I have a few colleagues from next door (sort of) in Nepal & if Bhutan is anything like their pics, it truly is Shangri-La. Safe and enjoyable travels, Mr. Glickenhaus!…T
Awesome, so awesome. It's on my list to go and have looked many times. Just afraid of the elevation after I've spent most of my life at sea level.
Some 15 years ago I was in Bhutan and during the course of the visit had lunch with a nephew of the King. Turned out the nephew was an auto enthusiast and owned a Ferrari 328 GTS and a Porsche 911 Turbo. Managed to cadge rides in both of them down the main drag (the only drag) in Thimpu. What a hoot! Unless the road net has changed since then, there is nowhere to open up a car like those. I wonder if you are staying at the hotel with the stuffed bear on display. Cheers!
The Land of the Thunder Dragon is like Nepal with trees - friendly people and a different world. Great place to visit if you have the chance. I have been traveling to Nepal and enjoying it for the past 25 years but Bhutan is a different level.
Thank you for that. I've been reading up on this tiny landlocked country since the original post. Fascinating people & culture...T
I was there 2000 & 2001 Don't you feel like you're on STAR TREK & you beamed down to another planet ? Enjoy the Zongs & let us know if you see their mini Yeti
I can see why you might think that - I've spent may years in and out of Kathmandu where I've met some wonderful people but prefer the mountains and the national parks in the Terai. My favourite is Bardiya although the maoists seem to have decimated the tiger population. Last time I was there we saw one female with cubs but also came across quite a few traps which is worrying.
Yes I agree, Nepal is being manipulated by china and its in a very bad state . Maybe the monarchy can do something
Did you stay at the Queens hotel ? King of Bhutan actually has 3 Queens, think they are all sisters. Tigers Nest was very cool On my 2nd trip I took 2 big cans of Lysol & everybody laughed at me 1st week, when they started getting sick & I wasn't they stopped laughing I also took some citronella candles to keep bugs out of the hotel room
I'm sure the King has whatever he wants He had a helicopter I heard but the mountain winds are treacherous so he got rid of it
Umm if you read the history, I think you'll find the (modern) monarchy IS the problem! Unbelievably corrupt, not to mention a good smattering of plain ol' nutters. Remember the in-palace murders a few years ago?
Just to clarify a couple of inaccuracies. The old king of Bhutan is married to three sisters not the current King. In Nepal the Monarchy was decimated a few years ago by the Crown Prince who also died at the time. The replacement King is generally disliked and has virtually no influence on anything. His son Paris is one of the most disliked people in the country.
Wonderful, Beautiful Country. K3 ended the feudal system in the 60ies giving everyone land and created a democracy. K5 is a very nice guy and is loved by his countrymen. Totally accessible and very smart. His wife is lovely. They host the hardest bike race in the world The Tour of the Dragon. 14 hours through the mountains. If any of you are tough enough and want a hook up let me know. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
One Ferrari, not owned by K5 who drives an old Toyota, and one road up to the Golden Budda, built by a Gentleman from Singapore that would make a great hill climb but the rest of the roads are more suited for the Boot. There will be an SCG Sticker on one of The Tour of The Dragon Bikes and I may put a Tour of The Dragon sticker on SCG 003C but that is simply Sportsmen exchanging stickers. Gathering White Marbles, riding Pregnant Tigresses, following the path. Visions of Hieronymus painted by Monks.
I'm not to interested in the race but I'm very interested in riding there so would be up for a riding trip as there should be some interesting routes.
Perhaps Phillips Andover wasn't for him but none the less he did manage to graduate from Magdalen College in Oxford which has been top of the Norrington Table twice, in 2010 and 2012 when over half its finalists achieved firsts in 2010, it claimed the record for the highest ever Norrington Score.
Yes they are corrupt I agree and I am friends with one of them( Royal Family ) who used to reside in Singapore I know too well about Nepal and how china tries to corrupt . The Maoist are the ones that are creating lots of trouble and the people are looking at the monarchy for help . Anyway, it's a beautiful country plaqued by corruption and greed , that I agree. Innocents always suffer .