Jigme Dorji National Park

We took a hike with several members of the RTC faculty to Jigme Dorji National Park, which is about a 45 minute ride away from campus. We went for about a two and a half hour hike up and down the trail, with no real destination in mind. It was a nice little jaunt in the woods and produced some great pictures, even though it was a fairly overcast day. The weather was cool, but comfortable. 

At the start of the trail is a large temple complex.
(The name is unknown to me and I can't find it anywhere.) 

Ah yes, the Bhutanese phallus.
As mentioned in previous posts, the meaning of these ubiquitous house decorations is somewhat debated, but most agree that is a symbol of protection and compassion. Have a field day with that, all you critical feminist scholars! 

Traditional wooden cantilever bridge (In Dzongkha: Bazam) across the river (In Dzongkha: Chhu). 

Clay chortens to commemorate deceased relatives. 

These are the three main figures that you will see in temples and monasteries. The middle figure is, of course, Buddha. To the left of Buddha is Guru Rinpoche or Padmasambhava – the 'second Buddha' and introducer of Buddism to Bhutan in the 8th Century. To the right of Buddha (with the beard) is Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal – a Tibetan lama who united Bhutan in the 17th century into the Dzongkhag system that it still maintains today. 

An elderly man walks around the temple (always clock-wise) and spins each and every prayer wheel.
Often at religious sites such as this, it is the elderly men and women that are deeply practicing Buddhism. 

Funny juxtaposition. A hobbled together rural hamlet, complete with satellite dish. 

One wall of this abode was made of recycled oil and ghee containers. 

On the trail. Emily, Cathy, and Prajna. 

Glacial mountain water is a stunning aqua-marine and almost completely clear (reminding me of other places with similar looking water I have been like Glacier, North Cascade, and Sequoia National Parks). The water appears this way because of light refracting off of 'rock flour' that is suspended in the water and has been slowly and finely ground by glacier movements. 

Interesting fungus. 

A huge rock slide that seems to have occurred recently. We had to scramble over it. 

In many ways, the forests of Bhutan remind me of places in the Northwest United States like the North Cascades
in Washington and many Californian forests on the coast and in the Sierras.  However, one thing that makes
Bhutanese forests unique is bamboo, which grows in abundance. 

Back at the trail head. The rural community is teeming with animals.