I thought I was sitting down to share photos with you from a different travel destination; however, either my soul or my heart keeps returning to Bhutan. So before we leave, why don't we visit a farmer's market and maybe a fabric handicraft shop? Farmer's markets have a way of engaging all of one's senses while also providing an inside glimpse into the local culture. This is why I prefer the local markets where local producers and artisans bring their wares for sale, and wher

Thimphu is both the capital and largest city of Bhutan, and sitting aloft on one of its hilltops is the Buddha Dordenma Statue. Cast of bronze and gilded in gold, measuring at a height of 169 feet, this is the largest seated Buddha in the world and can be seen for miles away. The Buddha sits atop a lotus flower on the roof of a gilded meditation hall. No photos allowed inside but trust me it is beautiful. Inside are 125,000 smaller gilded Buddha statues, 100,000 8 inch tall a

On the high road from Thimphu to Panaka, one passes through the Himalayas over the Dochula Pass. The elevation of the pass is 10200 feet and the road weaves among the cypress clad mountains which are speckled with religious flags and families selling their locally grown apples. This mountain pass is gorgeous in its own right, but it is also the site of Druk Wangyal Chortens. These memorial chortens, or stupas, 108 in number, were built in memory of Bhutanese soldiers who sac

Bhutan is an amazing country for many reasons, but I will begin with one of its superlatives, Paro Taktsang Monastery. The Himalayan Buddhist monastery seems to hang on a cliff above Bhutan's beautiful Paro valley at an elevation of 10236 feet above sea level. One of the most sacred sites in Bhutan, either seeing or visiting the monastery is a marvelous and memorable experience. Seeing would be what my husband and I did, not being up to the arduous ascent; visiting would be w