Paro and its famous Tiger's Nest

What trip to Bhutan is finished without seeing the amazing Taktsang Palphug Monastery also known as Tiger's Nest. Located on the edge of a cliff in Paro valley 3,120 meters up, the journey takes about 2-2.5 hrs to reach by foot and is one of the most important temple in Buddhism. According to legend it is said that the Guru Rinpoche flown here on the back of a tigress. He then proceeded to meditated in a cave for three months and emerged in eight incarnated forms. The original monastery was built in 1692, however in 1998 it suffered a devastating fire of unknown origin. Speculation is that the fire was caused either by incenses or an overturned butter lamp. Everything was destroyed except the statue of the second buddha. Reconstruction was completed in 2005 based upon old photographs and diaries, though there was little documentation of the wall paintings and other artwork housed inside. The trail itself is pretty manageable and offered very scenic views of the pine forrest and the valley below. At the first rest stop where the monastery was visible for the first time, the sight was truly incredible. Just when you felt like you were never going to reach the end, you were rewarded with the most breathtaking view of them all directly across the monastery. From there it was a mere 20mins away. However due to my vertigo I had apprehensions about this last leg of the path which consisted of 900 steps up and down the side of the cliff. Luckily railings has been recently added due to a fatal accident with a Japanese tourist a few years back.


However it really wasn't bad at all, in fact once I reached that part I hardly noticed the height. Perhaps it was my fatigue or just the anxiousness of finally seeing the monastery. Inside photography was not allowed due to the sacred nature of the complex itself. There are a total of eight temples with four being easy to access. All the temples are connected by stairs built into the rocks. There are also balconies which provides beautiful views of Paro below. Aside from Tiger's Nest, Paro's Rinpung Dzong is also worth a visit. Built from stone instead of clay, this dzong is smaller in size with only two courtyards. Once inside it offers a panoramic view of the city. In the late afternoon the valley sparkles as the sun hits the rooftops.


In the land of many temples and dzongs what better way to conclude our Bhutan trip than to visit one last temple. Kyichu Lhakhang is one of the oldest temple in the country built in the 7th century. Built by the Tibetan Emperor Songsten Gampo, it is considered to be one of the 108 border taming temples he built. However like many buildings it was also burnt down and rebuilt. There has also been many extensions with the latest done in 1965.


Rating:
Atmosphere: Small roads, rice patty fields and houses with stones to hold down the roof, that is the essence of Paro. Though that may not sound like much, the town instead feels immensely rich due to their faith and culture. Watching the sun disappear over the mountains for a brief second I felt content.


Beauty: I'll be the first to admit I don't find any pleasure in trekking. Instead I much prefer to be driven up. However in cases like this when walking or horse back are the only options I will gladly do it. Not for the satisfaction of the walk itself but for that absolutely spectacular view at the end, which definitely did not disappoint!


Cleanliness: It surprises me how a 3rd world country can be so clean. People here actually follows the rules and use the trash basket, how refreshing.
Food: Still yet to try authentic Bhutanese food, which based on what the guides said are not what we have been served. Apparently Bhutanese people don't actually drink soup or use utensils, I feel cheated!
People: Friendly like the previous cities. Also the guys don't stare at you or make rude comments! Nor do they try to talk to you in an inappropriate manner!
Comments: Bhutan has been a treat at the end of this trip. I was a little bummed Tibet fell through, but I couldn't have asked for a better alternative!

Scale: 1-10 = 8