FAREWELL TO BHUTAN
I am now retracing the same road back from east to west to reach the exit point from Bhutan. There is another one to Assam but that would be a round about way to reach my next destination of Sikkim in the north of India. Long days along the same roads of constant curves but this time did have lunch at a real local restaurant for once and it was really nice to be among the people here instead of some approved hotel alone or with tourists. The owner is a most congenial head of the family too who spoke English and grows medicinal herbs that he sells. Since it was warmer outside than inside the washing machine had been moved out and the days washing was done outdoors. The machine washes but it looks as if the rinsing must be done by hand so the sun was nice to warm the back. One of the main foods here is chili with everything so here it was really fiery.
I’ll put in a picture of the rather primitive loo there. I noticed that the locals just seemed to order a big plate of rice and a little bowl of chili to spice it up.
We spent a night in Thronsa where the girl who served was falling over herself to be really kind. She fixed us butter tea without us asking (I don’t really like it) and two different kinds of porridge for breakfast so that we could try Tibethan maize or wheat porridge. She told us that the owner and family took her in when she was very young and now they were her family although she had a family up in the mountains. I heard this kind of story very often. It seems that people who have some success often just take in children who live too isolated to have many opportunities in life and their parents are happy to let them go.
Back in the capital of Thimpu we went for a real coffee at real western prices but it was so good after all the Nescafe of the last two weeks. That night we went to a bar with several of Mindup’s nephews. The extended family here is really wide and they call each other brother/sister/cousin etc even when they are not really that close. The lads were about 18 and had just finished their school studies but few of the people here really take a drink so they celebrated with juice. There was Bhutanese Karaoke on and it was not loud at all and none of the people seemed self conscious about joining in.
Next day we drove on towards the border town of Puentsholing where there is actually only an arched gate between Bhutan and India but one has to go through formalities like stamping departure at one office and then going to Indian emigration with the visa at another – time consuming especially as it had to be done at 7 am. This is, of course, only for foreigners the two countries can go in and out as they wish but Bhutanese money, the Nu, is not accepted anywhere except Bhutan. We booked a shared jeep for the trip to Sikkim and left the car at Mindup’s sister’s house. His brother in law drove us around all the offices and to the jeep the next morning.
The difference between Bhutan and India was evident immediately. From 50 yards to the other side there was again heaps of trash, the concrete, dirt, bricks and general debris that is not present in Bhutan. The jeep was packed 4 in each row so we were well sandwiched for the curves ahead. Unlike India there are regulations in Bhutan that prevent overcrowding of vehicles whether private or public so there is none of the people on the roof and hanging on that one sees in India, Burma, Laos etc. It seems to me that the government in Bhutan lays down many rules that are not questioned by the people. It is sad to know that one will not be returning to this place of really lovely, pleasant, kind people with so much patience and inner strength and peace.
I am now retracing the same road back from east to west to reach the exit point from Bhutan. There is another one to Assam but that would be a round about way to reach my next destination of Sikkim in the north of India. Long days along the same roads of constant curves but this time did have lunch at a real local restaurant for once and it was really nice to be among the people here instead of some approved hotel alone or with tourists. The owner is a most congenial head of the family too who spoke English and grows medicinal herbs that he sells. Since it was warmer outside than inside the washing machine had been moved out and the days washing was done outdoors. The machine washes but it looks as if the rinsing must be done by hand so the sun was nice to warm the back. One of the main foods here is chili with everything so here it was really fiery.
I’ll put in a picture of the rather primitive loo there. I noticed that the locals just seemed to order a big plate of rice and a little bowl of chili to spice it up.
We spent a night in Thronsa where the girl who served was falling over herself to be really kind. She fixed us butter tea without us asking (I don’t really like it) and two different kinds of porridge for breakfast so that we could try Tibethan maize or wheat porridge. She told us that the owner and family took her in when she was very young and now they were her family although she had a family up in the mountains. I heard this kind of story very often. It seems that people who have some success often just take in children who live too isolated to have many opportunities in life and their parents are happy to let them go.
Back in the capital of Thimpu we went for a real coffee at real western prices but it was so good after all the Nescafe of the last two weeks. That night we went to a bar with several of Mindup’s nephews. The extended family here is really wide and they call each other brother/sister/cousin etc even when they are not really that close. The lads were about 18 and had just finished their school studies but few of the people here really take a drink so they celebrated with juice. There was Bhutanese Karaoke on and it was not loud at all and none of the people seemed self conscious about joining in.
Next day we drove on towards the border town of Puentsholing where there is actually only an arched gate between Bhutan and India but one has to go through formalities like stamping departure at one office and then going to Indian emigration with the visa at another – time consuming especially as it had to be done at 7 am. This is, of course, only for foreigners the two countries can go in and out as they wish but Bhutanese money, the Nu, is not accepted anywhere except Bhutan. We booked a shared jeep for the trip to Sikkim and left the car at Mindup’s sister’s house. His brother in law drove us around all the offices and to the jeep the next morning.
The difference between Bhutan and India was evident immediately. From 50 yards to the other side there was again heaps of trash, the concrete, dirt, bricks and general debris that is not present in Bhutan. The jeep was packed 4 in each row so we were well sandwiched for the curves ahead. Unlike India there are regulations in Bhutan that prevent overcrowding of vehicles whether private or public so there is none of the people on the roof and hanging on that one sees in India, Burma, Laos etc. It seems to me that the government in Bhutan lays down many rules that are not questioned by the people. It is sad to know that one will not be returning to this place of really lovely, pleasant, kind people with so much patience and inner strength and peace.
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