I was really looking forward to photographing the festival dancers but when we got there we were cut loose and told to do our own thing. The crowd was massive and I was sort of pushed and directed up the hill but there was nowhere to sit and after perching there for a wee while, miles from the dancers I gave up. A long lens can only do so much & it wasn't enough.
We had been told that the grass was reserved for locals to sit and that as this was a religious event rather than a cultural show, is it inappropriate to stand in front of them to take photos. I tried to take photos from the back but was moved on. Apparently most of the others had the same problem.
The festival itself was actually held in the grounds of the dzong (the fort). Everyone was decked out in their finest traditional costumes. The men’s outfit is called a ‘gho’ and the women’s a ‘kira’. It was a lovely sight with the beautifully woven & colourful costumes and flags everywhere. Bhutanese women excel at traditional loom weaving and typically do it during the long dark winter nights.
I had a look around the dzong which was quiet and peaceful as most people were up at the dancing.
It is a beautiful building and you are allowed to photograph anywhere except the temple. (A useful rule of thumb is no shoes, no photographs.)
In the evening we visited a local farmhouse for dinner. The family were lovely, fed us and showed us around the house. I don’t know whether the food was amended for foreigners (chilips) but there was no hint of chilli anywhere. We had red rice, mashed potato, asparagus, spinach, chicken, beef with noodles & scrambled egg.
Potatoes in Bhutan are just superb, fabulous flavour. I gather it has something to do with the altitude. We also had a local brew made from rice & wheat. Very like saki and absolutely lethal. Declined to try salt butter tea…
We had been told that the grass was reserved for locals to sit and that as this was a religious event rather than a cultural show, is it inappropriate to stand in front of them to take photos. I tried to take photos from the back but was moved on. Apparently most of the others had the same problem.
The festival itself was actually held in the grounds of the dzong (the fort). Everyone was decked out in their finest traditional costumes. The men’s outfit is called a ‘gho’ and the women’s a ‘kira’. It was a lovely sight with the beautifully woven & colourful costumes and flags everywhere. Bhutanese women excel at traditional loom weaving and typically do it during the long dark winter nights.
I had a look around the dzong which was quiet and peaceful as most people were up at the dancing.
It is a beautiful building and you are allowed to photograph anywhere except the temple. (A useful rule of thumb is no shoes, no photographs.)
In the evening we visited a local farmhouse for dinner. The family were lovely, fed us and showed us around the house. I don’t know whether the food was amended for foreigners (chilips) but there was no hint of chilli anywhere. We had red rice, mashed potato, asparagus, spinach, chicken, beef with noodles & scrambled egg.
Potatoes in Bhutan are just superb, fabulous flavour. I gather it has something to do with the altitude. We also had a local brew made from rice & wheat. Very like saki and absolutely lethal. Declined to try salt butter tea…
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