We woke up to another cloudy, misty day in Bhutan. Today is our longest drive of the trip, where on our 5 hour ride we will return to Paro, the town we flew into. The five of us hopped into the vehicle, and backtracked on the rugged roads through the mountains. We witness first hand the huge road construction project going on, which will some day connect the major cities of the country. Much of the funding of the road building comes from India, and a large percentage of the workers were Indian, as they have the necessary skills and experience. We do note some Bhutanese workers, but most of those jobs were very labor intensive.

Looking beyond the rough roads and constant construction, the countryside is stunning. After about 2 hours we reach the 10,000 foot Dolchula pass and stop for tea. Although we couldn’t see the distant mountains, the mist and clouds rolling through the hills gave the place a beauty all of it’s own. At the site sits a monument of 108 stupas (memorials), built in memory of Bhutanese soldiers killed in the 2003 war against insurgents from India.

After tea, a bathroom break, and exploring the stupas, we got on the road again. About 3 hours later, we finally arrived in our hotel in Paro. Located in a farmhouse in the country, the Village Inn Lodge was charming, the rooms were spacious, the staff was friendly, and the views were wonderful. After lunch, we went to visit the picturesque Paro Dzong. We have discovered by now that there are many dzongs in Bhutan, but all of them are historic and offer interesting insight into the formation of the country. The Rinpung Dzong in Paro was built in the mid 15th century and is now the home of the National Museum of Bhutan as well as 14 shrines and chapels. We walked through the dzong, soaking up its beauty. The inner courtyard exploded with colors. Several stories of balconies and railings lined the courtyards. From one perch, the view of Paro was spectacular.

Afterwards, we went into Paro town, where the ladies of the trip enjoyed lots of shopping opportunities. Belinda bought some beautiful fabric from a one store for some of her future sewing projects. Afterwards we returned to the hotel for dinner and to settle in for the night.

Tomorrow, we plan to visit one of the most famous sites in all of Bhutan, the Tigers Nest.