Bumthang or Bust

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So after a fitfull sleep for many of us after out long day and critical patient we were up early to fill out tummies and say goodbye to Pelden, one of our speech therapists. Part of the group went to the hospital to do rounds and the 4 of us walked into Trongsa town...

How is our young boy doing?? Fantastic!! The units of blood have done him wonders..He has been up to pee and can drink and eat soup now..Thank goodness

So we begin our 76km journey to Bumthang..No time at all and we will be there...Wrong..3 hours later we arrive. But such beautiful scenery is worth enjoying..The road is so windy it is unbelieveable...there were washouts everywhere from the recent rains..But after the hills and the clouds we drove thru we came to the open valley and the beautiful river in Bumthang, or Jakar as it is called. We were making our way to the Swiss Guest Haus for an anticipated lunch we, Paul yells, we must go back..."That is a once in a life time photo" What can he mean we all think??? the bus backs up for us to discouver 3 young boys having a bath in the front yard together in a small metal wash basin...What a sight!!! And Paul was right, once in a lifetime..They played and one ran out to grab the balloon Paul was blowing up...His Grandmother was not too pleased that her hard work was being wasted for this toy...But being the polite young man he was, the youngster reached into the basin to fill the cup, carefully cleaned his right foot before returning it to the wash, then again filled it, and cleaned his left foot and returned to his bath...With big grins on their faces the 3 of them continued on....What a thing to see on a sunny Sunday..

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Back to our original journey..We are greeted at Fritz's haus with smiles..A fantastic lunch, some Weiss Beer, and Plum Brandy fill our tummies...The drunks enjoy laughs from the stories he tells...We mush go and buy some cheese from the factory he established over 30 years ago....Ymmmmmm

We then head to a monestary that was built in the 7th century....What a feeling to enter such a place..Men and women are circling this place with prayer wheels in hand..How many times do they go around??? We ask one old woman...She has no idea..She will go until it is right she says...Such patience and dedication...With the smell of incense lingering we head back onto the bus for the journey back to Trongsa...

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The winding road seems longer in the thick mist of cloud..We move to the motion of the curves and hang on as the bus driver sticks his head out the window to know where we are going..We watch to villagers harvest the buckwheat..Red rows of havest neatly lined awaiting their turn to be thrashed....Late we arrive back in Trongsa...A hearty dinner, some libations, and to bed....We have a full day of surgery tommorrow....