I first arrive in Paro, Bhutan, on the only airline allowed to fly into the country, Drukair, into what is not only the only airport in the country, but also considered one of the most dangerous airports in the entire world. The approach involves an almost 90º turn during the descent between the mountains as well as several turns through the narrow valley to the runway. Experiencing it wasn’t nearly as frightening as it sounds, but I imagine it can be a bit tense for the pilots. Only eight pilots in the world are currently certified to land here! In addition to the airport, Bhutan is difficult to get to because no one is allowed to visit Bhutan without prior approval, only so many tourists are allowed to visit per year and only so many at a time. I’m not sure the actual numbers, but it’s apparently not very many, and in 2012, I get to be one of them. The Bhutanese are very serious about protecting their country and their culture. At the airport, I am met by, Thinley, my guide for the week and a half or so of my visit and immediately we are off for a long drive to the country’s capital, Thimphu.

I love Bhutan! This place is just beautiful! Huge gaping valleys with massive rivers flowing through them, towering mountains all around, clean friendly cities, amazing foods I’ve never tried before, wow! These people have a unique culture, although still Buddhist, and they know it, and they value and protect it. They wear traditional clothing to work everyday, (it’s the law) but they can wear whatever they want when they’re off. Theirs is the only country in the world without a single traffic light. They had one once, but the people thought it was too impersonal, so they took it down and went back to using the traffic cop. Every building is built in pretty much the same beautiful traditional style and they all look like monasteries. Some of them are monasteries, but then some are hotels, businesses, farm houses, even their parliament building looks like a monastery and they all have traditional Bhutanese paintings all over the sides. Tigers and dragons and penises. Yup, I said penises.

Lama Drukpa Kunley came here in the 16th century. He said he used fair and foul words to teach Buddhism because words were empty anyway. He didn’t follow any particular practice because all is emptiness anyway.

Here’s another story about Bhutan’s “divine madman” that doesn’t involve his “mighty thunderbolt”. Once, a group of people asked him for a blessing. Before he would give it, he asked for a cow and a goat to eat, which they did, of course. After devouring both of the animals leaving nothing but the bones, he proceeded to place the skull of the goat on the skeleton of the cow and magically brought the mutant creation to life. This creation is now known as a Takin and is native only to this region, has baffled taxonomists all around the world, and can be seen at the Motithang Takin Reserve. I told you Bhutan was awesome!

On a day trip from Thimphu I hiked straight up to two beautiful monasteries, Tango Goemba and Chagri Goemba. At Tango, the monks had their collection of 500 year old tapestries hanging up to do some repair work. They’re usually kept under lock and key and no one but the monks themselves ever see them, but with my timing and given the fact that tourists very rarely make it up there, it turns out I’m one of the very few non-monks in the world to view them. I feel very lucky! Supposedly, Lama Drukpa Kunley urinated on one of them once, but the temple monk can’t tell me which one. LOL

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Just a few kilometers north of town is the beautiful little Dechenphu Lhakhang. I’m told it’s the kings personal temple and we’re allowed to visit only on days that the king isn’t using it, which is today. Yay! Aside from the temple and the peaceful atmosphere we get to watch a few monkeys hanging out in the trees.

And finally, I also got to be here just in time to see the finals of their national pastime, archery. It’s as big a deal here as baseball or football is back home. These guys shoot arrows at a target no more than a foot wide from 145 meters away… that’s over 500ft! The target is so far away I can’t even see the arrow land, but these guys hit it! They even do dances and sing songs when they do well to taunt the other teams. Unbelievable! I see kids all over the place practicing archery and carrying bows. I’m already planning a second trip here to see the things I’m not going to see this time. The land of the thunder dragon!

See all the pics from Thimphu right here. And stay tuned for more tales from Bhutan…