and the vicious cycle brings me back

Hey, all.... and here I find myself here on this page.... never knew I was still logged onto Blogger since I do all my blogging on Google+. Still great to see fellow bloggers and those who wish to travel to Bhutan to go on some cultural tours or be a part of some Bhutanese Buddhist festivals or maybe even slog the Himalayan treks. Anyway, just to let all interested know, I'm still live and kicking at www.bhutanrebirth.com ;)

See ya there sometime.

Keshav

You Have Moved? Where? Why didn't you tell me? I would have helped!! Honestly!! Only that my car broke down that day... ... ...

Main Blog @ Google+

Main Website @ Bhutan Travel Tour Trek Vacation Packages

Main Street in Thimphu @ Norzin Lam

As I went thru a CN Travel article- "Bhutan or Bust"| this I write I thought I must...|

and see where this time www.bhutanrebirth.com strayed into (the article)

Ok, first of all only now did I notice that it isn't CNN but Conde Nast Travel. Great article though by a Adam Platt.

What made me do a double take (in slow motion) was the following excerpt:

[While on Druk Air, the stewardess handed out] Kuensel, which carried the story of a woman who’d been hung in a not too remote part of the country by villagers who suspected her of being a witch. (Maybe not everyone is happy.)  

I would like to say that it is not possible for 2 main reasons:

1: Lynching in public does not happen in Bhutan, not only uncommon but never takes place

2. Being a witch may not necessarily be a totally bad thing. There are people (openly known people) who can 'kill' through prayers, sort of witch-doctors, women suspected of being witches but not in a bad way, in sort of gossips around villages, love potions... you know. The Bhutan government took steps to ban such practices especially during archery matches when a Tsip or witch doctor was also one of the team, his main target the opponent archers ;). Lots of cases of people dying through such cases, well, attributed to such cases.

That's what caught my eye, oh and the fact that the Dell founder was hopping around Bhutan in his own helicopter. Didn't know that was permitted, even entering Bhutan in their own plane (once there was an Arab Sheikh (related to the Dell founder by money) who wanted to do that but wasn't allowed was what I had heard).

Rest great article, well observed.

Cheerio,

Keshav-http://www.bhutanrebirth.com/

write with comments to bhutanrebirth@gmail.com.

13 May 2013: A day of 2 incidents of Ladies and Alcohol... ;)

13 May, Thimphu outskirts: Group of ladies spilled a huge jerkin of local rice wine down the steps outside my parents' apartment. Immediately looked outside and the first lady was drenched in the alcohol. I think the first lady (not Mrs. Obama) dived to save her ara? The stairway is still smelling of the stuff ;)

13 May evening, Heart of Thimphu: Stood and watched outside a shop as 2 ladies got hold of a carpenter who sat down with his tools to open a bottle of red wine. Just watched as the carpenter used various tools to attack the cork while anticipation grew with the 2 ladies. Red, red, wine....

- yet another day goes by with Travel Vacation Packages to Bhutan 

Getting into Bhutan (or leaving)...

Today I wish to talk about, well, the topic up there...

Entering Bhutan is interesting (avoiding the Himalayan peaks for a start. Spotting a Yeti hiding. The last one could be hallucination. But then again, is it?). You most likely have to fly in with the Royal Bhutanese Airlines, Druk Air either from Bangkok, New Delhi, Calcutta, Kathmandu, Dhaka and (off and on) Bodhgaya, Rangoon, Singapore and Bombay. The first four are the reliable ones. The flight is interesting if your interests include roller coasters and similar thrills. I don't mean up and down- I remember once when I was a passenger this lady from somewhere abroad actually let out a scream while the plane was circling to land at Paro, our only international airport. But let me not get sidetracked.

Most tourists enter and depart from Paro, one hour from Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan. However, some tourists include Sikkim and Darjeeling in India in their itinerary.  They have the option of going (or coming) by road from Phuentsholing in the south (5 hours from both Paro or Thimphu, the capital). There's also another gateway in the east in Samdrup Jongkhar where you can exit (or enter) from Gauhati in Assam.

These here then are the comings and goings into and out of the tiny Kingdom of Bhutan... can I mention here details of everything (everything about Bhutan, well, traveling to Bhutan) can be found (that is, if you click there) at http://www.bhutanrebirth.com. Go for it, nothing to lose, let us welcome you to the website at least... it's not that bad, I promise....worth some clicks... ;)

- Keshav (Bhutan Rebirth Tours & Treks), and no, that's not my surname, hence the brackets

Thimphu Tsechu, Festival in the Capital of Bhutan on from 9-13 September 2013

Thimphu Tsechu, one of the most popular Tsechus (festivals) is on from 9th - 13th September, 2013. The Thimphu Tsechu at the capital of Bhutan is a great time to catch the local culture, religious pageantry and to mix with the Bhutanese at their most fun. Package Cost: US$ 2250 per person. Visit

 http://www.bhutanrebirth.com/Pages/holidays/festival_thimphu_tsechu.htm

Ancient Festival disrupted by Modern Democracy

28 April, Bumthang: Ura Yakchoe festival in Ura, Bumthang for the first time in known history was stopped because of the National Council Elections!! Involving wine (singchang) tasting and drinking, the Election officials made the locals postpone the festival as arriving having alcohol to vote is not allowed. However, after the election and resumption of  the festival the election officials attended the festivities as a 'token of good appreciation' for abiding by the election norms. Now what can one say about this? Old traditions hampered by democracy? Or just necessary side effects of modernisation...