Book Fair

Book Fair 

   This morning dawned a stellar sunny day in Tshimilakha.  After an afternoon and night of fog so wet, cold and dense I thought I was in some weird movie.  I walked to the market and a friend asked if I had just had a bath.  The fog was so dense, my hair was dripping wet. 

The school bus was scheduled to leave at 7 am to go to Bajo (Wangdue) for the book fair.  We left at 7:17 - which is amazing.  considering the bus driver does not live in town, he drove to Paro the day before and they came back late, and representatives from 4 other schools joined us :)  It was a beautiful drive, sitting in the front seat of the bus I had a great view and saw some things I have not seen on previous drives.  It did take us a long time, however, as we had to stop at various canteens and noodle houses., pick up friends and drop of things for families along the way. 

The absolute best part of the drive, apart from the view, was that we received a blessing from the Je Kempo. He is the highest lama in the country.  In the winter the monks move to Punaka as it is not as cold, and today they are beginning their return to Thimphu for the summer months. We had to stop on the road to let the entourage pass (there is rarely room for a two way traffic flow).  We heard it was the Je Kempo and the Bhutanese jumped up, put on their national dress and we all stood on the side of the road to be blessed.  He drove by at a crawl and touched us all on the head with his blessing. He has a special red vehicle with plates that simply say "BHUTAN".  He was preceded by police, and some temple like parts in trucks, followed by special monks in special cars and not so special (I assume) monks in buses.  Then a large TATA dump truck full of their stuff in rice bags, tied in. 

Book fair:  is a tent event, which was all fine and well until the huge thunder and rain storm.  Streets running like rivers, I got drenched. Met up with Aussie Andrea, Bob and the 2 kids who are living in Chume, Bumthang and a friend of theirs drove us to the hotel she had booked.  A bit far from the book fair, but pleasant.  I had a hot shower as I was soaked to the skin.  Will have to wear my Kira (national dress) to dinner and I only brought one pair of pants :) 

A second day at the book faire, more frenzy and lots of buying books for the library.  Senge, the one of our BCF colleagues who is a buddhist monk, joined us for the evening.  The next day we went to Chimmi Lakhang near Lobesa for a picnic, then visited the dzong and the suspension bridge in Punakha.  Back to Bajo for dinner with 15 of us BCF'ers!! Nancy Strickland joined us and we had a great evening. 

picnicers at Chimmi Lakhang 

Jacaranda trees at Paro Dzong  Just like the brochures 

Chimmi Lakhang