 |
 |
— After breakfast, we leave for the long drive to Trongsa. We’re not in any hurry so we play a game of leapfrog, passing our fellow travelers, stopping for photographs and meeting at the final destination, the Yangkhil Resort Hotel. We will also make numerous stops to photograph yaks and their herders, alpine flowers, picturesque villages, and other roadside and panoramic scenes. After we go through PeleLa Pass (10,825 ft.), if the weather is clear we can see the distant snow covered peaks of the Himalayas. This drive between Wangdi and Trongsa is one of the most scenic legs of our journey into the clouds, my personal favorite. We cross rivers and streams, pass by small waterfalls and chortens with water-driven prayer wheels, and get glimpses of yaks grazing in forests of pink and white rhododendrum.
An hour away from Trongsa we make our first sighting of the crimson-roofed Trongsa Dzong, with the Mangdechu river cascading in one continuous waterfall down through the valley beneath. You will want to use your long lens to capture this scene, then use it again from Trongsa looking back at the road you were just on--the road at the lookout point is carved out of the solid stone mountain. Just above Trongsa we will check into the first-class Yangkhil Resort, where you will stand on your private balcony and enjoy the majestic view of Trongsa Dzong across the valley. Trongsa Dzong represents Bhutan's link with its historical monarchy since it is the ancestral home of the first king of Bhutan, Ugyen Wangchuk. This is also the investiture site for future kings ascending the Golden Throne of Bhutan. The Fifth King of Bhutan was recently handed power from his father and ascended the throne in June 2008.
The view of Trongsa Dzong from your hotel room balcony.
Trongsa Dzong represents the very best opportunity to capture the true essence of Bhutanese monastic and parliamentary architecture. We will photograph its remarkable succession of street-like corridors, wide stone stairs and beautiful stone courtyards. Here, 25 lhakhangs (small temples, among which is the oldest lhakhang in Bhutan—the Chorten Lhakhang, built by Yongzin Ngagi Wangchuk in 1543) house sacred images and religious relics. Intricate wood carvings and beautiful frescos are emblazoned on the walls and pillars. With a little patience, monks will walk in and out of your frame as you photograph these remarkable and rare structures. We can also visit the newly renovated Ta Dzong Museum, the watchtower above the Trongsa Dzong. Look for Robin’s story about the new museum in the fall issue of Tashi Delek Magazine—it should be on the plane on the flight from Bangkok.
Overnight and dinner at Yangkhil Resort.
Abundant roadside wildlife, even monkeys.
