This day trip to the Phobjikha Valley was just such a photogenic and memorable day. The words from my journal add so little to the pictures.
Day trip to Pobjikha Valley. Set off a little late, delayed by interesting American, Laurie. Through Wangdue (snapped the Dzong from a distance) and through Wangdue Valley (with river, stunning in parts)…
…then climbing into Black Mountains through Nobding (where we dispensed pens)…
…and up shortcut into Phobjika Valley (stunning)…
…went to Gante Gompa (monastery) where we snapped many young monks…
…then deeper into valley. Fortune was with us, the rare black necked crane had stayed late this year. So we trekked 20 minutes or so to the observation point and saw about 20 of them. (I even spotted two that Pema hadn’t seen).
Super picnic after that chicken, potatoes, rice with chicken, shared with farmers, about half an hour nearer home.
…and then drove home back the way we came. An angry looking power worker had us in stitches at the Wangdue gas station.
I cannot explain what was so funny about that power worker. He was very red in the face and he was a great big bloke who looked oversized for his vehicle. He was angry about something at the gas station but no-one there seemed to understand his growling and we (initially me and Janie. but soon also Pema) were in fits of laughter. “Power Man” possibly got more angry once he realised that we were laughing at him, but we simply couldn’t stop laughing. If you need a mental picture, think of the angry farmer in Shaun The Sheep:
This was so incongruous in Bhutan, which is a tranquil place where our instincts suggested that expressing our frustration if things were happening slowly or inefficiently could not help, indeed could only hinder.
Enough on him. We saw plenty more beautiful and interesting things while returning to Meri Puensum.
Spent late afternoon relaxing and enjoying dinner. OK. Fried pork momos, local trout, rice, vegetables, and a little pork. Met proprietor of hotel and then early night.
The photos from this day are all on the album linked below – 019 to 052:
