Day Thirteen

Up at 6.15 and breakfast at 7am. I think we were a bit too early for the dining room, but OJ was on the table and tea arrived very quickly. Then we had a short wait, during which K and T wandered through for their meal in the kitchen. When ours arrived we were a bit surprised as there were omelettes, fried ham in discs and tomatoes. The waiter then asked if we would also like some cereal, but that was a bridge too far. Just some toast and more tea. We were ready to go at 7.30 and Tsering drove us off up the valley to the trailhead for Tiger's Nest. We were not the first to arrive, two vehicles had got there before us, and at least one followed us in. Nevertheless, we started off on our own, and pretty much stayed that way. The trail begins by meandering through a conifer forest. There is a babbling brook, a sort of picnic area, but you soon leave the latter behind as the trail gently climbs. Apparently, some people take horses up the trail - Nu.300 to the cafe, and Nu.500 to the view point before the steps. There was plenty of evidence of their having been around recently. From here we had no view of the monastery, but the trail gradually steepened and zigzagged up the hillside. Then we caught a glimpse, through the trees, but the sun had yet to reach it, so we agreed to keep going and stop for photos on the way down. It was getting hotter as we came out of the trees and we were definitely in the sun. There were still trees to the sides of us, and there was continuous birdsong, although we couldn't see the birds. Alan stopped for a moment to remove his pully, but we generally kept up a steady, slow pace, passing a large prayer flag with others strung out from it like a maypole. Onwards, negotiating steps cut into the earth, twisting and turning, noting the rhododendrons, pieris and cotoneaster growing amongst the conifers. Just as we were thinking we needed a rest, Kinley announced that we were almost at the cafe, so we pushed on round another couple of bends, and there was a flat path off to the right - the path to the cafe. We were glad of a seat and a cup of tea - but first we were stunned by the view of the monastery which dominates the scene. It had taken us 45 minutes to get here - as we hadn’t stopped for any photos. The tea was slightly smoky and very tasty, as were the usual salty/sweet crackers. We enjoyed the rest. After half an hour we pushed on again, taking the steep short cut out of the cafe up to the path. This was pretty hard going as a re-start, but then we were back to the steady climb. After a while we passed a cave which was full of the little cones people put in such places for their dead. This cave was used as a meditation cave. Further along is a wooden building around the place where one of the Lamas was born in 1928, the year of the tiger. It is his re-incarnation that we saw in Tharpaling. We hadn't seen so much of the monastery on this upper part of the walk, but gradually, the path evened out somewhat and there was a gateway across the path with prayer flags. As we rounded the corner, we had a breathtaking view across the ravine. We had to stop and take this in. From here onwards we had to negotiate steps - there are around 400 going down into the ravine, passing a chorten on the way. Alan did very well - knees and vertigo well under control. There were three monks walking way in front of us, and we could see them below us reaching a bridge at the bottom, by a waterfall. Soon we reached this point, then began the climb back up again - about 300 steps to the monastery entrance. Here, Kinley signed us in, and we had to leave our bags with the army guard, as nothing is allowed into the monastery. K and T had to put their mobile phones on the desk to be collected after our visit. We had walked up 900m, more or less.
Now we walked up more steps to start the visit. Kinley told us the story of how Guru Rinpoche flew to the cliff top site on the back of a tiger - the manifestation of his consort, Yeshe Tsogyal. He came to subdue a local deity who was causing trouble. This done, he meditated for three months in the cave, which is now surrounded by the primary lhakhang. All this happened in the 7th century, and since has been regarded as a holy place. In 1646 the Zhabdrung visited and in 1692 that primary lhakhang was built by the penlop of Paro. Subsequent penlops extended the monastery, which now has four main 'temples' with others not open to the public. We began our visit at the temple containing a chorten containing the ashes of a disciple of the Guru from the ninth century. In the floor is a fenced area where you can see an auspicious rock, but it was damaged during the renovation. Richly decorated walls show images of the manifestations of the Guru. The next temple we saw, down some steps, contained statues of the Guru on his tiger and behind a heavily carved screen was the cave where the Guru meditated. There were images on the wall and a glass box containing a manifestation of the Guru. People had thrown in money and prayer flags and white scarves. Back up the steps again, directly over the cave, was a temple containing three very large statues, manifestations of the Guru. All these were in the restored part, as the monastery was almost completely destroyed by fire in 1998. Only one tower was untouched.
We spent a little time looking at the view, then descended to the 'ground floor'. Here Kinley showed us a stone - one of the treasures of the Guru, found by Pema Lingpa, on which we saw a moon and a sun. There was also a shiny indentation. If one made a wish, closed one's eyes, then approached the stone with an outstretched thumb; if one hit the indentation with said thumb, the wish would be fulfilled in one's lifetime. Needless to say, we missed.
So it was time to leave this magical place and we made our way back down the steps to the army guard, collected our bags etc. and left the monastery confines through the gate. Now we retraced our steps, this time stopping to take lots of photos. At the chorten, we waited in vain for the sun, hiding behind clouds. K and T had great fun using the binos. We got down to the cafe for lunch at around 1 pm. and we sat with a wonderful view of the monastery overlooking us. Lunch was the usual suspects - only missing the noodles, and any meat as it is all vegetarian on the mountain. On the second half of the descent, we again stopped for photos, and then there were the birds. We saw some more laughingthrushes, a great tit, and Alan and K saw another yellow beaked blue magpie. I was sorry to have missed it.
Now we had a couple of things left to do; firstly, to see Jomulhari, but this just wasn't going to happen because of the clouds. On the way down the road we came across a caravan of donkeys all carrying huge bails of wheat that the farmer had just cut. The lead donkey had a lovely red plume on his head. Then there was a troop of horses, some with western leather saddles. Were these headed for the Tiger's Nest trail, we wondered.
The second was to visit Dumtse Lhakhang, 1433, built by the iron bridge builder. We entered, to see that it was shrouded in yellow curtains. Behind these are some amazing wall paintings. After prayers, Kinley led us round the outer part of the interior; there is no electricity, so it’s quite dark in there. Then we were able to enter the inner area, and we should definitely have had a torch with us. I led Alan by the hand, though even I could hardly see where we were going.
Now it was time to go back to the hotel; packing and baths were in order, but tea on the balcony first. Then the jobs before dinner at 7.30. Kinley joined us and had some fearsome looking red chillies and cheese. At the end of dinner, Kinley called Choki in Thimpu, who phoned back and Alan spoke with him. After the call we were given our homework - the end of holiday questionnaire. This has obviously worried Kinley, who hoped we would give him a good report. He also regaled us with various tales, but sometimes he's a bit difficult to follow. With an uncontrollable yawn, I finished off the proceedings. Kinley ordered tea for us at 6.15 as we have to leave for the airport at 6.30. So that was our last day in Bhutan.

Blue Poppy Tours and Treks