The 72 km (as the crow flies) drive from Thimpu to Phunaka is a 3 hour minimum - allowing for all the switchbacks and twice daily road closures due to landslides. We thankfully survived our very own episode of 'World's Most Dangerous Roads'!!
... one section was so rough a truck in front of us came to a complete halt when the axle was buried deep in the dirt - no going forward or back, and definitely no u-turns when there is a drop of 900 m straight down....
I admit to closing my eyes on more than one occasion with the constant convoy of Indian truck drivers speeding straight towards our vehicle, and would 'miss' us by a 'generous' 6 inches or so!! You tend to re-evaluate life when you see the truck in front of you is frequently driving with the outer wheels spinning in the air... immense relief when we reached the valley floor, but that was mixed with apprehension knowing we had to travel the same road on our return journey.
Dzongs are dual purpose secular administrative and religious buildings. The Phunaka dzong was built in 1637 and I feel 'dwarfed' by the building's 'ancient' presence. The monks still live and work in an almost identical way, in the same rooms that they did 350 years ago.
The festival begins tomorrow, and we are here to 'scope out' the best photographic spots while the rehearsals are underway. This is the vary far end of the dzong - the monk's residences and looks promising - even though the light was quite low late in the day (high ISO and 1/20 sec hand held!!). Photographically I had a frustrating day - surrounded by many interesting sites and people, I am not sure enough of the cultural appropriateness of approaching or photographing people and that hesitancy shows in most of my photographs. Other photographers don't seem to hesitate when positioning themselves to get the shot they want. When that means walking *into* the shot I am trying to take, I give up & walk away.....
@losthorizon thanks Beau - it is going to be a challenge to select 2 images to represent each day! @rosiekerr I loved this little alcove, but unfortunately it was off-limits while the festival was on, so I never managed to return. :(
@rosiekerr I loved this little alcove, but unfortunately it was off-limits while the festival was on, so I never managed to return. :(