Bhutan

by Pommaret, Francoise

• ISBN13: 9789622177024
• ISBN10: 9622177026
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-05-01
• Publisher: W W Norton & Co Inc

Summary

On the rooftop of the world, shoe-horned into the Grand Himalayas, Bhutan -- or Thunder Dragon -- is a fiercely independent kingdom. Isolated, charming, peaceful and religious, the Bhutanese are a pragmatic, sensitive people who take from the West what will benefit their country and leave the rest. Only 4,000 tourists will visit the kingdom in any one year and they are strictly monitored by a government that cares deeply for its people, environment and heritage. The countryside is pristine, the lifestyle and culture have been preserved for centuries, and the love of life is abundant among the people. Few outsiders know Bhutan as intimately as Francoise Pommaret; her guidebook takes you on an incredible journey of discovery and adventure; her love of the people and the place shines through; her in-depth knowledge helps aid our understanding of why this unique land has long remained one of Asia's deepest mysteries and best-kept secrets.

Table of Contents

Preface	10	(1)
Introduction	11	(4)
Note on the Spelling of Proper Names in Bhutan	15	(1)
Note on Pronunciation	15	(2)
Facts for the Traveller	17	(30)
Getting to Bhutan	17	(2)
Theme Trips	19	(2)
Entry or Exit by Air	21	(4)
Airport Tax	25	(1)
Entry or Exit by Land	25	(2)
Visas	27	(1)
Embasseries and Missions	27	(1)
Customs	28	(1)
Money	28	(1)
Post and Communications	29	(1)
Internet	29	(1)
Local Time	30	(1)
Health	30	(1)
Climate	31	(1)
Clothing	32	(1)
Equipment and Supplies	33	(1)
Photography	34	(1)
Electricity	34	(1)
Food and Drink	34	(6)
Leisure and Beauty Care	40	(1)
Shopping	40	(6)
Monuments Open to Visitors	46	(1)
Geography	47	(9)
Geography and Population	47	(8)
Flora and Fauna	55	(1)
History	56	(14)
The Economy and Challenges	70	(5)
Arts and Architecture	75	(17)
Religion	92	(8)
Tantric Buddhism	92	(3)
Rituals	95	(1)
Ritual Objects	95	(1)
Religious Schools	96	(1)
The Religion in Practice	97	(3)
Festivals, Dance and Music	100	(21)
Religious Dances and Music	104	(8)
Religious Music	112	(1)
Secular Dances and Music	112	(9)
Western Bhutan	121	(75)
The Paro Valley	121	(30)
Thimphu	151	(19)
Day Walks from Thimphu	170	(2)
The South: Chhuzom to Phuentsholing	172	(2)
Phuentsholing	174	(1)
The Road to Punakha and Wangduephodrang	175	(3)
Punakha	178	(5)
Wangduephodrang	183	(2)
The Central Road	185	(11)
Central Bhutan	196	(41)
Trongsa Dzong	196	(4)
Zhemgang Region (Khyeng)	200	(5)
The Road from Trongsa to Bumthang	205	(1)
The Bumthang Valleys	205	(1)
The Chumey Valley	206	(5)
The Choekhor Valley	211	(17)
The Tang Valley	228	(7)
The Ura Valley	235	(2)
Eastern Bhutan	237	(13)
The Road from Ura to Monggar	237	(1)
Monggar	238	(1)
The Road from Monggar to Lhuntshi	239	(2)
The Road from Monggar to Trashigang	241	(1)
Trashigang	242	(6)
The South: Trashigang to Samdrup Jongkhar	248	(2)
Trekking and Mountaineering	250	(12)
General Advice	250	(1)
What to Bring	251	(3)
The Classic Treks	254	(5)
Mountaineering	259	(3)
National Parks	262	(1)
Parks and Nature Reserves	262	(1)
Glossaries	263	(6)
Historical Figures, Saints and Others	263	(3)
Deities of the Buddhist Pantheon in Bhutan and their Sanskrit Equivalents	266	(1)
Common Trees and Plants	267	(2)
Recommended Reading	269	(5)
Index	274