Bhutan–Window in the Sky

February 24th, 2007 by Sexy Mom · Viewed 9062 times · 43 Comments

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

One of my favorite pictures taken in Bhutan. Yes, the leaves of these trees in Punnakha turn to lavender in April, and this lasts for only about a month.

with young monks

an old Bhutanese lady holding prayer beads.

a refreshing sight to behold.

in front of the Ministry of Finance Building

with a young Bhutanese lady in front of the Ministry of Health Building

two young Bhutanese girls

this old man stays near the temple during the day

Gross National Happiness reflected in the faces of these young kids. Aren’t they cute and cuddly?

tiny prayer bells, hundreds of them, in front of the hotel

Tags: Travel

43 responses so far ↓

Sidney // Feb 24, 2007 at 11:03 pm

Lucky you! I wish I could visit Bhutan!
Wondrful pictures!
Great architecture!
kathy // Feb 24, 2007 at 11:18 pm

I’ve never seen a tree with lavender leaves! Only in your picture! Thanks for sharing.
From your pics, Bhutan sounds like an exotic but exciting country to visit.
Sexy Mom // Feb 25, 2007 at 12:46 am

thanks, Sydney, yes, i guess i am lucky. i visited Bhutan 3 times, and i have visited a number of cities and towns. one of these days, i will write extensively about these travels.
Sexy Mom // Feb 25, 2007 at 12:58 am

Kathy, it is an exciting place to visit because it is kinda different. it is very rich in culture, and the place—wow! pristine forests, clean air, a place for meditation…:)
pining // Feb 25, 2007 at 2:03 am

OMG, what a remarkable tree
I’d love to go the Himalayas.. one of my soo many dreams.. heaven on earth
vic // Feb 25, 2007 at 3:03 am

People always equate unlimited rights with being free and happy and the people of Bhutan might as well prove this theory wrong. It is considered one the top ten happiest country in the world with one of the jighest per capita income in Asia with unspoiled environment and it is a constitutionally controlled nation.
sesame // Feb 25, 2007 at 4:54 am

You visited Bhutan 3 times??? Wow. I envy you. This is one of the places I want to go. I think you need to apply for special permit isn’t it?
Lizza // Feb 25, 2007 at 6:13 am

The pictures are beautiful, I especially liked the one with the lavender-colored leaves.
Gross National Happiness—what a great concept.

Oohhh, now my feet are really starting to itch.
Belle // Feb 25, 2007 at 8:31 am

Wow, Dine, those are beautiful shots. I didn’t know such place exists. Thanks for sharing! Would love to visit that place someday.

You look gorgeous, by the way.
Sexy Mom // Feb 25, 2007 at 11:56 am

Pining and Lizza – the lavender trees are lovely!

Sesame – my 3 visits to Bhutan were all work-related, but i was able to see most of the country during field trips. there is a surcharge (for meals, accommodation, tour) of $200/day per person (minimum of 3). if the group is less than 3, each person pays another $40. tourists have to make arrangements through authorized travel agencies (no independent travel is allowed).
Sexy Mom // Feb 25, 2007 at 12:00 pm

Pining, yes, Bhutan is called the last place on the roof of the world. it’s a dream place, indeed.
Sexy Mom // Feb 25, 2007 at 12:01 pm

Vic – smiles are abundant, the people are happy, people are unspoilt, so is the environment. tv was introduced only a couple of years ago (it used to be only the local radio). when i asked the people who had the opportunity to study abroad why they returned to Bhutan, most of them would say that “migrating out of Bhutan was never an option for them”. they like living in their country.
Sexy Mom // Feb 25, 2007 at 12:03 pm

Belle – i suggest that you keep Bhutan in your list of places to see.

thanks for the compliment, though being gorgeous is the last thing in the mind while in Bhutan (lol)
Stella // Feb 25, 2007 at 12:56 pm

Gross National Happiness! Haha, that’s awesome. I like that picture of the kids. Perfect image for the said statement. I find your blog very amusing, esp. because of the name. Hope you don’t find that offensive, it’s a compliment!

Thanks for stopping by my site!
Sexy Mom // Feb 25, 2007 at 1:13 pm

thanks, Stella. that gives me an idea, i will re-label the picture to reflect GNH.
Abaniko // Feb 25, 2007 at 8:35 pm

This place seems too tranquil with simple people living simple lives. If I only get the chance to visit Bhutan, I won’t hesistate buying a new Canon lens right away.
tina // Feb 25, 2007 at 9:09 pm

i thought those leaves are flowers…. sooo lovely…

i like the picture with you and the young monks.. hehe soo nice.
dimaks // Feb 25, 2007 at 9:21 pm

lovely photos.. how i wish i could visit bhutan too. i’d love to meditate along with those monks
jangelo // Feb 25, 2007 at 10:14 pm

Together, we will chase it around perdition’s flame!
Toe // Feb 26, 2007 at 12:47 am

I have heard of Bhutan… my sister and her husband have both been there… and it’s definitely one of the places I want to go to in my lifetime. I like that Gross National Happiness.
eric aka senor enrique // Feb 26, 2007 at 10:29 am

Gross National Happiness … I love that! That should be the universal unit of measurement of a nation’s success.

I love your pictures; you do have an eye. Have only one request, though—could you resize your pics for a small size. I have a sloooooow online connection kasi, eh. Hehehe!

Keep taking them pictures, Dine!
eye // Feb 26, 2007 at 3:38 pm

based on the photos, bhutan is indeed a kingdom! it’s nice to see the typical friendly asian faces and traditional costumes (which is somewhat similar to ours no?). and yes, the lavender tree, ngayon lang din ako nakakita niyan more, more pictures!
Sexy Mom // Feb 26, 2007 at 4:01 pm

yes, Abaniko, if one were bound for bhutan, it will be worth buying a new set of lenses.

tina, they are leaves. being with the young monks is a different experience, they seemed to exude simplicity and inner peace.

yes, Dimaks, bhuddist meditation places abound in bhutan. have you heard that richard gere converted to buddhism?
Sexy Mom // Feb 26, 2007 at 4:04 pm

toe, am sure your sister and her husband liked the experience. and yes, similar mysticism as angkor watt pervades bhutan.

eye, men and women have to wear their traditional costumes when they are outside the house. if they break the rules, they will be imprisoned (though there are very few who break the rules). men wear the “goh”, similar to the robes that japanese men wear.
Sexy Mom // Feb 26, 2007 at 4:06 pm

thanks, senor enrique, will resize the pictures next time. and GNH is indeed a good idea. i wonder if the developed countries would take initiative in replicating it.
KK // Feb 27, 2007 at 10:47 am

Hi Sexymom,
The pictures are so Zen. It’s so refreshing to see people in non-westernized clothes.
The purple blossoms behind you in the first picture are beautiful.
Sexy Mom // Feb 27, 2007 at 10:50 am

thanks KK, that’s exactly the color – purple, when i was writing the post, i was cracking my head, i knew there’s a color more apt than lavender. ah! purple!
dimaks // Feb 27, 2007 at 6:05 pm

I didn’t know about richard gere having converted to buddhism.. wow, really. Must be a tough inspiration and choice.
Rach // Feb 28, 2007 at 10:49 pm

Gross National Happiness … now if only everyone could adapt this noble measurement, life would be so much more pleasant.

Thanks for sharing all these lovely photos especially the first one. I’ve never seen a tree like that before. Amazing!

Bhutan seems like a beautiful country worth visiting.
Leah // Mar 1, 2007 at 12:52 am

you captures such beautiful sights and faces in your photos. Very nice. And the tree is such a beautiful sight too. Now I have to search for a close-up photo of that.
benj // Mar 2, 2007 at 11:16 pm

Did you get to go to the Tiger’s Lair?

Bhutan is definitely in my to-go list after Peru. I wonder how much it would cost to go backpacking. hmmm…
Sexy Mom // Mar 3, 2007 at 5:49 am

yes, Dimaks, Richard Gere has converted to Buddhism, and one of the places he frequents is Sri Lanka
Sexy Mom // Mar 3, 2007 at 5:55 am

Rach, GNH was not a difficult idea in Bhutan, with a population of less than a million. if it were to be adopted in the Philippines, i wonder how…
Sexy Mom // Mar 3, 2007 at 6:04 am

benj, i wanted to go to the Tiger’s Lair, but i did not have the time.

am not sure about backpacking. as i mentioned in my comment to sesame, there is a surcharge (for meals, accommodation, tour) of $200/day per person (minimum of 3). if the group is less than 3, each person pays another $40. tourists have to make arrangements through authorized travel agencies (no independent travel is allowed).
benj // Mar 6, 2007 at 2:28 am

A work-related visit to Bhutan?! Hmmm… Are you with Unicef? hehe. I guess I could rule out backpacking then.

200$/day… ouch. For some reason, I thought Bhutan was going to be cheap – Cambodia cheap. Oh well. Pag iipunan – at maghahanp ng kasama.

I’ve been dreaming of going to the Tiger’s Nest (nest pala, I think I was half asleep when I typed that). Ang gandaaa sa tv.

I bet Nepal’s even going to cost more. Hay. Southeast Asia nalang muna lakwatsya.
Sexy Mom // Mar 6, 2007 at 2:44 am

benj, yes, work related trips to bhutan! with adb. nepal should be cheaper, very much cheaper, one can even go backpacking.
linda // Mar 7, 2007 at 8:32 pm

The purple tree is indeed beautiful and it’s a Jacaranda tree and a native of Australia.
Sexy Mom // Mar 7, 2007 at 8:35 pm

thanks, Linda, now i know the name!
Perfect Moments : The D Spot // Feb 5, 2008 at 12:07 am

[...] was taken by Sexy Mom in Bhutan last June 2006. It has been a favorite since then. Little did I know that in April 2007, Dimaks [...]
Bhutan: Land of the Thunder Dragon : The D Spot // Feb 11, 2008 at 4:52 am

[...] called Window in the Sky, Bhutan is called the Land of the Thunder Dragon. It is a land in the Himalayas, about 25,000 feet [...]
Why Poems from the Heart « Poems from the Heart // Jun 24, 2008 at 10:06 am

[...] taken from Punnakha, Bhutan. Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)Concerning Reposts of Poems (Another “Why I [...]
BHUTAN: Where Gross National Happiness is measured rather than GNP and GDP : The D Spot // Aug 12, 2008 at 11:15 pm

[...] gauge the income per person, we can only see smiles and feel the peace emanating from the people in Bhutan—where Gross National Happiness (GNH)s the main index for defining the quality of life in a [...]
BHUTAN: SMILES Everywhere : The D Spot // Nov 26, 2008 at 2:21 pm

[...] This includes girls and boys 12 years old and above. In 1989 the Tshogdu, or National Assembly, of Bhutan announced that all Bhutanese citizens must wear the appropriate national dress in all public [...]

The D Spot

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