31 October | Trongsa to Phobjekha

Trongsa to Phobjikha

We purchased our own prayer flags to hang here, and today our guides told us was not only an auspicious day to hang them, but we’d also be passing through Pela La, one of the highest passes here, and so a good place to hang them. It was very cold outside as we huddled together writing the names of loved ones we wanted to honor on each flag. Our guides helped us string all the flags together and suspend them between two trees on a hillside above the road.  Just as the last knot was tied, the wind began to blow carrying our prayers and requests into the world. No matter what your religion is, this is a moving experience. The sound and the sight of hundreds or thousands of colored flags whipping in the wind reminds us of how connected we are to each other and to the elements that carry our hopes into the air. A few entrepreneurial women set up stands here to sell their goods, most of them having woven their own blankets and shawls to sell. We each purchased something and enjoyed photographing these hard-working women who tie their babies to their backs and spin or knit yarns into goods they can sell here in their roadside lean-tos.  As always, L. Dorji made quick friends with the person who had something we needed – this time a warm place to drink a cup of hot tea. He invited us all into the only real building at the pass, a one-room general store by day, a home by night. We huddled around the wood-burning stove, sharing our tea and smiles with the family there, and marveling at how welcoming these people are to so many strangers. Further down the road, the climate changed and we shed our warm coats and hats at a road closure. As typical of us, we’d lingered too long over our coffee in the morning, and so arrived at the scheduled road closure just in time to be forced to wait 90 minutes until the road re-opened. Many cars were stacking up here, and the locals got out and setup blankets, opened tiffen carriers and tea canisters using the time to enjoy the fresh air. We decided to get out of the bus and walk through the construction to the other side until our bus could meet us down the road after the work crew opened up the highway again. We’d never be allowed to walk right through a construction zone at home, but things are different here and we passed through marveling at how difficult it is to widen and maintain such a long stretch of highway that has sheer rock faces on one side and steep drops on the other. Walking along the road allowed us to see the exotic flowers, beautiful birds, close-up looks at the tall trees and a chance to notice how many crevices in the rocks are filled with tsa-tsas (mini chortens left to honor important events or people). As always, these breaks from the planned itinerary bring unexpected and wonderful opportunities. Further down the highway, once we got back into the bus, we passed another of our favorite sites – the rock face painted with the Guru Rinpoche’s face, the historical Buddha and a message from the makers of the film, Travelers and Magicians. We stopped for a photo with our guides. If you haven’t seen the movie, it’s worth watching because it highlights all the typical and unique aspects of Bhutan, and these rock paintings mark an important scene from the movie.