The last stop on my Bhutan trip was the same as the first: Paro. And once again, a real highlight was on the agenda there. Continue reading A highlight at the end
Beautiful Phobjikha
Although we missed Phobjikha’s main attraction, the black-necked cranes, by a month or two, I was captivated by the sheer scenic beauty of this valley. Continue reading Beautiful Phobjikha
The spiritual heart of Bhutan
The last two days were dedicated to the Bumthang district, considered the “spiritual heart” of the country: It is home to Bhutan’s oldest temples, and is also believed to be the birthplace of Buddhism in Bhutan. Continue reading The spiritual heart of Bhutan
Long, Longer, Trongsa Dzong
Today, we visited another dzong. After seeing the most beautiful dzong in Punakha yesterday, we visited the longest dzong in the country, located in Trongsa. Continue reading Long, Longer, Trongsa Dzong
Chortens at various locations
Today we drove over the Dochula Pass, which is about 3,100 meters high, into the Punakha Valley. At only about 1,200 meters above sea level, this is almost a “real” valley (unlike Thimphu Valley, which is about 1,000 meters higher). Along the way, we saw numerous chortens and, of course, another dzong. Continue reading Chortens at various locations
Tango in Thimphu Valley
We spent the last day and a half in Thimphu Valley, where Bhutan’s capital city of the same name is located. However, the biggest attraction (in my opinion) was not the city itself, but rather the Tango Monastery, which is located a little further north in the valley. Continue reading Tango in Thimphu Valley
A highlight at the start
Our very first stop in Bhutan was already a first highlight of our stay: the Tshechu (a religious festival) at Paro Dzong. Continue reading A highlight at the start
Familiar Bhaktapur
My Bhutan holiday began in a (somewhat) familiar environment: the ancient royal city of Bhaktapur in Nepal. Continue reading Familiar Bhaktapur
The nicer corner of the border triangle
Two hours in the border triangle
As already mentioned, I am now on my way home. I could have even made it to the night train to Vienna today, but I wanted to treat myself to a short stopover to spread out the train journey a bit. So, today I spent about two hours exploring the city of Mulhouse, located in the border triangle of France, Germany, and Switzerland. Continue reading Two hours in the border triangle