Immersed in Culture, Lost in Time
Gross National Happiness is an official development goal in Bhutan. We haven’t seen the numbers, but we’re pretty confident they’ve hit their annual targets. Set against the backdrop of sacred mountains, this isolated kingdom offers an entirely unique travel experience. Granted permission to be among the mere 14,000 visitors permitted each year, we make the most of it. Life-altering moment #523: en route to Punakha, we can stop in at the remote Tashigang monastery overlooking the Thimphu Valley, where the lamas and monks greet us, sip tea with us, and then bless our journey in an elaborate (not to mention highly musical) prayer ceremony. There’s more where that came from, but sadly, we’ve hit our space limit. Fortunately, Bhutan’s wonders know none.