Bhutan: Beauty Untamed – Thimpu

The 7-hour long drive from Phuentsholing to Thimpu was very picturesque and tranquil. We drove through scenic mountains and valleys dotted with quaint villages, rice paddies and orchards.

Enroute to Thimpu

First impressions of Thimpu (Capital of Bhutan):

Thimpu till it was declared a capital post 1960s, was just a small town with paddy fields, farmhouses and a Dzong. It is still quite serene thought one can spot commercial buildings along with traditional architecture houses now. But most of the buildings are restricted to 6 storey since the region is prone to earthquakes.

Thimpu has excellent well-lit tar roads with brightly marked zebra crossings and has no traffic lights. I was able to spot only 1 signal with a traffic police in the core city area. None of the vehicles honk. We were pleasantly surprised to see all the vehicles stopping before the zebra crossing to allow the pedestrians to cross the street.

Shops, restaurants and hotels line up Norzi Lam, the main shopping street of Thimpu. We visited the lane which is host to loads of handicrafts but instead of shopping traveled on foot all the way to the downtown area to have our fill of momos, butter tea and pork stew.The Thimpu river runs through the city. Listen to its sound in the wee hours of the morning to experience a serenity simply lost in the hassles of crowded city life.

The Clock Tower Square is a city landmark and is a popular place for social and political gatherings.Thimpu has beautiful lush green big football grounds and several well equipped gyms and loads of folks working out even late at night

There is a well-planned farmers market area with ample planned parking space. Loads of fresh vegetables, fruits, grains can be seen. Check out the varieties of chilies.

A beautiful Tashiccho Dzong lit at night in Red and Golden colors . It is a massive structure with beautiful lush green lawns and gardens. It houses both the King of Bhutan as well as the Secretariat. Beside the Dzong one can spot the Royal palace which is covered mostly by trees on all sides. A bit away from the Dzong, is the Supreme Court.

National Memorial Chorten: It is the memorial built in the memory of 3rd king of Bhutan . We were lucky to experience a big prayer with people walking around the stupas, chanting and carrying offerings (don’t be surprised to see biscuits, chips and alcohol too as offerings).

A serene sitting Buddha statue in golden perched on the top of a hill. It is the tallest of its type in world and is meant to bestow blessings, peace and happiness. Inside the temple, one can see 8 scared symbol carvings on the pillars and multiple small idols of the sitting Buddha. Outside the temple, one can see multiple beautiful statues. The hilltop gives a wonderful view of the Thimpu city

There is a 12^th century old temple where parents go with their children praying for their good health

A national library hosts the biggest book manufactured till now and has lots of scriptures about Bhutanese history, Buddhism in Bhutanese language.

A Takin zoo nearby gives excellent opportunity to view the national animal in it wilderness. We were also able to spot a few musk deers.

All the automobile workshops / garages are collocated a bit outskirt of the town to prevent their drainage from being distributed in different parts of the city. One can observe cars of Kia, Hyundai, Duster, Ford, Mahindra, Nissan, Toyota, Suzuki etc. in the city.

Tips for Phuentsoling to Thimpu Drive:

Since the drive is through valleys and mountain ranges, with ever winding roads, if you are prone to motion sickness it is advisable to take a tablet for same before start of the journey as prescribed by the doctor. Do carry snacks, fruits, water along the journey since there are only few options available to buy food. Of course, one can buy bananas and oranges always on the small shops on roadsides. It’s a long drive so ensure you take some short breaks on the way if you suffer from back, knee pain or varicose veins.

Thimpu Glimpses