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Today was mostly a travel day. It was raining in the morning so we skipped our walk. It was a good reason to be lazy on what has been a very full trip already.

Breakfast was 7am and we were packed and on the road by 9am.

We visited another fort, this was built just a year later than the last one in 1638. Wangdrue Phodrang Dzong was built by the same leader who built the last one, Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal.

Namgyal, aka “the bearded one,” is the historic figure we have heard the most about with good reason. He was a Tibetan Buddhist who unified various warring fiefdoms in the 1630s to create the current Bhutan. He created a distinct Bhutanese cultural identity separate from the Tibetan culture from which it was derived. He also created the dual system of government where control is shared between spiritual and administrative leaders. This of course still exists today and explains why the fortresses include admin offices and a monastery.

Above: Ash taking the photo below. I knew exactly what he was doing!

The first courtyard was huge. I asked Ash to get it in for scale. This is the admin side. Top center of above there is a face in a window.

The face of course is The Bearded One.

Same courtyard just looking back.

The monk’s courtyard was smaller, above and below.

We spent 15-20 minutes attending a chanting session of the monks in a chapel. It was interesting and relaxing. Dorji has done a great job explaining all things Buddhist. She translated a discussion we had with an unsuspecting monk we encountered in this courtyard on the way out.

Dorji in front of the temple in this fortress. I’m really sad photos aren’t allowed but understand. With the door open you can get the slightest glimpse inside.

I’ve studied Buddhism here and there over the years and have always had a deep respect and appreciation for its inclusive approach to kindness, compassion, detachment, without all the dogma. So it’s been interesting to learn there are some rules, but they are more geared toward upholding traditions than what’s going to send you to heaven or hell.

It’s also been super refreshing to see the partnership between spiritual life and government where the objectives are focused on improving life for all. Imagine that.

A close up of some of the detail in the architecture that is everywhere. I wish you could feel this!

We were there about 90 minutes. Then it was about an hour’s drive to lunch in the mountains. Very windy and bumpy roads all day today.

We passed lots of cows. And monkeys, but I couldn’t get a good shot of them.

Lunch was this very remote place in the mountains.

I had a dish we would call pork belly, with rice and cabbage.

Ash had a paneer dish.

Gorgeous mountain and valley views all day.

It wouldn’t be a NatGeo tour without a conservation lesson. Today’s was a visit to the Black Necked Crane Education Center.

The Gatney Valley where we are staying 2 nights is the home of migrating cranes from Tibet from October to March. The entire community gets involved in conservation work of this endangered species. They’ve even moved all of their electricity underground so cranes won’t get caught in electrical towers.

Which may be a good time to mention two other interesting facts: Bhutan’s top industry is hydroelectric power. They are the only country in the world that has a negative carbon footprint.

Back to the cranes. These two live here full time. They can’t fly anymore. One had a wing rupture and was found on the valley floor. The other was attacked by stray dogs after colliding with a power line. (Before they moved underground apparently.)

The valley behind the crane center.

From there it was a pretty short drive to our lodge. This place is interesting in a juxtaposing sort of way. It is by far the most remote we have been. This is barely a village. But also by far the nicest accommodation we’ve had yet.

It’s huge.

This bathroom is almost as big as the other rooms we had.

We even have a balcony.

We were exhausted and quickly fell into long naps, sleeping almost 3 hours. I’m sure I will regret that later.

Dinner was at 7.

Dinner was good, a simple variation of other meals we’ve had.

Dessert was a fruit cocktail in cream.

And that’s it for the day. We don’t have WiFi in the room so we have stayed in the dining room to write this.

Since we didn’t do much today I used the space to write more about some of the history we’ve learned. I do that more to help me remember but hope you enjoyed it as well.