Anything Potted: In Bhutan and in Capalonga

September 2nd, 2007 by Sexy Mom · Viewed 4446 times · 30 Comments

Today, the first Monday of the month (and every first Monday of the month thereafter, Pinoy Moms Network members share photos through the Fam Pics project. This month’s theme is Anything Potted. Here are my 2 entries.

See the pots and pans above? They are part and parcel of a typical home and a typical roadside restaurant in Bhutan. As you can see, they still use wood to cook their food. Yes, this is in Bhutan. I had the chance to visit Bhutan three times in my lifetime. Each visit is unforgettable, once in a while, I got the experience a waylaid life, a quiet, simple life, amidst the pristine beauty of the country.

The Kingdom of Bhutan is a country nestled in the Eastern Himalayas. Visitors and guests in Bhutan will be surprised that the culture and traditional lifestyle in Bhutan is still richly intact and at the degree to which it permeates all strands of modern day secular life. The country has consciously adopted a controlled tourism and development policy to safeguard its rich and natural environment and culture. As of 2004, only 9,000 visitors have entered the kingdom, and the numbers in the coming years are not expected to increase greatly (they currently receive 5,000 visitors a year).

Trivia: Instead of Gross National Product it uses Gross National Happiness to measure posterity.

This is the altar in the Chinese Chapel in Capalonga, Camarines Norte. The Capalonga Festival, an annual celebration is held every May 11-12 honoring the feast day of the Black Nazarene. It draws people of Chinese descent to this small town to seek favors for an auspicious business climate. A series of masses are held both in the Chinese Chapel and in the Main Church during the festival, and processions are held around the main streets of the town.

See the potted plants and flowers that surround the altar? Next year, I will go back for a pilgrimage, let me also see again the simple but beautiful potted plants and flowers, reflective of the simple but beautiful hearts of the people who gather around the chapel year in and year out.

Trivia: I heard that every year, during the festival, a large number of buses would park in Lawton, to ferry pilgrims, for free to Capalonga and back to Manila, courtesy of the rich Chinese and Taiwanese (both from the mainland and those from the country) who have earned graces through the intercession of the Black Nazarene. True enough, I saw a lot of Chinese and Taiwanese devotees, and people from all walks of life in this small sleepy town. And yes, the airconditioned buses were there, waiting for the people who would like to go back to Manila.

Here are some more “potted” posts from fellow sexy Pinays:
he other moms who participated in the FamPics

Our pmp prep course & 1Y0-A18 include the latest set of E22-275 practice questions and testking icnd dumps with 100% guarantee for victory in 1Y0-A18 dumps.

Tags: Fun · Information · Pinoy Moms Network · Travel

30 responses so far ↓

lady cess // Sep 4, 2007 at 7:49 am

waa! di ako nakahabol.

GNH. i think the philippines has a high GNH thanks for the intersting info about Bhutan. learned something new today
Kongkong622 // Sep 4, 2007 at 8:46 am

interesting pics, dine. bhutan is one place i’d like to see. remember we were talking about it when we had dinner

may project kami dyan sa capalonga!! haven’t been there, though. but my dad said it was nice daw. maraming ginto dyan
Rach // Sep 4, 2007 at 9:10 am

Hi Dine. Interesting pictures. I like the trivia part. Gross National Happiness … I like the sound of that.

I’ve never been to any of those two. It must be a pleasure to travel to many wonderful places.
jun // Sep 4, 2007 at 9:16 am

How do you measure GNH?
lady cess // Sep 4, 2007 at 9:41 am

yippeee! thanks dine!
carlotta // Sep 4, 2007 at 10:15 am

maybe bhutan is one of the most peaceful countries in the world. i haven’t read/heard about the country since i read about it in the encyclopedia (yup i read those for fun as a kid ;D) thanks for the info!
feng // Sep 4, 2007 at 5:47 pm

what a traveler you are! interesting photos for the PMN FamPic’s theme potted.

lucky you for having been in Bhutan for three times. and the photo above certainly capture what life in Bhutan is all about. like Rach and Cess, I’d definitely agree with the GNH.

and the altar at Capalonga, it definite reflects the Chinese atmosphere esp. highlighted by the wooden furniture behind, it has carvings like what can be seen in a Chinese temple. and the terracotta pots behind it too added more Chinese details.
raqgold // Sep 5, 2007 at 3:21 am

interesting facts, sexymom!
francesca // Sep 5, 2007 at 4:18 am

thats interesting,mom dina.

Nakikibisita laang, nasa akin ang pc today, hehehe;
siya, bisita ka uli sa blog ko, if feel tumawa hanggang sumakit ang panga! see you there!
Belle // Sep 5, 2007 at 2:01 pm

dine, in the province where i came from, most people still prefer wood over gas for cooking because it is a lot cheaper.

i miss the deadline again for Fam pics.
julie // Sep 5, 2007 at 9:17 pm

Interesting places and interesting trivia. Thanks for sharing these, Dine!
Lynn // Sep 5, 2007 at 10:02 pm

I wonder what’s the GNH of the Philippines. I like that slice of life photo in Bhutan. They say cooking using wood makes the food tastes better.
teacherjulie.com » PinoyMomsNetwork Fam Pics: Potted // Sep 7, 2007 at 1:11 am

[...] Dine’s anything potted in Bhutan and Capalonga [...]
the best tea | occupation: SAHM // Sep 7, 2007 at 7:15 am

[...] Dine’s anything potted in Bhutan and Capalonga Posted in life’s pleasures, parenthood RSS 2.0 | Trackback | Comment [...]
Fam Pics: The Ceramic Fondue Pot » Touched by an Angel » // Sep 7, 2007 at 7:19 am

[...] Dine’s anything potted in Bhutan and Capalonga [...]
SOMETHING POTTED IN TAGAYTAY, THE BAHAY KUBO, AND TOM’S WORLD « From Dawn Till Dusk // Sep 7, 2007 at 9:59 am

[...] Dine’s anything potted in Bhutan and Capalonga [...]
analyse // Sep 7, 2007 at 4:23 pm

GNH! if only all countries use the same measure to evaluate posterity no?
auee // Sep 7, 2007 at 6:08 pm

I like the trivia bits most! We could use the GNH instead of GNP ha
Rowena // Sep 7, 2007 at 7:41 pm

Hi Dine, I was going to ask pa naman what’s life like in Bhutan, until I’ve read the rest of this post, thanks for sharing. I’m gonna tell my kids this info…
Domestic Glamor » Archive » FamPic - Potted: Coffee Alamid // Sep 7, 2007 at 10:20 pm

[...] Dine’s anything potted in Bhutan and Capalonga [...]
KK // Sep 8, 2007 at 11:34 am

Hi Sexymom,
Wow! 3 times in Bhutan? You’re one lucky lady! It must have been such an experience to travel there. Thanks for such an informative post on the pots.
Have a great weekend!
PMN Fam Pics : Potted « When Silence Speaks // Sep 8, 2007 at 3:43 pm

[...] Dine’s anything potted in Bhutan and Capalonga [...]
chateau // Sep 8, 2007 at 5:46 pm

Hi Dine! Bhutan is only must-see list of places. I hope to make a pilgrimage to one of the holy Buddhist temples.

The Filipino-Chinese have a unique “religion”, no? A mix of Buddhism-Taoism-Catholicism. My in-laws have a Sto. Nino statue beside great Budhhas and Toh Ti Kongs.

Ay, you know of course that I missed this fam pics edition. Despite having lots of potted photos pala in my archives, I was too tired and sleepy to post an entry. But am recovered and blog-hopping now!
kimmy // Sep 9, 2007 at 7:54 am

hmm… bhutan is a very mysterious place to me. hope i can visit the kingdom in the future.
vicky // Sep 9, 2007 at 2:28 pm

those pots look old but shiny and very clean for a woodfire stove. Now I know more about Bhutan..and those are nice pots and plants and flowers for the Chinese Chapel.
Fam Pics - Potted « GreyMom // Sep 14, 2007 at 9:13 pm

[...] Dine’s anything potted in Bhutan and Capalonga [...]
clarita // Dec 21, 2007 at 6:07 pm

hi is there a flight from manila to bhutan? if not, what’s the best flight plan to and from manila? Thanks

SexyMom: You have to take the flight from Bangkok!
SOMETHING POTTED IN TAGAYTAY, THE BAHAY KUBO, AND TOM’S WORLD | From Dawn Till Dusk // Jan 9, 2008 at 12:46 pm

[...] Dine’s anything potted in Bhutan and Capalonga [...]
Potted Stories : Guinea Pig // Dec 31, 2008 at 1:55 pm

[...] Dine’s anything potted in Bhutan and Capalonga [...]
Potted Stories « My Good Finds Org // Jan 11, 2009 at 12:43 pm

[...] Dine’s anything potted in Bhutan and Capalonga [...]

The D Spot

On the joy of living, loving, learning, sharing…