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Bhutan through the lens of a Vietnamese teacher is a land of tranquility with magnificent natural scenery. The people here live harmoniously and contentedly with their current lives.
Captivating Film Journey through the Lens of a Vietnamese Teacher in Bhutan
Le Phong Nguyen is a young lecturer in the Architecture Department, University of Technology, Da Nang City. Most of his photo sets are taken with vintage film cameras. During his Bhutan travel at the end of 2017, Le Phong Nguyen spent 9 days wandering across the 'Thunder Dragon Kingdom' from East to West.
I landed at Bhutan from Bangkok filled with excitement, with countless imaginations in my mind about this mysterious land.
Paro Airport is famous for its perilousness. A small runway nestled amidst tall mountains welcomed me on a beautiful autumn morning with vivid blue skies.
The taxi driver recognized me as a Vietnamese, waving with a bright smile. There's something truly special in the air here, with the scent of earth and vegetation mingling with the sound of flowing streams and the whispering breeze.
From the capital Thimphu to the Buddhist sanctuary of Bumthang
In Bhutan, prayer flags flutter everywhere, adorning bridges, rooftops, and hilltops. The serenity is something you can quickly and distinctly feel upon setting foot in this place.
I traveled back to the capital Thimphu, more than 50 km east of Paro Airport. Newcomers to Bhutan are always delighted by the traffic signs along the road, written in English with endearing messages like: “Don’t hurry be cool since heaven is already full” or “Live for your today, drive for your tomorrow”.
Being the largest city in Bhutan, yet the capital Thimphu has only about 100,000 inhabitants. Without traffic lights, the city consists of only a few main streets, tranquil with slow-moving cars on the road.
My journey stretched from West to East, starting from the capital Thimphu with the famous monastery Taktsang Palphug (also known as Tiger’s Nest). The next destination is the former capital Punakha with Punakha Dzong, where the first king of Bhutan, Ugyen Wangchuck, ascended the throne in 1907.
Leaving Punakha, I continued my journey eastward to Trongsa, where Trongsa Dzong was built in 1647 by Shabdrung. This is also where Bhutanese leaders fought against British invasion in the 19th century.
The final destination of the journey is the Bumthang region, home to the 4 most beautiful valleys in Bhutan (including Chumey, Choekhor, Tang, and Ura valleys). It's also one of the country's Buddhist sanctuaries.
What's in the happiest country in the world?
Most of Bhutan's land is mountainous, making transportation between regions very difficult. The country receives special support from India in most areas, particularly in infrastructure development.
When traveling to Bhutan, you'll come across many Indian laborers constructing houses, hospitals, schools, roads, and bridges. Wooden houses or small monasteries dotting the hillsides are common sights for tourists along the way.
The people of Bhutan mainly engage in agriculture, with a few involved in handicrafts. Bhutan's agriculture mainly focuses on rice and potatoes, with most techniques still relatively primitive and rudimentary.
One of the fascinating aspects of Bhutan is its cuisine. Chili is considered a traditional spice and is present in most dishes here. Alongside chili are butter tea and cheese, which are also common foods, consumed daily by most Bhutanese people.
In Bhutan, animal slaughter is considered unethical and prohibited, so most meat and fish products must be imported from India.
“Life in Bhutan is already more than enough”
Throughout the journey, beyond the beautiful natural scenery and architectural wonders, what impressed me the most was the people of Bhutan.
The Bhutanese people are gentle and very amiable. From children playing on the streets to farmers in the potato fields, or elderly folks walking to temples with clear eyes and smiles, their sun-kissed faces from the Himalayan region exude the tranquility of mountain life.
Bhutan's education system also contributes to shaping the character of its people. In schools, children are not pressured to excel academically; instead, the emphasis is on becoming good citizens.
Most Bhutanese people have had faith in Buddhism since childhood. Their lives are simple, so their living needs are also very modest and not overly demanding.
During a conversation with the accompanying guide, I asked if she had ever traveled abroad and if she was satisfied with her current life.
She replied that she had never been abroad, although she spoke with many foreigners every day and heard many interesting things about the outside world.
But truly, she rarely entertains the thought of leaving this country, even just for travel, as she is very content with her current life. Every day, she only needs to eat rice, practice Buddhism, and talk with those around her; life for her is already more than enough.
Bhutanese people treat each other very gently, just as they are closely connected with nature. The entire country is a shade of green, and they cherish every tree and blade of grass.
Limiting the influence of the outside world may have helped Bhutan maintain its inherently peaceful way of life for thousands of years. This has allowed the people here to preserve the best of their souls.
One thing that surprised me when I arrived in Bhutan was the excellent English proficiency of the locals. Despite the government actively restricting outside influences in their country, you don't feel any sense of isolation.
In hotels, I could watch popular TV channels like CNN, BBC, or even HBO and FOX. Both locals and tourists comfortably use Wi-Fi and 3G networks.
During the 15-hour bus journey from Thimphu to Bumthang, I was pleasantly surprised and intrigued by the English songs playing on the world charts that the talented driver played for us. He enthusiastically sang along, making it feel like we were driving through some forests in Europe or America.
The untold stories of Bhutan
Another interesting thing that caught me off guard was the nightlife in Bhutan. While during the day, the gentle Bhutanese people wear their traditional Gho (for men) and Kira (for women), at night they switch from traditional attire to modern outfits with fashion not much different from the outside world.
You'll easily spot famous brands like Nike, Adidas, The North Face, Columbia... all being commonly used at... night.
In cities and towns across Bhutan, there are plenty of Karaoke bars, pubs, and lively clubs. I was fortunate to be invited by a Bhutanese friend to experience these youth-oriented entertainment venues on the last night before leaving Bumthang.
Still the same friendly Bhutanese people, with their endearing faces and smiles, but Bhutan at night is a whole different world. They sing to each other, enjoying themselves to the rhythm of the music.
Despite the changes in appearance, there's still something very characteristic about the people here. Their eyes and smiles under the red and green lights still radiate the sincerity and innocence of the Bhutanese.
According to Phong Nguyen/Zing news
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Reference: Mytour Travel Handbook
TravelExperts.comJanuary 19, 2018
