Haa Valley - Part II

It is raining today in Bhutan, something I have seen very little of.   On the bright side, I finally did get to use the collapsible umbrella I brought.  Thinking back to this past Sunday when it was sunny and warm (I needed to use sun screen) as we travelled first thru the Haa Valley and then into the mountains will be a pleasant exercise as I write today's blog.

Following lunch, we left the town of Haa and began to ascend into the mountains.  After about 30 minutes we came across a Yak herd.  I believe this was the first time I have ever seen a Yak (unless I saw one in a zoo as a child and do not recall it).  Apparently they can be somewhat aggressive, as Sherab, our guide and driver, cautioned us not to get too close.  Fortunately I had a telephoto lens (thank you daughter Megan!) which allowed me to get some decent pictures.

                        I am hoping that these Yaks were not related to my Monday night dinner!

Following our visit with the Yaks, we headed higher into the mountains ultimately reaching Cheli La.  The road to Cheli La is the highest motorable road in Bhutan.  When one crests the Cheli La, he/she is supposed to cry "Iha-gey lu!" (May the gods be victorious!).  A sign states the elevation of the pass is 3988m, though "Lonely Planet" states it is closer to 3810m.  Regardless of which is correct, that is between 12,500 and 13,000 feet above sea level.  With the exception of air planes, I believe this is the highest altitude I have ever been.  The day was quite clear, with only a slight haze, and the view breathtaking.  We could see Tiger's Nest (which I hope to visit this weekend if it does not rain) across the valley.  I have included a number of pictures below, but sadly they do not come close to doing the view justice.

                                I believe hat the higher one is, the more prayer flags one finds.

      If you look closely on the left side of the photo, you will see the Himalayans in the distance

 Our intrepid guide and driver this month, Sherab.  Like much of what you see in Bhutan, his attire is a mix of traditional and modern.  He is wearing a traditional Gho (which men wear) and omso (high socks) along with a down vest and sun glasses.  It is not unusual to see a red robbed monk speaking on a cell phone.

                                                          Dr. Andy at the Cheli La

We left Cheli La and began our descent.  After a short distance we stopped at another view point.  Across a huge valley we could see the buildings of a Buddhist nunnery clinging to a cliff.  The photo below was taken using the telephoto lens.

A Buddhist Nunnery 

 

All told a wonderful day.  We did end our day with incredible fatigue and pounding headaches, quite possibly due to the decreased oxygen at heights.  Well worth the rewards of the trip, however.