The Phelchey Toenkhyim (Folk Heritage Museum) was our next stop. This offers the visitors the opportunity to see what rural life might have been like for Bhutanese people. The three storey house is built in the traditional architectural style seen elsewhere in the country and dates back to the 19th century.
Along with the house, furnishings, clothing, implements, equipment, etc. there is also a traditional water mill, rice paddy, wheat, and millet fields…oh, and yes…a phallus hanging over the front door. It is something we see repeated in our travels here. It is meant to ward off evil spirits.
Following a late lunch in Thimphu, we still had time before we were scheduled to see the Tashichho Dzong and so we made an impromptu stop at a local dart playing field as a tournament was in progress. Now, I understand how Nima’s friend may have gotten hurt. These darts are far more ‘dangerous’ than the lawn darts we played years ago.
Our final stop today would be Tashiccho Dzong. It’s an incredibly impressive structure which houses a monastery, government/administration offices, as well as the throne of the King of Bhutan. All visits can only occur once the offices close for the day. As we await the lowering of the flag, we are able to get a view of just how big this structure is.
No comments:
Post a Comment