The architecture of the airport was typical, not unique. Every building we saw, from stores to office buildings to apartments, all share this architecture, making even the cities interesting to see.
And the last notable feature, although not at all unique: they drive on the left side.
Since we were all sleep deprived from our 5:00 AM flight from Bangkok, we made only one short stop at the National Textile Museum where we were treated to a guided tour on the restoration and preservation of traditional costumes and tapestries. There was also a permanent exhibit on the current king of Bhutan who is, by all accounts, beloved by the people. He has said that he is not interested in the gross national product (GNP); rather, he cares only about the GNH - gross national happiness. The well-being of the Bhutanese matters to him more than business. What a concept! He also initiated the process of writing a constitution and turning over government to a democracy. He said that a constitution should be given in a time of peace and not imposed on a recalcitrant ruler. What a concept!
Today we visited one of the highlights of Bhutan - the Buddha Dordenma, the second largest Buddha in the world. Unfortunately, the scaffolding prevents a really good look, but here is the view from the valley below.
We spent the afternoon at the School of Crafts, where students study one of a dozen different traditional crafts including, painting, wood carving, embroidery, clay sculpture, and weaving. So interesting. All of the buildings have carved wood decorations and I could not believe that could be done by hand. But today, I watched them do it. Incredible.
Finally, we had a lecture on Mask Dancing - the significance of the various dances, costumes, masks, and colors. This was in preparation for the national dance festival that we will be attending tomorrow.
Finally ... a taste of home.
