bhutan - tongsa

Roofs of the Tongsa dzong catch the early morning sunlight

The long drive to Tongsa is spectacular, up and over the next pass, with the high mountains in evidence frequently. As we rise up, the valley bottoms drop away into shadow and the mountains seem to rise with us, clearer and apparently nearer.

We approach Tongsa along an impossibly steep-sided, almost cliff faced, heavily wooded valley. We get within a kilometre or so but the valley is so steep and precipitate that the road has to swing all the way round a huge side valley, so steep that all the streams are waterfalls. The dzong at Tongsa is perfectly sited, clinging to the cliff face. Once, when the only roads were pack horse trails, the one road from the east to the west actually passed right through the outer courtyard, controlling movement, trade and taxes. The only entrances are still pack horse sized doors on the east and west of the outer courtyard. We pop into a room full of students learning religious texts by rote - chanting and swaying from side to side, occasionally glancing at us. The master monk looks slightly annoyed at the distraction and cracks his whip on the floor as the boys refocus.

Early in the morning, seen from our hotel, the whole valley seems filled with light, like a physical presence, bouncing off the smoke of early morning wood fires and incense offerings. Shafts of light penetrate the gloom, and the many roofs of the dzong one by one receive the sun’s rays as it rises to the east.

It was in a small shop in Tongsa that I finally, after much agonising, bought a gho, the traditional men’s outfit. It’s a hand woven woollen version, in the traditional five Buddhist colours, and looks rather fine. Now I just need the long black socks.

Me and Rinchen with my new purchase