My Punakha <3 #Bhutan

In the middle of a long workday I didn’t realize when I had zoned out looking at one of the many excel sheets I had open on my laptop, and staying true to my Insta-persona – started daydreaming. Only this time I was in the Punakha Dzong.

Daydreaming about sitting the monastery inside, looking at one of the old Buddhist murals on the walls, and simply breathing. Who would have thought that this 10 seconds of daydreaming could be almost therapeutic? That’s the wonderful bit about memories. Not just visuals, but the feeling can also capture you no matter how much time has passed.

But imagine. If just the 10 seconds of daydreaming in the office helped me feel better, imagine how I would have felt, in the 10 minutes I spent in the monastery just sitting and looking at murals, and enjoying the quiet.

It was stunning, the Punakha Dzong.

The fortress was built in 1967 and right out of an old postcard. It’s seen a lot over the years, earthquakes, fires and stories not too different from all historic places – but that is why places like these have such importance. I would love to come to the place during the famous Punakha Festival just to see how the ambiance changes!

Since it’s been restored by the King, the Punakha Dzong is the winter abode for the monks. But all the key Dzongs in Bhutan, Punakha, Paro, Thimpu are government administrative centers of their respective districts. Punakha is the second oldest and the second largest one in the country and if you are stopping by the three districts mentioned above, I would recommend spending on entry fees for this one.

The suspension bridge a little hike away from the Dzong is also what sets this place apart. Now I have a problem with heights and depths and well largely a fear of falling. So I was the least impressive person on this bridge, managed to walk a few steps to peek into the valley below me, and tried my best to ignore the young kids (locals walking to and fro from schools) or old people (tourists who were taking selfies) – I say ignore cause it didn’t make me feel less like a loser.

But you aren’t me. So if you, my reader (and yes I hope I have one) do stop by Punakha, do walk till at least the middle of the bridge to soak in the valley and its beauty!

I think I had already decided that I loved Punakha right from the time I stepped into our hotel – on the side of a gorgeous river bed. The resort we stayed at is called Damchen and I highly recommend it. The rooms are wide and spacious – old but the charm makes up for everything. Did I write a charm?

I meant the view.

Believe it or not, the photo below is taken outside my hotel room. A river bed filled with white stones and ‘oh my perfect Insta spot’ ❤

I am going to continue my #Bhutan stories later But till then, I hope reading this would have at least put Punakha on your bucket list. Visit the place, respect it, love it and cherish it.