Backdate: Bhutan Dec 2024 Day 9

20/12/24 Weds: The sky was very beautiful at 6+am! The clouds were pink to the naked eye~ photo just isn't good enough!

It was only about 6.45am or so but one could see the sky lighting up. We had a rather sumptuous breakfast before going out for our hike. I drank more ginger honey tea, hoping they'd help with my cold/flu symptoms. I ate simple oats, almond and dried fruit, but also wanted spinach and poached eggs hehe.

The view of the 'Golden Bridge' in Bhutan Spirit Sanctuary in the morning. The hotel’s nestled in an area rather unassuming but still picturesque.

Jamyang did this on the outside of the car haha. He said it was -2 degrees Celcius at 7.30am omg... “It will be better when you start the hike one hour later… -1 degrees Celcius.” LOL thanks~

At 8.30am, we got ready for the hike up Paro Taktsang, also known as Tiger’s Nest! (tigress to be exact) at 2,950m. I was contemplating if I should wear my down jacket because Potato decided to go up wearing his thin jacket. Decided I would wear it in the end because it was very cold at the foot of the mountain but well... sweated halfway up and Jamyang helped me carry it all the way instead haha~

One could hire ponies for the first half of the trip but PotaTOHs decided to hike up on foot. 

Due to my blocked nose, I had some difficulties breathing at times at the start of the hike up, but the views kept me going on! Look at how far Tiger's Nest looked above... still so far away…

One hour later, we reached the halfway mark at the cafe. Even the view from the toilet was pretty~

As we sat there and rest for 15 minutes, we looked across and Tiger's Nest still looked like it was quite some distance away right? To think Jamyang said we were halfway there already and I was doubting myself a bit haha. We also saw a huge group of Singaporeans and Malaysians from Chan Brothers group there.

For the next hour, we completed another 1/4 of the hike up slopes and I continued to admire the pine forest and the beautiful scenery next to us...

People also stacked stones to act as a guide for other hikers so they know they were on the right path up.

This was a nice angle that Jamyang pointed out and we could "peep at" Tiger's Nest through here.

很野，但很美的一张。*Thanks to Jamyang for carrying my down jacket and also our sandwiches, which we got to know later!*

There’s about eight to nine temples. This one above was said to be the birth place of one spiritual master and nowadays, people can use it for meditation.

At 10.45am, it looked like time for us to take the 500 steps down and 200 steps up towards the final lap to Taktsang Monastery! It is amazing how they had the temple here since 7th century (a fire broke out later and this is the restored version). 

At one corner, we saw these steps up to Guru Rinpoche’s consort’s temple. Legend has it his Tibetan consort turned into a tigress and flew him to Western Bhutan to subdue a strong demoness. It is now another meditation place. We took 30 minutes to reach Tiger's Nest at 11.15am and spent the next 45 minutes inside the temple area, where we had to remove our shoes and were not allowed to take photos.

There was a stone that had Guru Rinpoche's "imprint" and one can close their eyes and try to walk and see if our pointed thumb would fit into it. If it does, it's said one's wishes would come true but I missed it slightly haha. We got blessed inside the temples by the monks and again, one can tell how devoted the locals are towards Buddhism. We also listened to a few stories Jamyang had for us regarding Tiger's Nest. 

There were many people up there, so at 12pm, we traced our way back and saw rainbow at the waterfall! Anyway, the walking stick really helped me in the hike. Had to take photos at this "iconic corner"!

Ate my egg and veggie sandwich from the hotel at 12.30pm and it's not bad! 

不丹，你很赞。你的美，真的需要一点一点欣赏的。

Got back down at 2pm. Met some Singaporeans along the way and there was a grandma in her 80s wow! The altitude gain was 900m and it was a totally do-able four hour-hike (plus another one hour or so in the temple and resting). Maybe I improved after exercising all these years but we had no DOMs at all too after the hike yay!

We headed to a farmhouse for our lunch at 2.30pm. The photo above showed the local’s house! They grow their own sweet potatoes and other vegetables.

Got to climb a flight of stairs up to their living quarters. On the right was their traditional ladder and it was very tight omg.

This is their kitchen cum dining area, where the Bhutanese families would gather and eat at. We tried their酥油茶but thought it was bland haha. 

Here's our local feast! We're still not used to their food, but paying the additional 4000nu to have it at a local’s place with Jamyang and Yeshi was still worth the experience. *Both Jamyang and Yeshi can cook... nice.* 

We tried their homemade Ara but it did not leave a very deep impression on me haha. After that, we walked into their living room… and it's funny how the area would remind us of their “break window marriage” tradition.

Also had a rare glimpse of the local's altar room that every Bhutanese family has in their home. As we drove back to our hotel, we saw a Uniqlo in Bhutan haha.

We were back at 4pm. The terrace from outside our room was pretty.

I took some time to write letters and prepare some small token of appreciation for Jamyang and Yeshi because they took good care of us the whole way. Then, we had ku nye massage from 5 to 6pm before our last dinner in Bhutan.

The manager passed us a very thoughtful gift with our photos on it... they are real stamps that can be used in Bhutan! We began our six-course dinner at 6.45pm but because they had no printed menu, I cannot recall exactly what I ate unless they were very good haha.

The fried chicken dumplings/wontons was okay. The lamb was not bad. The poached pear with sour plum sauce and chocolate dessert was a bit weird though.