My final day in the main city of Thimphu wrapped up today with a sprinkle of rain. Apparently Bhutan has decided to help me get ready for life back in the Pacific Northwest!
The first stop was to one of the weaving centers in Thimphu. Women were seated in front of their looms hand weaving the kiras and ghos for the men, women, and children of Bhutan. This particular shop was owned by a male weaver (quite unusual), who has won the national award many times and weaves for the King himself.
Next was the public library so I could unload the most of books I purchased to keep my mind busy in Bumthang. The weight limit for the flight out of Paro was my main motivation for donating the books, but any excuse to lose some baggage is fine with me... plus I was able to give a little back to a society that has given so much to me. I was eager to get one more look at one of the strangest creatures I have ever seen, the takins. They were much more habituated than before and cooperated for some fun pictures.
The last stop was a little off the beaten tourist path and we found our way to the National Library. Here some of the oldest texts in the region are stored. There are also letters from the 1700’s and mantras written with bamboo pens from Tibet.
Tomorrow we head out for a 5 hour round trip hike to one of the more famous dzongs in Thimphu and I am hoping to glimpse some wildlife along the way. One more day in Thimphu, then one in Paro, and then its all airplanes until I see some familiar faces on the 23rd!
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