From our last travel destination, Bumthang, our journey guided by a mandatory guide through Bhutan continued to the high plateau, where one can see cranes in early April, which, however, had already flown away by the time we arrived. Instead, we could observe 2 disabled cranes and especially the high plateau with its cattle and yaks. Highlights included an eagle sighting and a crow that flew onto the back of a much larger vulture to drive it out of its hunting territory - seemingly successfully.

From the high plateau, we continued to a pass located at an altitude of 3088 meters. From here, we could ascend a small subsidiary peak at about 4010 to 4015 meters and for the first time in our lives enjoy the air at over 4000 meters, which was surprisingly free of pollen but also low in oxygen. But all of this was good training for the hike to the famous Tiger's Nest, which lay ahead of us. We also enjoyed the view of Bhutan's second-highest mountain, over 700 meters high, as well as the view of mountains in Tibet (about 6700 meters) and in Sikkim (once independent like Bhutan and now part of India), including Kangchendzönga, the third-highest mountain in the world at 8586 meters.

We hiked from our not even half as high summit to a women's temple that lay at a comparatively moderate 3600 meters and we really liked it - perhaps our best temple experience.

To get there, however, one had to walk along a narrow path along the slope. And when a sign warned us of a narrow section, it bode poorly. Some may find it refreshing to walk along a 20 cm wide plank at 3600 meters - Mr. Ärmel, on the other hand, derived little pleasure from this experience.

Next, we arrived in the capital, Thimphu. Here, the influences of western modernity are most clearly visible, gradually threatening to erase Bhutan's charm and uniqueness: western chains, attempts to imitate western cuisine (if you ever go there, don't try the Linzer Torte), and cheap plastic shoes and similar disposable items. Nonetheless, Bhutan still preserves much of its charm even in its 90,000-strong metropolis. The most magnificent dzong in the country (no, we won't explain again what that is) and the 54-meter high Buddha statue dominate the city. However, we could not get close to the Buddha statue because the entire city and surrounding areas were in an uproar due to the upcoming visit of the King of Thailand, with streets decorated and important areas blocked off. The good thing about a 54-meter high statue is, however, that you can also view it from a distance. Our considerate tour guide also ensured that we left Thimphu in good time before the road to Paro was blocked due to the King’s visit. However, we were treated to a view of the road adorned with prayer flags for dozens of kilometers. Schoolchildren in Thimphu and Paro seem to have it lucky and often get time off when there is a state visit so that everything can be prepared.

But back to the capital: We stayed in a hotel that was very tailored to Indian tourists. From here, it was a stone's throw to the two-story farmers' market, and across the street, you could see about 10 men gathered around a Carrom board playing. Since Mr. Ärmel enjoys playing Carrom (a kind of Indian-Central Asian finger billiards), he watched briefly but held back on offering good advice as he realized his Dzongkha was not good enough.

We found nice cafés and shops alongside many tourist shops, and Mrs. Waas found a typical Bhutanese top for herself. When she wore it in the evening, she received appropriate compliments from Bhutanese people.

As we are both, at heart, city dwellers who enjoy the liberal atmosphere of “metropolises”, we left Thimphu (which now also has an LGBTIQ community, for example) with a heavy heart. But one final highlight awaited us: The Tiger's Nest. Many people will have seen pictures of the Tiger's Nest without knowing its name. They may have seen it as a computer wallpaper or as part of a puzzle or an impressive photo in the (once) social networks. The Tiger's Nest (Taktshang) is the holiest place in Bhutan and a must-see for tourists. It was founded at the place where the founder of Buddhism in Tibet, who is believed to have brought Buddhism to Bhutan, Guru Padmasambhava, is said to have meditated for 3 years, 3 months, 3 weeks, 3 days, and 3 hours in the 8th century. He arrived there while fleeing (and flying) on the back of a tiger, which seems a far less convenient way to travel than taking a night train. However, the idea of traveling with a tiger occasionally seemed tempting. Although there is now a private helicopter in Bhutan that helps some tourists cheat, even then, you still have to walk at least two hours. For 99% of tourists, however, there are only two options: either a several-hour ascent on foot to the monastery located at an altitude of 3120 meters or – like us – hiking up to 3800 meters, then spending the night and setting off early in the morning to descend to the Tiger's Nest before the greatest crowds of tourists arrive. This meant for us an overnight stay in a comfortable tent with plenty of blankets and hot water bottles while it was frosty outside. However, this descent was also challenging and posed a test for both our knees and our fear of heights. In return, we were rewarded with beautiful views and stunning blooming nature during the ascent and descent. While rhododendrons are entirely worthless to German fauna, they belong here in the Himalayas and provide a food source for small birds. We also admired numerous primroses and other flowers and blossoms, as well as kalij pheasants and other birds. Our desperate tiny hope of spotting a red panda, however, did not come true as expected.

And finally, at the end of our hikes, we reached the truly beautifully situated Tiger's Nest. Inside, as in all temples, photography is strictly prohibited. What can we say/write? We will not describe the interior. Either you experience it for yourself or imagine it as you wish. Overall, we have to say, one is guided through relatively quickly. Even the believers do not linger long at this, from a Buddhist perspective, holiest place in Bhutan. We felt like part of the problem. Perhaps one should just leave it at a glance at the Tiger's Nest and let the monks be in peace. Our most beautiful insights into Buddhism and contacts with nuns and monks were experienced in different places, anyway. Nonetheless, the Tiger's Nest was an undeniable highlight of our overall 7 months of traveling through foreign countries and cultures and will remain a valuable memory for us.

After a sad farewell to our guide and Bhutan, we finally headed to the airport with six power outages while we waited for our flight. And again, this airport provided us with beautiful waiting areas and lovely children’s books from Bhutan that we found at the last minute before boarding the plane. Here, we still chatted with Dave, an American who wanted to introduce himself as a Canadian out of shame for his government. But in the end, we are all just people, and the nationality with which we are born remains nothing but a stupid coincidence.

When we arrived in Amsterdam after 6 months in North and Central America, we felt at home again in Europe. However, as we returned to Lummerland via Delhi and Frankfurt, we missed that feeling. Yes, we longed for Lummerland cuisine, but otherwise, we didn’t feel as if everything was normal or familiar again. Lummerland is not “normal” and everything else is an anomaly. Lummerland is just a small island in the world, and things run lummerlandish here. That is not better or worse than elsewhere. And what seems entirely normal to us as Lummerlanders may appear bizarre to others. Certainly, Lummerland's culture is no better than that of other countries - just different. Of course, it was an incredible luxury and a great gift to explore the world for seven months, and it may sound arrogant, but we will conclude with a quote attributed to Alexander von Humboldt:

'The most dangerous worldview is the worldview of those who have never viewed the world.'

Upon arriving in Punakha, we were greeted by exceptionally friendly and helpful staff on our Bhutan trip and a breathtaking view of the valley, mountains, and Dzong (you know, that mix of fortress, monastery, temple, and secular administration). This Dzong was particularly magnificent with huge Buddha statues. It housed Bhutan's first parliament. Punakha is also the ancient capital city.

The problem when traveling to Bhutan is that you can't book cheaply. As it is only permitted to book through certain travel agencies that work closely with the government, you are always accommodated in magnificent hotels with huge rooms, the highlight of which is always the view. The following days promised us dreamlike views as well (mountains with Dzongs, a rushing stream, and a plateau with grazing cows and yaks against a picturesque backdrop of mountains).

Lunch and dinner were always good as well. The food is either served as a buffet or as a sort of buffet for two with about seven bowls offering, for example, red rice, buckwheat noodles, a kind of Bami Goreng, ginger carrots, green beans, asparagus, fern with chili (very delicious), lemony white cheese, eggs in curry sauce, buckwheat pancakes, potatoes in cream with peas, dumplings, or chili. Our driver Yang sometimes had to suffer when we ordered vegetarian meals when he dined with us, as he is not a vegetarian unlike our guide Yin. Desserts usually included fruit. Once we were also served homemade liquor (Ara) while dining in a farmhouse that opened its living room to guests. We also visited another so-called

From Paro to Punakha

We had to wait over 5 years, due to Corona measures, for our great travel wish to Bhutan to finally be fulfilled. The wait was absolutely worth it.

The Bhutan experience began for us already on the plane. The traditionally dressed flight attendants were exceptionally friendly, and above the clouds, we could admire the peaks of the Himalayas in the distance. We cannot confirm or deny the sighting of Mount Everest by a fellow passenger - any helpful hints can be shared after viewing the photos.

During the approach to the airport in the village of Paro, relaxing meditation music played. Some may have needed that, considering the spectacular approach over treetops, whose trees cannot be cut for environmental reasons, and houses where you could almost look into the kitchen window. Due to the airport’s special geography, only pilots specifically trained by the state-owned airline Drukair are allowed to land here.

To make the flight even more special, we were surprised to have Royal Majesty welcomed on board, from whom, when leaving the plane, we only saw the umbrella and the back of the head, as well as the kneeling greeting committee.

The airport we then entered was the most beautiful airport we had ever been to and - even though one should be cautious with future predictions - will ever be. We let the photos speak for themselves.

After exchanging money (one cannot count on ATMs in Bhutan), we were warmly welcomed by our guide Yin and our driver Yang* (*names changed by the editorial team), who will accompany us on our journey. This is a regulation in Bhutan, so we do not inadvertently (or intentionally, as autocorrect suggests) defile a temple, destroy nature, or behave otherwise poorly. Furthermore, the government ensures that only people come to Bhutan who are genuinely interested in the land and its people, and not just seeking hedonistic pleasures.

As a welcome gift, we each received a white silky scarf as a sign of blessing.

Even though most Bhutanese prefer Western clothing in daily life and wear traditional attire only on special occasions, this does not apply to certain professions. Hotel staff, as well as our guide and driver, must wear Bhutan’s traditional attire.

This specific outfit must also be worn when entering a government office. Violating this rule seems unthinkable.

Another rule is that Bhutanese must also wear traditional clothing when entering temples and dzongs (more on that shortly). Laypeople from Bhutan must wear a white scarf, while monks wear a yellow scarf. People who are not from Bhutan only need to wear appropriate long-sleeved clothing.

While you may photograph in the dzongs (large complexes comprising a monastery, temple, and secular administration, typical of Bhutan and also depicted on the back of banknotes), photography is prohibited in their respective temple areas and generally in temples. Therefore, there are no photos of the interiors of the temples here, and there will also be no pictures from the interior of the famous Tiger's Nest. Without a camera, however, one has more time and inner peace to engage with what is seen.

Overall, Bhutan is like the temples, a land full of tranquility and introspection, with a lovely and peaceful atmosphere. It's worth occasionally forgetting the camera here - even though that was hard for Mr. Ärmel, as the abundance of photos shows.

What we primarily visited in the first days were Buddhist temples, stupas, and dzongs. Temples speak for themselves, stupas are representations of the Buddhist faith that one circumambulates in a counter-clockwise direction, known to some by the Tibetan name Choerte or as pagodas. We have already attempted to explain dzongs. However, there is no state religion in Bhutan.

While the dzongs are all beautifully decorated yet organized, the interiors of the temples often appear overly lavish with wall paintings, statues, and an unfamiliar narrative system to us. Gradually, more details began to reveal themselves to us as non-Buddhists, such as the first Buddha and the second Buddha, the past, present, and future Buddhas, the compassion mantra on prayer wheels, the 21 female Buddhas (known as Tara), the sacred number 108, the ears, body, and clothing of Buddha, and much more.

We also visited a stupa at a mountain pass from which we would have had a view of the world's highest unclimbed mountain, over 7000 meters high, if only the clouds had cooperated. However, they did not, and we were left with a hike to a cave, at about 2400 meters high, where for the first time on this journey (but certainly not the last), we experienced how little oxygen the high-altitude air gives us.

We experienced this again while ascending to various temples. Here, we had time (while catching our breath) to learn a bit about agriculture in Bhutan. Bhutan is the only country on earth with 100% organic farming. Animals are not allowed to be slaughtered and may only be butchered after dying of old age or accident to eat. Thus, many roosters enjoy a relaxed life, and old cows and bulls often look quite emaciated, but they are allowed to roam freely on and along the roads. One may shoo the cattle away by hand, but otherwise, waiting is required.

The varied planting of the fields is also beautiful, cultivated in labor-intensive terraced fields. Large monocultures seem unthinkable in Bhutan, and one feels almost like in an anime, half-expecting Totoro to come around the corner to signal that everything is alright.

This is, of course, only partially true, because although Bhutan is the only climate-positive country in the world, the rest of the world commits unforgivable devastating mistakes, and climate change is also noticeable in Bhutan, e.g., with a delayed flowering of rhododendrons, so we may write about this in one of the next articles.

We need to save some content from Punakha for the next article, as this article would otherwise become too long. However, we must briefly address the peculiar penis and dildo images: The phallus is a fertility symbol in Bhutanese Buddhism and indeed “adorns” many house walls. Wooden phalli can also occasionally be found in temples. The often-advertised wooden dildos, however, are produced for tourists and have little to do with the authentic culture of Bhutan. We will elaborate further on this in the next article, for example about school children, archery, healthcare, and gross national happiness product. Until then, we greet you from this blessed land, enjoy an evening on the terrace with a breathtaking view, and are just glad this blessed land exists.

As soon as we enter the airport in Paro in Bhutan, we feel like we have been catapulted into another world: peace, serenity and an absolute slow-down mentality prevail here. Our guide for the next few days and our driver greet us warmly, putting a white stole around our shoulders and relieving us of the heavy burden of our equipment. The air is fresh and clean and you can practically smell that Bhutan is the only country in the world with a negative CO2 balance.

After a very idyllic one-hour drive along the Pachu River, we arrive in Timphu, the capital of Bhutan.

After lunch, go on a two-hour hike through the forests above the capital to the Golden Buddha.

We spend the evening with the guide and driver with locals who all speak good English, and sit cross-legged (admittedly very tiring) and enjoy the very tasty and spicy dishes that are served for us.

All in all: a very tiring but no less fulfilling day with incredibly great first impressions of the country and its people.

From Delhi, we flew to the Kingdom of Bhutan for a few days. During the flight over Kathmandu, we passed Mount Everest, Lhotse, and their companions in perfect weather. Only 700,000 people live in the small Himalayan country of Bhutan, the smallest country in Asia - even smaller than Switzerland. It was special for us because you are not allowed to travel the country on your own. You have to book a tour that costs a government-set daily rate. This includes a guide, a driver, meals, and hotels. You then receive a visa for the exact days you booked. For us, this meant that we could enjoy an unusually high standard: we were chauffeured around in a great car and delivered to one of the beautiful resorts in the evening.

After landing in Paro, we were greeted by Guide Thinley and driver Raj in traditional Gho - a knee-length dress - and drove to the Nature Museum and visited the Rinpung Dzong. Dzongs are a mix of fortresses, Buddhist monasteries, and administrative buildings. Monks walk between the temples while the community houses are located in the outer walls. Then it was time for our first meal: the table was always filled with at least 5 dishes. While the Bhutanese mainly eat chili (which is considered a vegetable here), tourists also get Indian, Chinese, Tibetan (Momos!), and even Western dishes. We immediately noticed the eerie calm compared to India. In addition, honking is rare. However, dinner tasted wonderful but didn't agree with us. We spent the first night almost more on the toilet than in bed and were exhausted in the morning.

Nevertheless, we wanted to try to hike up to the famous Tiger's Nest monastery. But we had to give up halfway and turn around. Meanwhile, laughing Chinese tour groups passed by on horses. Coincidentally, it was the king's birthday, which was celebrated with three public holidays. We were able to witness mask dances, performances by students, and an archery tournament. In this tournament, bamboo bows are used to shoot at a small target 145 meters away. Hits are rare and therefore celebrated with group dances and songs by both teams. We slept through the whole afternoon and took care of ourselves because we wanted to be fit for the next day.

On the next morning, we set off on a five-day trek on the Druk Path, which leads through the mountains to the capital Thimphu. We were accompanied by a guide, an assistant, a cook, a horse leader, and 7(!) packhorses - all included in the daily rate. Paro is already at an altitude of 2200 m and the first stage led up to 3900 m. The air became thinner and the hiking became more and more strenuous. At the summit, we were rewarded with a beautiful monastery and a magnificent view of Jomolhari (7326 m, the second highest peak in Bhutan). In the following days, we hiked along the ridge, over passes, and past mountain lakes. We always spent the night at almost 4000 m. The clear nights were freezing cold. Our toothpaste even froze once. Fortunately, our attendants always provided us with hot water bottles for the night or made a fire. The tree line is at almost 4000 m here. The equipment in the camp surpassed any scout camp in terms of luxury: we had a dining tent with cozy blankets, hot water for washing, and even a toilet tent with a proper seat. We were also well taken care of food-wise. In addition to tea time with french fries and popcorn, we had at least 5 dishes and a dessert for lunch and dinner. As strict Buddhists, the Bhutanese do not kill animals. However, they do enjoy imported meat, especially from India. We had missed a lot of beef in India, where cows are considered sacred.

When we arrived in Thimphu, we first enjoyed our heated suite. The next day, we visited the huge 52-meter-high Buddha statue above the city and the impressive Dzong. The Buddhist New Year Losar was currently being celebrated (another 2 public holidays). We watched archery with high-tech metal bows and cheered on our trekking crew during darts. Bhutanese darts involve shooting heavy arrows at a tiny target 20 meters away.

On the next day, we drove to Punakha via the Dochula Pass. We had to give way to the king's convoy and a little later to the queen's convoy. The royal family is chauffeured in a Toyota Hilux. In Punakha, we found the most beautiful Dzong in the country at a river confluence. After that, we hiked to the fertility temple. Here, couples who are unable to have children can perform rituals for help. A guestbook announced countless successes with numerous photos of smiling babies.

On our last day, we set off to Tiger's Nest for a second time. In good health, it was more than doable. The monastery in the cliff impressed us a lot. We didn't want to return to the valley anymore. On the last evening, we stayed at a resort & spa and indulged in a Bhutanese hot stone bath. Glowing stones are placed in a wooden pool and you are slowly cooked.

We thought back to the legends and tales of tigers and thunder dragons that surround the Dzongs and monasteries in Bhutan. Perhaps it is also its seclusion that makes Bhutan appear so magical and fairytale-like. With a heavy heart, we said goodbye. The return flight over Kathmandu will remain in our memory: biting winds made the plane shake and slide in the Himalayas, as if it didn't want to let go just yet.