MORE OF BHUTAN

On August 19, 2023 By alisonferryIn TravelLeave a comment

DAY SIX – BACK TO PARO AND FUN AND GAMES

Time to retrace our steps back to Paro and see more of everyday life in this beautiful country.

We set off early through winding mountain roads and stopped in the Divine Madman’s village primarily to see the painted houses and see how much the people revere this god. To us westerners the worship of the “flaming Thunderbolt” seems a little shocking and quite bizarre but during our drives around this western region we came across many houses with the art in different villages and towns. Clearly this is accepted and no one thinks anything of it. This is the god of fertility and so it is quite natural.

Once again we drove up to the Dochu La pass but this time the view was marred by smoke from the forest fires – deliberately lit by farmers to improve the soil. However driving through the forests of cypress pine and spruce amidst tiny waterfalls and memorial chortens was just as breathtaking. Once over the Pass we saw several traditionally built roadside markets. Obviously the farmers do well with the local travellers who stop to buy the fresh and very colourful produce. The variety was staggering much of which I had never seen before.

By the time we reached Thimphu it was time for a break and where better than a stop at the Ludrong Memorial Garden which is an oasis in the middle of the city. There we found walking trails, gazebos and bridges, ponds and ornamental gardens, woodlands and lots of picnic areas. The local population come here for family time on weekends and holidays and the dogs in this area are very well looked after!

The National Textile Museum was our next visit. Located in a modern building, the museum is under the royal patronage of the Queen Mother and was opened in 2001 and gradually added to since that time. Showcasing the beautiful Bhutanese textiles and the traditions of weaving and embroidery, it is fascinating to see the weaving techniques – demonstrated by a weaver of great skill – and the styles of local dress for both men and women. No photography is allowed but there is a gift shop and, of course, I bought a scarf as a souvenir!

Before we hit the road back to Paro we went to the weekend market. People from surrounding villages start arriving on Thursday evening and come to buy and sell produce, ranging from dried chillies and yak butter to textiles and bamboo products. The market continues until Sunday afternoon. Here again was such an enormous variety of produce it was mind boggling. Small food stalls and cafes were inside where we could have lunch. We met a little boy, obviously the child of one of the stall holders, who followed us around and in the end asked for an ice cream. How could you refuse such an appealing little face? We got permission from a parent and then he indulged in a very messy fashion!

The market is held in a large open space which is undercover and is divided into sections according to the product.

One of my favourite vegetables in Bhutan was fern – cooked in a variety of ways. Here were huge bundles of it ready to take home.

Archery is a National sport in Bhutan and people partake for fun and physical exercise. It is said that it builds concentration and is important for socialization and mental development. Bhutan has competed in the Olympics since 1984 and maintains an Olympic team. Every village has an archery field and our hotel, Como Uma Paro, is no different. That afternoon we tried our hands in this very unusual sport using traditional equipment. Bows are made of bamboo and arrows are reeds or bamboo. The target is normally 100 – 145 metres away but in our case it was somewhat closer. I managed to hit the target but it wasn’t quite bullseye!

The other fun game they play is dart throwing, Khuru in Dzongkha, which involves throwing darts outdoors some 15 to 20 metres away. The darts are wooden sticks with a pointed end and the target is a wooden post. Once thrown the competitor turns around and tried to hit the target on the opposite end. I had no luck at all but Jacqui was a natural!

Time to call it a day and prepare for our last day of adventure tomorrow.

KANAZAWA – LITTLE KYOTO

On September 28, 2019 By alisonferryIn Travel

I had heard that Kanazawa, located between the western mountain ranges of Honshu and the Sea of Japan, was often referred to as Little Kyoto. I was not disappointed. This is the most charming place and one which I sincerely hope we will visit again.

A Castle town with beautiful gardens, narrow streets, traditional precincts and some intriguing samurai houses, it is easy to walk around and explore several parts of the city in one day.

We stayed in a typical Japanese dwelling in a cute neighbourhood within walking distance of the station.

Familiarising ourselves with the area, we walked first to the Omicho Market which sells everything from fish to clothing.

A short stroll further on and we found the magnificent Kanazawa Castle with its magnificent Kenrokuen Gardens. The gardens have been Heritage listed and are a place of serenity with winding streams, lakes, ponds and landscaping.

Moss was everywhere and many of the trees were centuries old.

Another quaint area is Higashi-Chaya-Gai which is an old area along the river where there are old samurai houses and narrow streets, lots of tiny restaurants and craft shops. We saw some Kimono clad ladies walking slowly along the street and immediately imagined ourselves back in time.

We saw a few ladies wearing kimono and one totally fascinated me and I wondered about the comfort of this type of dress – particularly on a bus one day when one lady was unable to lean back in her seat due to the obi behind!

It is the simple things that make a place memorable – and we will always remember Kanazawa with affection and hope to return one day in not too distant future.

SAPPORO – JAPAN’S NORTHERN CITY

On September 26, 2019 By alisonferryIn History, TravelLeave a comment

Four days in Sapporo is not nearly enough! The city has a lovely feel to it – unhurried, clean and very friendly. It is easy to walk around and the public transport is very frequent, efficient and cheap. We didn’t get into the mountains but did visit the pretty little town of Otaru.

The local train to the port city runs several times an hour and the journey takes about 40 minutes. Otaru flourished from the Meiji to the Trisha Era and was known as “the entrance of the North”. It is a fun place to walk around and our first encounter was with the fish market, situated next to the station.

This is a popular place for the locals as well as visitors and the variety of seafood on offer is staggering. We found a little restaurant behind one of the stalls and had a wonderful lunch of sashimi and rice with roe – the roe is plentiful and is sold in jars and buckets!

The Otaru Canal is a beautiful attraction and is reminiscent of days gone by. Old warehouses line the canal and are now shops and restaurants. There are other lovely historical buildings nearby which have been preserved and are also banks and offices.

That night, back in Sapporo, we went to Odori Park where the Autumn Festival was in full swing with food and drink stalls and tents in abundance. We wandered through the Park and ate the biggest scallops we have ever seen

Plus other delicacies and ramen noodles – which is a speciality of Sapporo.

The Hokkaido Historic Village is an open air museum of relocated and restored buildings that represent the history of Hokkaido from 1868 to the 1920’s. We reached it by local train from Sapporo and on entering took a short ride around the village in a horse drawn tram. In all there are 52 buildings representing the Town, a Fishing Village, Farm Village and a Mountain Village. Each building shows the lifestyle of the people of that era.

It was easy to imagine life in those days – and wonderful to see local schoolchildren enjoying an excursion to learn about the history of their region.