Sunday Pedestrian Day

Sunday Pedestrian Day 

The first Sunday of the month is pedestrian day in all towns and cities.  It is, I think, a green and cost saving initiative.  

I spent this Sunday in Phuntsholing on the border of India.  I went by bus on Saturday afternoon.  It is about a three hour bus ride, 2 1/2 hour car ride from here.  At the very end of the drive you spend almost an hour descending switchbacks from the Bhutanese Himalaya to the Indian plains.  There is a large river valley with an extremely huge river in it.  It flows through Haa Dzongkag from China and out into India. I arrived in the dark so the lights were pretty.  I left during the day and the geography is quite stunning.  Photos are unfortunately hazy. 

Arriving in the dark, I went to the 4 or 5 star Druk hotel.  A Canadian colleague had told me it would cost about 1,500 nultrum, the equivalent of about 30 Canadian dollars.  It was more than double, which seems like a cheap hotel, but is one fifth of a teacher's monthly salary.  I looked around briefly, but was alone at night and had been told to be careful.  So I treated myself.  Supper was lamb and vegetable curries.  Tasted exactly like the curry in Nelson BC at Baba's restaurant.

Internet time, hot shower, television, crisp white sheets.  I felt pretty special.  No dogs howling . .  could not really sleep.  The shower was great, but not as awesome as I had expected.  I was just as content tonight to wash off the grime of travel with my bucket bath.  Actually it may have been more satisfying.  Does this mean I am finally acclimatizing?  

Speaking of climate, the temperature in Phutsholing was about 30 degrees in the morning and hotter in the afternoon.  I was quite happy to warm up after feeling as though my fingers were going to break off in the cold wind while the students were trying out for athletics on Saturday afternoon.  Athletics - the running tryouts were on the paved road. Some ran barefoot, some in cool converse runners.  High jump and long jump:  students used agricultural tools to dig up the soccer pitch a bit.  When they fell they cut their hands - no dramatics.  Really tough. 

Sunday morning I woke up, ate a cheese and mushroom omelette at the hotel and shopped for food that I cannot get here.  Wandered around the multiple stores looking at STUFF and bought nothing for my house, only food.   Ventured briefly into Jaigon, India. There is a fence and a security person but no checking of papers.  Everyone that goes further into Bhutan gets checked at the Immigration Check Point down the road.  After pedestrian day, India seemed even noisier and busier than it might have.  So much STUFF  for sale.  I went to a restaurant recommended by colleagues here for lamb and sat down.  I was immediately joined by a Bhutanese teacher, Sonam from Punakha, who recognized me.  We had met earlier in the school year.  He bought me lunch and drove me home. Because we met accidentally twice, he believes that we had a strong connection in one of our previous lives.  I work with his sister, Kezang, so had tea with them when we arrived back in Tshimilakha. 

Another yummy meal at home with asparagus that probably comes from Thimphu north of here, but I bought it in Phuntsholing.  Well travelled.

Rambling notes:  I also ran into two students of the school that recognized me while wandering the streets of Phunsholing.  They are in class 12 so I had no idea who they are.    . . . Kezang, Sonam's sister has her younger brother living with her.  He helped me carry my groceries home.  "I'm in your club ma'am".  Rats, I  thought I could recognize most of my students, although I have only met the club twice.    . . .  I was the only white person I saw all weekend.    . . . I love mini-adventures.      . . . Dave, from Pakshika tried to join me but did not get a ride.  It would have been nice to hang out together today.       . . . I really think I must have been a nomad in a previous life.  I am so excited to roll off down the road to somewhere new.  Would also be excited to hike somewhere new too.  Sitting still I can only do for a few days.  . . . The funny white "mould" that is famous here has started to grow on one wall where it is damp due to a leak (see: Adventures in Plumbing).  It looks like cotton candy, grows a centimetre or so per day and I sweep it up every day or so.  Where I have swept, it grows on the floor.  I have been told that if you go away during summer break, it is a lot of work cleaning up this mould as it will grow several inches deep on everything during rainy season.  Am really not looking forward to that.  

Phuntsholing