline ticket. so lame.  enjoy!

Membartso - Burning Lake

Membartso (Dzonkha translation is Burning Lake) is more of a stream than a lake.  The story goes that many years ago Pema Lingpa found some of Guru Rinpoche’s terma here. He was guided in a dream to the place where the river forms a large pool resembling a lake. On seeing a temple in the water he dived in and returned with a treasure. The next time he came he was followed by a big crowd with many skeptics. Forced to prove himself he took a lighted lamp in his hand and proclaimed that if he was false he would die but if he was true he would return with the lighted lamp. He returned with a statue, a treasure chest and the lamp still burning. The pool came to be known as Membartso or the Burning Lake.  Good story, not so impressive of a like though.

Shugdrug

In one of my last days in Bumthang I was to go off to venture to Shugdrug, a small temple in the side of a cliff.  The walk was an easy one through a small forest like trail. You'll see in the second picture a little building which inside has a prayer wheel being powered by water. If you look closely at what the water is coming out from you'll notice a very common like object for Himalayan countries. A phallus. 

The temple itself was small but very historic, with a meditation cave used a long time ago from the guru rinpoche. Unfortunately photos were not allowed inside. 

A night of traditional dance

The hotel arranged a night of traditional dance for the guests and I was invited to join in.  We danced and sang around a fire. For me I really appreciated the similarities of these dances with the ones that I learned in Tibet as well as western China.  The similarities very likely have to do with the fact that both the western china minorities and the Bhutanase cultures come largely from Tibet. It's always interesting when cultural knowledge comes together.

Another high point of the evening was trying a local dish/drink. It was egg and butter cooked up with ara (the local spirit). At first it tasted quite nice, but as it got colder and i was drinking scrambled egg I found it less enjoyable.

PoTD - Bhutanese Astrology

A monk in Bumthang who specializes in astrology came to the lodge to read some of our horoscopes.  I don't believe in this and would never pay for such a thing, but when presented with the option for free and having really nothing to lose I figured... why not?  So I went and learned that 

I will die when I'm 70. 

In my past life I was a deity.

Next life I'll be a bear (unless I give merit to change this... but why would I change this? bears are cool!)

Will find true love at the age of 38.

In my life I will never be truly successful, but also never be unsuccessful. So I'll straddle the line but always be happy.  

I think I'm cool with all this. (though 6 more years for true love... gahhhhhh)