Bhutan, where the world settles at an altitude of 5,500m

The local guide - Ugyen - welcomed us in costumeghoThe traditional dress of Bhutanese men is a long, knee-length shirt with a hidden waistband, similar to the one worn by Japanese warriors. This is the national dress of Bhutan and is also required when visiting temples or offices.

On the way to the capital Thimphu, we stopped by an ancient bridge made entirely of iron chains from the 14th century. This is said to be one of 108 bridges built by the holy man Thangtong Gyalpo across Tibet and Bhutan, to help people avoid depending on boats when crossing rivers. Along the iron bridge, people hung many five-colored flags, including blue, white, red, green, and yellow, symbolizing space, wind, fire, water, and earth. These flags are calledlungta, meaning wind horse. The Bhutanese believe that every time the wind blows, mantras will spread throughout the world, bringing benefits to all living beings.

Colors of Thimphu

In Thimphu, we returned to the hotel for lunch. The hotel is located right next to the Memorial Chorten, a memorial to the third king of Bhutan. From the window, I could see people circumambulating the stupa clockwise, some even carrying small prayer wheels, turning them as they walked. Bhutanese people are very religious, Ugyen said, with some elderly people spending all day circumambulating the stupa to accumulate good karma for their future lives. If you visit the Memorial Chorten, be sure to try pushing the large prayer wheels in the room to the left of the stupa. Ugyen said that turning a large prayer wheel will bring 1,000 times more benefit than a small one.

Thimphu is quite modern with many busy shops and restaurants serving both locals and tourists. However, the products in the grocery stores, which often have the sign “General Store”, are quite poor, with only a few local and Indian brands and not many choices. The Bhutanese eat chilies like vegetables. Chilies are sold in large baskets in the market, in a variety of colors from green to bright red. In addition, Bhutanese do not kill meat, so in all of Thimphu there are only three meat shops, imported from India or run by non-Buddhist butchers.

In the afternoon, we visited the weekend market in Thimphu. In other cities, the market is only open on Saturdays and Sundays, but Thimphu also opens on Fridays. The market sells a lot of Bhutanese vegetables and fruits as well as imported ones from India. Next to the market is a large covered bridge, crossing the bridge is another market, selling clothes, paintings, statues, and religious objects... mostly imported from India, China, or Nepal. Bhutanese souvenirs include brocade, scarves, and handbags, but in general, they are quite similar to those in Vietnam.

Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery

Almost anywhere in Thimphu, you can see the Great Buddha (Buddha Dordenma) sitting on a diamond throne on a hill south of the city. This 51.5m tall statue is made of gilded bronze, depicting the Buddha sitting in the lotus position, eyes half-closed, hands in the earth-touching mudra. Inside this giant statue is a 17-storey monastery, with more than 100,000 other small gilded bronze Buddha statues. Buddha Dordenma was inaugurated in 2015, on the 60th birthday of the fourth King of Bhutan. However, it is believed that Guru Padmasambhava, who brought Tantric Buddhism to Tibet and then to Bhutan, predicted this project as early as the 8th century. Many tourists from India, China and many other countries come here to worship, some even bringing cushions to meditate inside the Great Buddha.

Upon entering the inner sanctum, Ugyen faced a throne facing the main Buddha image, above which was a picture of a monk, placed his hands on his forehead, lips, and chest, and prostrated himself three times. Then he turned to the Buddha image and repeated the ritual. A lama holding a tall-stemmed vase with a peacock feather on the lid poured pale yellow liquid into Ugyen’s palm. He took a small sip and then poured the rest on his head. The monk in the image was Je Khenpo, the spiritual leader of Bhutan, who oversees religious affairs alongside the King’s worldly affairs. He acted as a spiritual bridge between the people and the Buddha. All Buddhists, except the highest clergy, bowed to his image before bowing to the Buddha image.

Behind the Great Buddha is Thimphu Dzong, a unique architectural style of Bhutan, combining a fortress and a monastery. Inside each Dzong there are government offices, monasteries, and residences for monks. Traditionally, each Dzong was built without any design plan but under the guidance of a high lama. Therefore, each Dzong is a different architectural work. What is special is that no nails were used during the construction process to fix the components. When entering the Dzong, Bhutanese people must wear traditional costumes, while foreign visitors only need to wear long pants and shirts with sleeves. Don't miss the beautiful murals and mandalas in the inner palace, which are a precious art treasure of Bhutan.

Changlimithang Archery Range

Archery is not only a favorite sport of the Bhutanese people, but also a community activity that unites many different classes. From 1984 to 2008, Bhutan participated in the Olympics with only this one sport. The target is a thin wooden board, 91 cm high, 28 cm wide, about 145 meters away from the archer. Players can use traditional bows or modern American-style bows with higher accuracy. Every time an archer hits the bull's eye, according to protocol, his teammates will do a short dance and sing to celebrate him. Conversely, if the shot misses, the opposing team will make sarcastic comments.

At first glance, Bhutanese archers look very gentle when pulling the bow, and they even hold it for about 10 seconds to aim carefully before releasing the bowstring. However, when we borrowed a bow to try pulling it, almost no one could pull it! Playing this sport requires not only sharp eyes but also strong arms. Besides archery, Bhutanese people also like to play darts. We would try this sport the next day at a farm in Paro.

Mist in the ancient capital of Punakha

Waking up each morning in Bhutan is a pure and beautiful experience. Outside the hotel window, billowing clouds blanket the green mountain peaks. Rays of sunshine stretch across the lush terraced fields.

We packed our bags and left Thimphu for the ancient capital Punakha. On the way, the car stopped by Tango Monastery, which means “horse head” in the local language, near Cheri Mountain. Legend has it that the god Hayagriva, a human-horse-headed incarnation of Avalokiteshvara, once appeared at this monastery. This is where monks in Bhutan study, with the “university” program lasting 6 years and the “graduate” program lasting 9 years. After completing, the monks will move to the nearby Cheri Monastery to enter a retreat for 3 years, 3 months, and 3 days, coinciding with the time Padmasambhava entered a retreat at Tiger’s Nest according to historical records. It is also the place of study of a person considered to be the reincarnation of Tenzin Rabgye, the 17th-century minister who oversaw the construction of Tiger's Nest. Tenzin Rabgye's reincarnation is currently in a three-year retreat, and according to Ugyen, after he emerges, he could become the next spiritual leader of Bhutan, or choose another path.

From the foot of the mountain, it takes about an hour to climb to Tango Monastery. The path is paved with clean stones, built by the monks themselves in their spare time on weekends. After climbing for a while, we come across wooden boards, recording the Buddha's teachings on nature, life and people. Whenever we feel tired, climbers can stop, both to rest and to contemplate those teachings.

After Tango Monastery, the group set off south of Thimphu Valley, stopping at Dochula Pass and then to the ancient capital Punakha. On the way, we crossed a rice field to Chimi Lhakhang Temple, which is said to be the place where the mad monk Drukpa Kunley sealed a demon, and is also a famous fertility temple. This mad monk lived in the 16th century and had a profound influence on the culture of the Punakha region. According to legend, the national symbol of Bhutan, the takin (ox) was also created by Drukpa Kunley, by grafting the bones of a cow and a goat to create an animal with a goat's head and a cow's body.

If you ask me, is Bhutan a paradise on earth? The answer is probably no. Bhutanese people still have to worry about food and clothing every day. Young Bhutanese are still attracted by the world of Bollywood stars and the liberal ideas of the West. But if you are looking for simple happiness, try visiting Bhutan once, a country that seems to come out of a fairy tale, where history blends with legend, where incarnated lamas hold power equal to that of high-ranking officials. And where people still diligently hang lungta prayer flags, hoping that the wisdom of the five Buddhas will spread with the wind to all ten directions of the world.

More information:

- Time: The best time to travel to Bhutan is March-May (summer) and September-November (autumn). In September and October, the temperature in Thimphu is usually around 10-20 degrees Celsius, not too cold.

- Travel policy:The Bhutanese government requires all visitors to Bhutan to book a tour through a government-licensed travel agent. The agent will take care of everything for you, from visas, airfares to hotel reservations. See the list of licensed agents on the website:www.tourism.gov.bt/plan/tour-operators

-Trip:There are currently no direct flights from Vietnam to Bhutan. Tour groups usually have to fly via Bangkok, then transit in Kolkata before reaching Paro (Bhutan).

-Experience:If you visit the ancient capital of Punakha, don’t forget to sign up for rafting on the Mo Chhu River. The river is shallow and calm, making it an unforgettable experience and a highlight between temple visits, making the trip less boring.

-Skin:Try wearing traditional Bhutanese clothing once (ghofor men,Kirafor women). You can borrow or rent one from your travel agent to look better in photos!

-Note:Remember to bring medicine for colds, coughs, motion sickness... because it is difficult to find western medicine in Bhutan. And bring lots of instant noodles, in case you are not used to the local cuisine. Unlike other tours, Bhutan tours do not have Vietnamese or Chinese meals.

Article and photos: Dang Trinh

The Thanh