BhutanBike & Culture

:: Day 4
We really arrive in Bhutan
There are phallus symbols all over the place in the monastery and even painted on the outside of houses in this town as protection against bad things. Sometimes also hanging from the roof on each corner of the building, crossed with a sword, the symbol of the god of wisdom

 

:: DOCHU LA - 3.116 m
LA in Bhutanese means pass. There are 108 chortens called Druk Wangyel Chorten, with colorful prayer flags surrounding the area. With Her Majesty Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuk's initiative, these chortens were built to honour His Majesty the 4th druk gyalpo (king) and his people for their victory in the war fought in the southern region of Bhutan in 2003 and for the benefit of all sentient beings
If the sky is clear this provides the best place to see and take photos to the snow capped mountains

:: THINLEYGANG
Now you really arrived in Bhutan
Typical impressions of this area welcome you.

:: LOBESA, CHIMI LHAKHANG
CHIMI lhakhang is a small 15th century temple famous for its fertility endowments / rites due to the blessing of Lam Drukpa Kunenley. The temple sits on a hillock shaped, as only Drukpa Kuenley could describe it like a woman's breast. The word CHIMI translates as no dog and is traced to the story of how Drukpa Kuenley subdued the demon of DOCHU LA. apparently, Lam Drukpa Kuenley had followed the demon of DOCHU LA down to the valley of PUNAKHA and WANGDUE. It is believed that the demon had disguised herself in the form of a dog. He subdued the dog and buried it under a mound of earth, marking the place with a stupa and marking a prophecy that a temple would be built on the spot in future
The temple houses the lam's iron bow and arrow, a small altar chorten made by the lam him self and some of his personal effects and scriptures. A wooden effigy of Drukpa Kuenley's male organ is used to bless pilgrims, particularly childless couples or those who have suffered miscarriages on early deaths of their children. children born under such circumstances under the patronage of Drukpa Kuenley are often named Kuenley or Chimi in honour of the saint and the place

:: WANGDUE / WANGDI PHODRANG
The WANGDUE PHODRANG dzong was founded by the Zhabdrung in 1639. It is situated on a hill with a commanding view of the valley. It is believed that the protective deity, Yeshi Gonpo told Zhabdrung Rimpoche that if he build a dzong on the ridge he would be able to bring the whole country under his power. WANGDUE means to bring under one's power
It is one of the few dzongs keeping its wooden roof

:: CHUZOMSA
A small but typical village for this area
A new hotel resort, directly on the river, invites you to stay overnight

 

:: PROFILE of the forth day
89 km distance, 23 km uphill, 58 km downhill
Typical time 06:00 hours - stage of yesterday: day 3 - stage of tomorrow: day 5