Punakha to Trongsa

 27^th April

Morning view from hotel room

We left Kuruthang and travelled the newly blacktopped road to Lobesa and on towards Wangdi.  We passed the small village of Rinchengang, stepping its way up the hillside to the lhakhang at the top.  This village is, I believe, the only location in Bhutan where 2 crops of rice can be grown in a year.

Sonam told me a little about the lhakhang;  its main relic is a copy of the Koran, which was only recently been identified as such, as it had been wrapped in black cloth.  The lhakhang was built a couple of centuries ago with assistance from a Muslim king, and the Koran presented and blessed by an important lama (I get the names all mixed up!)  An inventory of Bhutan’s relics identified the nature of the relic only relatively recently.

Our journey had us crossing 3 new bridges built by the Japanese – as models for work efficiency and engineering for the Indian road builders whose pace is less than rapid!

The first of the Japanese bridges had concreted steps with a safety handrail ascending the hill to the workers’ camp.  Quite a bit different to the slip-sliding muddy ascents to Indian road workers’ camps!  Also, the banks of the road cuttings were stabilized by what appeared to be sprayed concrete. 

The blacktop road continued for quite some distance – with the occasional break where more blasting work needed to be done to the cliff face to widen the road.  We stopped for morning tea (and driver/guide breakfast – I’d been ready to go at the appointed time; before they had eaten breakfast) at Norbling, and I had a view of some of the lower snow capped peaks of the Himalayas.  

The café was one I had visited before – on the cross country public bus trip – and I recalled how good rice, dhal and emma datse tasted at around 2pm after a 6am departure from Bumthang!

We continued on and there were roadworks all the way, but nothing to delay us.  Proper drainage was being constructed before black topping could be done – which is good.  Some stabilization of cuttings would be good too; there were several places where we observed road workers shoveling dirt slides off the road!

Many of the corners had small streams or lovely waterfalls and water prayer wheels.

Road side waterfalls

From the restaurant at Chazam

Japanese engineering

Less than stable cliss

We crossed Pele La at around 3,700m and the approach and descent provided much beauty in the rhododendrons:  white, red, pink, deep red.  Narwang received many requests for photo stops and there are times I like the way he reads my mind – or reads my preparation of my camera!

As well as the rhododendron there were also daphne in flower.

Roadworks in progress

I got out of the car at one point to get a closer view of the flowers, but in my sandshoes the alpine bog was less than inviting.

Lunch stop was at Chazam, and I opted for shama datsi – made with local mushrooms.  Very nice.  The café we stopped at was also one I remembered and had the most superb ginger tea.

Travelling east we passed Chendebji Chorten, a rather beautiful series of constructions.

Roadside waterfall

The view from Tgashichholing Lhakhang

We proceded onward to visit Tgashichholing Lhakhang and the Gayrab Arts and Crafts Training Institute. 

Chendebji Chortenn

Monks were in the Lhakhang, reciting prayers, and we sneaked quietly in behind them to admire the statues and paintings, and make our prostrations and offerings.  We then visited the drawing/painting classroom.  It seems there are only a handful of monks studying there at the moment.

Trongsa & the Dzong

We continued our way towards Trongsa, stopping at the viewpoint;  while Trongsa is a stone’s throw across the valley from there, it is a long and winding road to reach it, via the bridge towards the head of the valley.

Ta Dzong - the old watchtower

Trongsa Dzong

We stopped at the Dzong – one of the major Dzongs that I have not already visited but I was a bit disappointed that only one of the more than 20 lhakhangs were open, that one being the main hall for the monks.  It was good to see a large sign requesting the preference for homemade or local produce offerings to reduce plastic waste.  I had heard previously of moves in this direction - actions that will reduce the ecological impact and increasing plastic wastes.

A sign at the dzong

Trongsa Dzong

Then on to my hotel for the night.  The hotel has wonderful views from the balcony, of the Black Mountains and Trongsa Dzong (and the hydro dam construction work in the valley of the Mange Chhu far below), and from the seating area by the window.  The bed is comfortable and there is an electric jug with tea and sugar provided (I have my own coffee supply for such situations).  There is also a heater.  The bathroom has some unusual features, including the light switch / powerpoint hanging from the wall by its wires, a shower that works through about 2% of the holes in the shower nozzle and a self generating paddling pool in the entire bathroom whenever water is used in the shower area.  The latter 2 were mentioned the next morning and the paddling pool situation was fixed but the shower, despite a 500% improvement in water delivery, was still totally ineffective.

Murals at Trongsa Dzong

I walk to the town to search for some peanuts and sultanas as a snack to accompany my G&T, some fruit, which has been conspicuous by its absence from my diet recently and to attempt, unsuccessfully to use the ATM.

I went to order my dinner and was told it was set menu, no other menu – asking what set menu was I was told rice, noodles, meat dish and mixed vegetables (tourist style – ie, plain).  I said I was vegetarian and did not like tourist food.  Shamu Datsi was discussed, but as I’d had it for lunch I discarded that idea and asked about paneer;  yes, there was paneer and they could prepare me spicy paneer with vegetable and rice.  Were they serving dessert – yes fruit – apple.  No thank you.  Would I like banana, yes please.  Happy I went to my room for a bit.

Trongsa

I appeared for dinner at the appointed time to be served what might have been pumpkin soup, followed by rice, spicy paneer with vegetables, shamu datsi, butter fried asparagus followed by banana – four small banana.  Enough to feed me twice!!

The sound of the river below, once the dogs stop barking (which does happen occasionally) and the cars are quiet, dominates and soothes.  I like going to sleep to this sound!