ARRIVAL IN BHUTAN: VACATIONS IN THIMPHU

Next morning, the sun was already up when we finally awoke. We could feel the cold, that was exactly why we woke up in the first place. Even in the summer the temperature could go down enough to find ice every morning in the water supply. However, since sun rises early in this region we could still use water since the ice had already began melting.

    We began exploring the house. It was the biggest house we ever got as our accommodation. Originally an officers mess, it had been converted into a family accommodation. It consisted of four bedrooms, a large, heavily furnished living room, a drying area and a shed  for setting up lungar  during festivals. In our backyard, there was space that we could use during festivals and during tea time. The whole backyard was full of trees and vegetation. 

                                                   

    Next to the backyard a river flowed noisily with the water gushing and striking its bank with heavy force. One thing I must warn you about Himalayan rivers is that never put your foot in its flow even though it might seem like a small river, the water has enough force to sweep away elephants and rhinos. This one was no different. On the other side of river a huge mountain, as green as emerald.

                                          

    Around 1 km area surrounding our house was practically deserted, not a single human soul, only a few birds and the sound of a river flowing vigorously behind us. On one side of our house there was an apple plantation. In our free time we used to climb these and feast on those apples. Those apples were really huge, not the kind you will find in most other markets.

                                            

    In the evenings, we set out to tour the Thimphu City. There was a famous bakery in the city,  Unfortunately I have forgotten the name.

WARNING: Never eat anything without inquiring about it thoroughly in foreign countries.

Our father once saw a vadapav like burger in this bakery and having confused it with vadapav ordered it. When he was just about to take a bite one of the staff members of the bakery became suspicious about whether our father really knew what he was actually eating. The staff member asked him about it to which father replied that it look like vadapav. At which the staff replied that it was roasted frog burger. Till this day he is really grateful to the staff and always inquires twice about something new before consuming it even within India.

                                                 

On a side note The Embassy of India and Bhutan was one of the largest and grandest building we had ever seen. The walls in the corridor were decorated with flags and insignia of both the nations. As was customary in every posting we use to insist and request father to take us with him to his office. This was the place my brother (being a bookworm) used to spend his time in library.

                                           

    As most of you may know the Embassy consist of the most high ranking officers in the Indian Civil Services. There were also numerous high ranking officers of the Indian Armed Forces. Our father used to be main organizers of different events and festivities within the Embassy be it Diwali, Holi or any other such event. The Holi festival used to be organised in our backyard because of the great space and the lungar we had in our house. Everyone, whether children or adults, used to enjoy the festivities jointly.

TO BE CONTINUED.............................................................