The Human Moments That Made Bhutan Unforgettable
If you are considering Travel to Bhutan, here are a few things you should know. Bhutan is a tiny country that borders on China and India, but it is big in heart! To put its size in perspective, Canada is approximately 9,984,670 sq km, while Bhutan is approximately 38,394 sq km. The province of Nova Scotia is approximately 56,000 sq km making the country of Bhutan considerably smaller than the Province of Nova Scotia.
Bhutan is known as the land of the Thunder Dragon and is home to the happiest people on Earth. The country rates success on Gross National Happiness instead of Gross Domestic Product. It is heavily focused on controlling tourism to be sustainably operated and encourages quality visitors over quantity of visitors. This tourism model has a lot of benefits and certainly helps keep the destination authentic.
As we travelled through the country, we felt every bit of their Gross National Happiness. Warm smiles spread across locals’ faces as we approached, from tourism staff to farmers to security officers and the children … especially the children. The people are warm and friendly, kind and polite. The children are sweet and curious. Kids waved on the side of the street. They rarely passed without talking to us. They’ve learned excellent English skills at school and are eager to practice them! They play Roblox and watch YouTube. Even at the young ages of those in Primary School, they are speaking good English and often beginning to use their native language less and less. As the country progresses and the Western world seeps in, it’s going to be a challenge to keep these young ones engaged and interested in their language, culture and heritage, but I hope many will see the importance of holding on to their culture and traditions.
While we took incredible photos of beautiful mountains and scenery, colorful festivals and ancient architecture, some of the most memorable experiences we had in Bhutan have few photos to go with them, but they carry a big impact on all of us. I’d like to share just a few of these very memorable, authentic human connections that had an impact on us all.
Thimphu Tshechu
Thimphu Tshechu is one of the biggest, most important festivals in Bhutan. It is held in honour of Guru Rinpoche who was credited with bringing Tantric Buddhism to Bhutan. We attended on the Blessed Rainy Day which is celebrated mainly in Eastern Bhutan. It literally means the descent of Blessed water on Earth and is celebrated yearly on the Autumn Equinox. We arrived early to find seats and eagerly awaited the festivities to start while admiring the beautiful traditonal attire of attendees as they filled the stands at the square of the Tashichho dzong.
I was sitting beside a local family. The two girls, who were cousins, ages 10 and 13, started sharing their snacks with our whole group. Imagine children with one small bag of chips sharing with 12 - 15 people, wholeheartedly. ‘Sharing is Caring’ we heard multiple times throughout the day. They’d pass around the bag of chips. A few of our group would take one to be polite. A few minutes later, the girls would hand the treats around again, offering them to everyone nearby.
After a while, the girls struck up a conversation. Cautiously and curiously, they started asking me questions, starting with ‘Where are you from?’. Once they realized I was friendly and got a bit of confidence, they peppered me with questions for more than an hour as the festival continued on. They wanted to know about my family, whether I was married, whether I have siblings, what Canada was like, and whether I could show them photos. They also taught me about parts of the festival, including why people were lining up for a blessing. I learned that the head master of this particular temple was offering blessings in honour of Guru Rinpoche. They continued to offer snacks from chips to Yak cheese. Their mum was right there, helping with their English now and then, as well as tending to the youngest of the family. They’d giggle over their own questions and stumbled occasionally over how to ask what they wanted in English. It was truly heartwarming.
When it started to rain, the girls instantly, without hesitation, offered to cover me with their tiny umbrella as I didn’t have one. I did have a rain jacket, so I wasn’t concerned, but their absolute selflessness didn’t go unnoticed. A couple sitting on the other side of me had an extra, larger umbrella that they provided to the girls, and then we squished in, out of the rain for 20 minutes or so.
Before we left for the day, the girls asked if they could add me on Facebook. I checked with their mom if that was okay and then added each of the girls. I told them I’d help them practice their English now and again. While I’m sure contact will wane, I can’t wait to see what these two kind, curious humans do with their lives in the future! Certainly an authentic experience, not to be forgotten.
Local Villages
Early one morning before heading out on a long drive to Bumthang, we drove up the dirt road from our hotel to what felt like the top of the mountain. The narrow dirt roads hugged the side of the mountain, no railings, just sheer drops. Looking out over the valley was equally breathtaking and nauseating. After about 20 - 30 minutes, we arrived at a small temple. We walked around admiring the architecture and the views. As we left the monastery and headed down through the villages, we were stopped by two children waving and eager to chat. It was a Sunday and the kids were home rather than at school. The young boy didn’t talk much, but the older girl told us they had an uncle in Canada—something we heard from quite a few people on this trip. They were FaceTiming with ‘mom’ so we waved and said hello. She thanked us for visiting Bhutan and told us how much they love Canada. The kids then asked us if we could sing them a song. We started with I's the B'ys because everyone in our group seemed to know the words, then we switched to “Head and Shoulders, Knees & Toes,” complete with the actions. The sweet little girl joined in to sing along. Clearly she had learned this one in school.
As we continued our walk through the village and down the mountain, the same girl spotted a butterfly struggling in a roadside drainage channel. Its wings were wet, and each time she tried to help it out of the water, it tried to fly, then fell back into the water. As it crashed to the ground, she muttered, “Shit,” and we all giggled. Eventually, she carried it across the road and put it on a leaf away from the water. We’re not sure if the butterfly made it or not, but she did her best to save it!
Again, the kindness of the people, the warmth and curiosity shone through.
Gangtey Nature Trail
Early in the morning, we hiked down a hill into the valley, crossed through a small village and began walking along the Gangtey Nature Trail with incredible views of the valley. We walked through forests, delicately stepped across some muddy spots and then came across an elder sitting quietly with his prayer wheel and mala beads, looking over the valley.
Our guide spoke with him for a few moments, and he agreed to answer a couple of questions. I asked what he was praying for and what advice he would give us about being happy. He spoke about praying each day, remembering that we know when we were born but not when we’ll die. He was praying for peace as he knew his days were nearing an end. He has some eye issues and would soon be going for surgery. His advice to us was to stay positive when things are difficult and be happy with what we have, rather than focusing on what we wish we owned.
As we left, we gave him a small token of gratitude for taking time out of his prayers to talk with us. We wished him well with his surgery and he prayed with a few of our group. There’s no question that this encounter along the trail will stay with each one of us as we move throughout our days and are reminded to be happy we must be less materialistic and more grateful.
Happy Uncle
In Bumtang, we stopped for snacks at a convenience store to stock up before some long drives. Inside the store, as we were picking out our chips, cookies and chocolates, a happy old man stopped several of us at different times with a wide one-tooth grin and asked us where we were from. As each of us answered, Canada, his smile nearly stretched off his face. He was so excited he even did a little happy dance and pumped his fists. We came to learn that his son lives in Toronto, and he’d lived there briefly himself for a few months. He proudly showed us the small car he’d bought with money his son sent home. He proclaimed that everyone calls him “Happy Uncle,” which seemed fitting.
As we got ready to leave, I found the one Canada pin I had with me, attached to my camera bag and offered it to him. We made him an honorary Canadian and took a group photo. He was absolutely bursting with joy. To be honest, I think he had enough happiness for the entire community.
While I will remember many beautiful sights from Bhutan, the incredible food, the Buddhist teachings and the colourful customs, it’s these conversations and unexpected little moments that will live in my heart forever. When we plan trips, we aim to have authentic experiences sprinkled in whenever possible. Not one of these experiences can be duplicated, but we can help you get to the right places where these chance encounters may find you and impact your heart as they did ours.
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