The Busiest City in Bhutan, with No Traffic Lights
I’ve been warned that Thimphu isn’t reflecting the real Bhutan. It is the biggest city in the country, most developed, and quite busy (in Bhutan’s standard). But I can surely say, Thimphu was one of the most pleasant big cities I’ve ever been to. Because the city is located up on 7,656 ft (2,320 m), the climate is just perfect. It was a constant 25 deg Celsius during the summer days (and it’s dry!). By just a short hike, we could see the whole city and the valley. I loved the green! Even if they are affected by foreign cultures, Bhutan is doing a great job on protecting their culture (read more about it from My First Impressions of Bhutan). They don’t even have a street light. Instead, they have a police man in the intersection. Apparently, the street lights were too confusing!
We spent two days in Thimphu. Some of the unexpected activities were quite memorable (as always). We had a chance to peak at the archery tournament (it was open to the public), and one of the player was one of the Prince. It was quite fascinating to see how person can be so accurate. It’s uncanny, actually. We also stumbled upon into a local nunnery, that happened to be hosting praying mantras for several days. I had such a great time in Thimphu. Some of the portraits on ‘Faces of Bhutan’ were taken here as well. Here are photos of beautiful Thimphu!
Archery Tournament
The Memorial Stupa
Tashichho Dzong
Thangtong Dewachen Dupthop Nunnery
