Paro Dzong and Watchtower (above)

Paro Dzong

Most dzongs are elaborately decorated with paintings of gods and other symbols of Buddhism. The interior courtyards are full of the beautifully carved and painted wood we first saw at the airport. Apologies for not identifying every god and symbol.

Yulkhorsung, guardian deity of the East

Four Harmonious Friends

This picture is called the fable of friendship, cooperation, and unity (Four Harmonious Friends).  The bird at the top of the pile picks the fruit, the rabbit eats the seed and poops it out, the elephant stomps it into the ground and the monkey "waters" it.  The seed grows into the tree of life and bears more fruit, etc. (one version). This is a picture (or sculpture) that you see all over the country.

Wheel of Life with the 12 animals of the Zodiac

Inner courtyard

Facade detail

Facade detail

Government office

Doorway hanging

Prayer wheels

Tashi, our guide and the youngest monk

Royal house (in center)

We had some nice views of Paro from the Dzong.

Now is the time of year for harvesting the red rice (by hand) and we saw all aspects of the process going on in all of the fields.  The stalks are cut with a sickle and laid out to dry.  They make large bundles and carry them on their backs to either storage or to have the rice kernels beat off (threshed) and the stalks kept for fodder.

The terraced rice fields create beautiful patterns on the land.

Covered bridge over the river between the Dzong and town

Taking a break from the harvesting

Bundling the cut rice stalks

Carrying the rice from the field to be threshed

We drove to our hotel, Kichu Resort, and had dinner, our first meal in Bhutan.  It was a buffet and all spicy with dry chocolate cake for dessert.  The spinach soup was good.

We had a bedroom and sitting room at this resort - lots of room.

Kichu Resort

Kichu Resort - our decorated front door

Textiles on the benches in the lobby