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All flights into Bhutan originate in either Delhi, Bangkok or Kathmandu. My husband and I flew from Delhi. We had a wonderful Sunday to explore the old city before we flew into Paro. Delhi was a complete culture shock. There were animals roaming the streets and the butcher shop was a little shocking..

We took the subway, which was different than in other cities. It was completely open – there were no individual train cars that I could see.

We visited the Red Fort and I had henna tattoos done on my hands, followed by shopping for marriage bracelets. We were flying to Bhutan not only for a vacation, but we were getting married!

The flight into Paro was an incredible experience. First, you fly at what feels like eye level past Mt. Everest. It took my breath away. Then, the plane pitches back and forth on an intense path into Bhutan, the Land of the Thunder Dragon. There are only a few pilots in the world who are certified for this flight, as it is extremely dangerous. Knowing I was in good hands made it far less scary.

I was in Bhutan in 2009, at a time when it cost about $200 per day to visit, but included everything: hotel, food, transportation, guide. The hotels were very simple and the food was very traditional: stews, white rice and asparagus. In addition, you were required by law to have a driver and guide every day of your visit back then. The rules changed and now you have to pay for a Visa for $200 per day, PLUS the cost of hotels, food, guides, transportation.

The Bhutanese believe that when wind passes through prayer flags, the prayers and mantras on the flags will be blown by the wind to spread good will and compassion into all pervading space. In essence, the prayer flags are thought to benefit everyone and are literally everywhere. The buildings are all traditional and meant to preserve the character of the landscape, showing a sense of continuity, serenity and a respect for heritage. All building must confirm to the specifications by a royal decree.

In Paro, we visited the Paro Tsechu (festival), being held at the Paro Dzong. Every Dzong is an administrative building and on the grounds of each Dzong is a monastery. I had read about the Paro Festival in 1000 Places to See Before You Die , which is what originally inspired our trip.

After leaving Paro, we drove to the capital, Thimpu (pronounced Timpu) where we went inside a monastery. It was there that we were introduced to the Four Harmonious Friends.

The story of the Four Harmonious Friends: The bird plants a seed, the rabbit waters it, the monkey fertilizes, and the elephant agrees to protect it. The seed grows into a bountiful tree, and through camaraderie, the four friends figure out a way to reach the fruit. In broader terms, it is a symbol of connections and interdependence. The elephant represents our body, the monkey represents the restless mind, the rabbit represents emotions and the bird is the soul. The four animals were looked upon as an example of peace, harmony, cooperation, interdependence and friendship. There are different versions that you can read about here.

We left Thimpu and headed over the Dochula Pass to Chimi Lhaskhang. The pass is a winding road with some great views. At the top you can find 108 stupas, built as a prayer: For the Indian militants to exit.

Arriving into Chimi Lhaskhang was interesting. The monastery is known for inducing fertility in all visitors wishing for a child. Being recently (legally) married, we thought, why not? You have to park a bit from the monastery and then walk through a town with phallic symbols everwhere. The paintings prevent quarrels among family and to protect the people – a talisman against evil spirits.

In the monastery, there is a painted wooden penis and the monk blesses women on the head with it. I don’t normally buy into that stuff, BUT…I was pregnant 6 months later.

Our next stop was the Punakha Dzong, with a wooden bridge to get to it that was built by a German. This Dzong is widely considered the most beautiful in the country. I only had a short time, but would definitely recommend staying overnight here. There are wild beehives on the roof of the buildings. Pictures are not allowed inside the Dzong, but there was plenty to photograph on the outside. I loved the painting of the Wheel of Life. Buddhists believe in the continuous cycle of birth, life and death and you only become free of the cycle when enlightenment (nirvana) is reached.

After our visit to Punakha, we quickly returned to Paro for the last day of the festival. The day began extremely early for the unveiling of the Thongdrel. The Thongdrel is so old that it cannot be unveiled during the day or it will be destroyed by sunlight. At the center is Guru Rinpoche (a Buddhist Master from India in the 8th-9th century) and above him is the Buddha of Infinite Light. Apparently just looking at this Thongdrel will cleanse you of your sins a bring you one step closer to Nirvana since it is considered a step of enlightenment.

After our enlightening morning, it was time to prepare for our spiritual/buddhist wedding. A few fancy hotels had popped up and you could pay extra to stay at those for a very expensive nightly rate. We decided to make the upgrade for the night before our Buddhist ceremony at the COMO Uma Paro. It was incredible. The spa services were fantastic, the food was amazing and the service was exemplary.

Our ceremony was at Kyichu Lhakhang Temple, one of the oldest in Bhutan.

A buddhist marriage ceremony includes a tea ceremony. After my experience in Argentina, I was on my Pepsi Bismol regime but my husband was not. After our marriage, we went on a short hike and then to our hotel to prepare for our hike to Tiger’s Nest the next day. This is the last picture I took of him in Bhutan.

My husband stayed in the hotel while I hiked (rode a donkey) to Tiger’s Nest. He was incredibly sick from (we think) the tea ceremony. Tiger’s Nest is an absolute must if you visit Bhutan. It is a 4 mile hike roundtrip and has over 700 steps. Legend says Guru Rinpoche was carried from Tibet to this spot by a tigress ok her back, thus the name, Tiger’s Nest. 

Our guide was awesome and had people checking on my husband. We are friends to this day.