The weekend...

 The weekend flew by and it was full of monasteries and other fun adventures. The above photo was taken at the oldest Dzonga in Bhutan. It was full of beautiful murals inside and it was built in 1628. You are not allowed to take picture on the inside but these we on the outside and amazing.  We also did our usual market day and handicraft shopping, which is always fun! I will miss my saturday morning runs to Buddha and then follow up with coffee in a cafe and then market shopping and then whatever hike we decide to do in the afternoon. It has been an amazing journey and can't believe it is coming to and end. I have had to say good bye to three people and it makes me so sad. Each and every one of these people have touched my life in many different ways but I am honored to have met them and work and play side by side with them. I have learned so much form these people and fall more and more in love with this country every day.

 Simtokha Dzong. A Dzong is a monastery fortress and a Lhkhang is a monastery.

 Market day in Thimphu!

 This is Sunday's trip. We traveled to Paro, Chelela and Haa Valley. Once again, travel in Bhutan is rough, the highways are not straight …so a town that is 30KM which is about 20 miles takes an hour and it is switchbacks and all uphill. The drive is stunning but if you get car sick… it is not fun. It means taking dramamine or opening the window and praying that you don't puke! Roads are also not always paved. It is truly an adventure but rather fun! Paro was the first stop and this is the only flat town in Bhutan…I swear!! It was rather pleasant walking around without your butt and calves burning from walking straight up! We went to the local farmers market, which puts Thimphu's to shame! But I still love our market as well… and then shopped around the handicraft shops and had tea at 2 resorts!! My tour guide was a patient who i sin the hotel business, so he just took us to some beautiful hotels for tea!

 Bhutanese cornflakes…these are very hard and don't have much flavor. You can eat them with your tea or put them in your tea. It is actually pretty good.

 Some seriously great fruit!

 My tour guide!! The tall man with the hat and my travel companions!

 So, we took pictures in this family temple at a palace… BAD kids, but it was so beautiful and so we went for it!

 Then we travelled up and up the mountain side with lots of snow and ice to reach here!! It is 3988M which converts to almost 14000ft!!!! I got out and did not feel great and walked around and started feeling really funky… maybe the altitude got to me?! or the car ride? ;) Ok, it was the altitude… but the view just took your breath away!!! Along with the altitude! LOL

 This is baby Everst… that is what I like to call the Himalayans. It is Mt. Jomolhari

And las stop…the beautiful Haa Valley. You come down from Chelela and this little town is a line in the valley. We did see yak, deer, peacocks and pheasants along the drive. I forgot the yak pics, but will add in the next entry.
The next few days are going to be bittersweet. I have built a little life here in Thimphu and have made many friends. I know that one day I will return to see all the beautiful sites I did not see as well as to meet up with these amazing people again.