Bhutan

Our first view of this beautiful country - the Paro Valley	Prayer flags add so much colour to the landscape	And the prayer wheels are irresistable to give it a whirl	Their national food is Chili - and it can be seen everywhere drying in the sun
Their way of saying that happiness is more important than income and profit	The mountains surrounding the Paro Valley	Paro Dzong	The bridge to Paro Dzong
A symbol of fertility - apparently inspired by the Divine Madman	Judy with a new friend	Our hotel in Paro - Gangtey Palace	Paro Valley
The watchtower of Paro Dzong	Inside Paro Dzong	Inside Paro Dzong	Paro Valley below the Dzong
Entry to Paro Dzong	Paro Dzong	Giant prayer wheels at Kyichu Lhakhang	Smaller prayer wheels at Kyichu Lhakhang
Paro Vallley	Dzongdrakha Gompa near Paro	Dzongdrakha Gompa	Mountains on the border with Tibet - from Chele La Pass
Brave Yak on the mountain edge at Chele La	Judy at Chele La	Kila Gompa Nunnery	Mountain Stream en route
Paro Valley from Kila Gompa Nunnery	Kila Gompa Nunnery	Kila Gompa Nunnery	Surrounded by beautiful mountains
First glance at Tiger's Nest (Taktshang Monastery)	Tiger's Nest (Taktshang Monastery)	Tiger's Nest (Taktshang Monastery) - well worth the walk	Tiger's Nest (Taktshang Monastery)
Tachog Lhakhang - unique iron bridge (14th century)	near Tachog Lhakhang	Painting school in Thimphu - a large school where the classic arts are studied and mastered	Impressive prayer wheels at The Memorial Chorten
Memorial Chorten	Thimphu Valley - like a bowl - mountains on all sides	prayer wheels at Zangto Peirl Lhakhang	their national food for sale in the market
Archery in Thimphu	Darts in Thimphu	Rock painting of Guru Rimpochea	Tango Goemba
Tango Goemba	Tango Goemba	River below Tango Goemba	Cheri Gompa Monastery
River and wooden bridge below Cheri Gompa	Buddha Dordenma - largest Buddha in the world	Buddha Dordenma	Buddha Dordenma
Tashichho Dzong	Tashichho Dzong	Tashichho Dzong	Tashichho Dzong
Tashichho Dzong - where the Thimphu Festival is held	2nd highest mountain in Bhutan from Dochu La	Dochu La	Dochu La - memorial to the victory of the last armed conflict in Bhutan
Botanical Garden	Caretaker and family of the Botanical Garden	Punakha Dzong - view from our hotel room	Punakha Valley on the way to Khamsum Yuley Chorten
Khamsum Yuley Chorten	Punakha Dzong	Punakha Dzong	Bridge to Punakha Dzong
Judy on the bridge at Punakha Dzong	Punakha Dzong	Children we met on our walk from the temple of the Divine Madman (I love this name)	Walk from the temple of the Divine Madman - lovely smiles
Nunnery above Punakha	Gangtey Gompa Monastery	Beautiful Phobjikha Valley (winter home of the famous black necked crane)	Beautiful Phobjikha Valley (winter home of the famous black necked crane)
Black Necked Crane Festival at Gangtey Monastery - Local women performing	Black Necked Crane Festival at Gangtey Monastery - local children performing	Black Necked Crane Festival at Gangtey Monastery - school children doing the crane dance	Black Necked Crane Festival at Gangtey Monastery
Black Necked Crane Festival at Gangtey Monastery	Black Necked Crane Festival at Gangtey Monastery - curious boy	Black Necked Crane Festival at Gangtey Monastery	Black Necked Crane Festival at Gangtey Monastery
Black Necked Crane Festival at Gangtey Monastery	Black Necked Crane Festival at Gangtey Monastery - lovely boy	Black Necked Crane Festival at Gangtey Monastery - the crane dance	On the way to Trongsa
Trongsa Dzong	Trongsa Dzong	Ugencholing Manor (museum) in Tang Valley	room in Ugencholing Manor (museum) in Tang Valley
Mask in Ugencholing Manor (museum) in Tang Valley	Beautiful stupa in Tang Valley	prayer flags above Bumthang	Archery competition in Bumthang
Our guide (left) and driver (right)	Jambay Lhakhang Festival	Jambay Lhakhang Festival	Jambay Lhakhang Festival
Jambay Lhakhang Festival	Jambay Lhakhang Festival	Jambay Lhakhang Festival	Jambay Lhakhang Festival
Jambay Lhakhang Festival	Jambay Lhakhang Festival	Kurjey Lhakhang	Judy bravely completing her crossing of the suspended bridge
River at Bumthang	One of my favorite photos - a monk napping with the dog	Children at temple in Ura Village, Ura Valley	the ever present beauty of the mountains and clear skies!
Prayer flags above Bumthang	Jambay Lhakhang Festival	Jambay Lhakhang Festival	Jambay Lhakhang Festival
Dobji Dzong - South of Thimphu - was once a prison where the execution process was to push people off the cliff edge	the national food drying in the sun at Dobji Dzong	temple at Dobji Dzong	Valley south of Thimphu
Cliffside Selkardra (retreat monastery)	Tachu Goempa village in Haa Valley	Cliffside Selkardra (retreat monastery)	Cliffside Selkardra (retreat monastery)
family at Cliffside Selkardra (retreat monastery) - celebrating Buddha descent day	Haa Dzong	prayer flags at Chele La on the way to Paro	Chele La
our last view (and photo) Chele La pass on the way to Paro