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Thirteen Crafts Sample Itin.Pub Texles and Cra s of Bhutan with Diana Myers June 17-July 2, 2018 Saturday, June 16 Pre tour night in Bangkok Monday, June 18 Thimphu Tonight’s hotel accommodations are not included. Our exploration of Bhutan’s Thirteen traditional crafts However, we recommend staying at the Novotel – Zorig Chusum – begins today. The government of Suvarnabhumi Airport Hotel tonight in order to easily Bhutan is well-known for its policy of pursuing meet the group tomorrow morning. development, while preserving and nurturing traditional culture. We begin with a visit to the Sunday, June 17 Bangkok ––– Paro --- Thimphu government-sponsored School of Arts and Crafts, We will gather at the Bangkok Airport for the early which offers six-year courses in painting, drawing, and flight to Paro. Flight and meeting information will be sculpting. advised. Nancy and Diana will meet you at the airport . After lunch, we will visit the Royal Textile Academy and Textile Museum to learn more about weaving, the Flying west with the morning sun, we turn north from only traditional craft that is predominantly practiced the Indian plains for a dramatic landing in the Paro by women. We will enjoy a personal tour from the Valley. After clearing customs and completing RTA’s executive director, Rinzin O. Dorji. immigration formalities, we’ll be greeted by our Bhutanese guide and staff, who will accompany us Our day will wrap up with a visit to a producer of throughout the trip. traditional Bhutanese paper, made from the Daphne plant, and a visit to a well-known contemporary Bhutan’s arts and crafts will be all around us. weaving workshop run by Ao Kesang, an award- En route to Thimphu, the capital, our winding road winning weaver/designer from Eastern Bhutan. passes by the 15 th-century Tamchog Lhakhang (temple), built by Druptho Thang Thong Gyelpo, a We may enjoy a sunset drive to Khunsel Phodrang, a skilled blacksmith who is famously known as “the recently built Buddha statue perched on a ridge with great iron-bridge builder.” We will reach Thimphu in a wonderful view of Thimphu. time for lunch and a leisurely afternoon, exploring the weekend market or walking to the Memorial Chorten, Meals included today and throughout our time in honoring Bhutan’s third king, which Bhutanese Bhutan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner circumambulate morning and evening, saying their prayers. Welcome dinner. Meals included today: Lunch and dinner W W W . ESPRITTRAVEL . C O M CST #1020919-40 Tuesday, June 19 Thimphu ––– Paro ––– Bumthang Wednesday, June 20 Jakar (Jakar) Bumthang is famed for its sheep, as well as for the We rise early this morning to return to Paro for a 25- local nobility’s patronage of weaving. This morning minute flight to Bumthang in central Bhutan, a we visit the temple complex of Tamshing, which was journey that would otherwise take two days! founded in 1501 by one of Bhutan’s most famous Bumthang (“plain of the vase”) is one of the most saints, Pema Lingpa (“the treasure discoverer”). beautiful and sacred areas in Bhutan, and was the Richly decorated with thangkas and statues, site of Bhutan’s royal court in the early 1900s. The Tamshing is home to many young monks in training region was converted to Buddhism by Bhutan’s – and has lovely 19 th -century wall paintings patron saint, Padmasambhava (Guru Rimpoche), depicting local villagers in the traditional dress of who made frequent visits to Bhutan in the 8 th that time. century. Our destination is a weaving workshop at Dorjibi, Bumthan’s four valleys – Chokhor, Tang, Ura, and still sponsored by a local noblewoman. Dorjibi is Chume (2600-4000 m) - are studded with known for fine, handspun sheep wool which has monasteries and temples of great historic become very rare We will be treated to a lunch importance. Bhutanese say the Chokhor Valley, featuring Bumthang’s specialty – buckwheat where we land, is shaped like the holy vase for pancakes - at a local home. saffron water found on every Buddhist altar. After lunch, we enjoy a walk across a suspension After settling into our hotel and having lunch, we will bridge spanning the rushing Chamkhar Chu (river) to take a short walk to the Wangdicholing Palace, a Kurjey Lhakhang, a 17-century temple next to which 19 th century manor house that was a summer home a spectacular new monastery has been built in for Bhutan’s royal family. Dozens of women were traditional style. once engaged here in preparing yarns for weaving and producing textiles for the household. At tonights dinner we will also sample their home- made cheese, beer, apple juice and honey. The remainder of the afternoon is at leisure to explore the market or visit the Jambey Lhakhang, Thursday, June 21 Jakar to Chume one of the two oldest temples in Bhutan. It was After breakfast we set off down the Chokhor Valley built circa 750 by King Srongstan Gampo of Tibet as and across the Kiki La (9,515 feet, “La” means part of his pledge to build 108 temples to the “pass”), toward the Chume Valley. Buddha during his lifetime. Jambey is one of the holiest of Bhutan’s religious sites, and one can visit We have the opportunity for a short hike through the courtyards of the ancient temple and see people pine forest to Tharpaling Monastery.Our vehicles will circumambulating from dawn to dusk. The temple meet us at Tharpaling and drive us to our is a wonderful example of Bhutan’s carpentry and accommodation for the night. masonry arts. W W W . ESPRITTRAVEL . C O M CST #1020919-40 entry into Eastern Bhutan. Although the east is the Friday, June 22 Chume ––– Ogyen Choling most densely populated part of the country, it has After breakfast, we take a short drive to Nimalung steep terrain and few good roads. Many regions Monastery to witness the annual dances that are accessible only on foot. Eastern Bhutan also celebrate the conversion of Bhutan to Buddhism by has relatively few facilities for visitors (all are Guru Rimpoche. Monks in elaborate masks, primitive), and is visited by very few tourists. As we appliquéd boots and bright silk robes re-enact the descend from Sengor village, lovely waterfalls subduing of local spirits, and young women from plunge from the cliffs as we approach the Kuri Chu nearby villages, dressed in their hand-woven finery, bridge (1,864”). The road then ascends another perform folk dances. 3,000’ to the market town of Mongar, where we will stay for the night. After lunch, we head east, past the Chokhor Valley and up the scenic Tang Valley to the aristocratic Sunday, June 24 Mongar ––– Khoma/Lhuntshi manor house of Ogyen Choling. Our hosts, Kunzang Our destination today is Lhuntshi (formerly known and Walter Roder, will greet us and share their as Kurtoe) District. Considered remote even by wonderful efforts to preserve Kunzang’s ancestral Bhutanese standards, Lhuntshi is the ancestral property as a “heritage home” destination for local home of Bhutan’s royal family and features and international visitors. Ogyen Choling’s history scattered villages high above its steep river valley. begins with the visit of the great Tibetan masters The princesses of the royal family were famous as of Buddhism Longchen Rabjampa (1308-63), a patrons of fine silk and cotton weaving, and celebrated writer and philosopher. We will learn popularized the most elegant style of wraparound how this site became important for the saint Dorji dress (kushuthara), decorated with a distinctive Lingpa, whose descendants have the responsibility style of extra-weft patterning, that is still favored for of upholding religious traditions (see www.oling.bt formal and festive occasions in Bhutan. We head for more information). Kunzang is also a renowned for the village of Khoma, where weaving remains a Bhutanese author of books on topics from cooking major source of income for many women, who to fairytales. produce textiles for sale and for clients in Thimphu. Saturday, June 23 Ogyen Choling --- Mongar A cluster of stone and wood houses built close After an early breakfast, we continue east through together, on a rough road off the main road, Khoma the Ura Valley with its neat, sloping fields, and into has no hotel, so we will have the privilege of staying more rugged terrain toward the highest pass in in homes. Bhutan. The virgin Himalayan forests in this region are within a national park – massive Explore the village this afternoon, and enjoy a rhododendrons, pine, and holly-leafed oak. unique evening, being welcomed in the traditional manner by women bringing home-made ara Crossing the Thrumshing La (12,300’) marks our (moonshine) to offer us, as they dance and sing. W W W . ESPRITTRAVEL . C O M CST #1020919-40 800-377-7481 wooden containers. The people of Merak Sakteng, Monday, June 25 Khoma/Lhuntshi called Brokpas, come regularly via Radhi to This morning we drive to Lhuntshi Dzong, a fortress/ Tashigang to exchange their goods for textiles and palace dramatically situated on a hill overlooking other items; they also trade with Arunachal Pradesh the Kuri Chu. It was built in 1654 by Trongsa Penlop in India. The Brokpas are easily recognized by their Chogyal Minjur Tempa on the site of an older temple dress and unusual yak hair hats. The women of built by Nagi Wangchuck, the progenitor of the royal Radhi is famous for the skills of its weavers, women family, in 1552. After visiting Lhuntshi Dzong , we who work mainly with wild silk yarns and color them continue north to the village of Dungkar, home of with local indigo, lac, turmeric, and other forest Bhutan’s first king, on a recently constructed road.
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