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.'

当我们抵达布纳哈时，迎接我们的是在不丹之旅中特别友好的服务人员，以及令人叹为观止的山谷、群山和宗堡景观（你们知道的，这种堡垒、寺庙和世俗管理的混合体）。这座宗堡尤为壮丽，内部有巨大的佛像。这里曾是不丹第一届议会的召开地点。布纳哈也是古老的王城。

去不丹旅行的一个问题是，不能便宜地预订住宿。因为只能通过与政府紧密合作的特定旅行社订房，所以我们总是住在华丽的酒店里，房间非常大，但每一次的亮点都是窗外的景色。接下来的几天里，我们也期待着如梦似幻的美景（与宗堡相伴的群山、奔腾的小溪、和草地上吃草的奶牛和牦牛，以及美丽的山脉）。

无论是晚餐还是午餐，食物总是很好。餐饮一般以自助餐形式提供，或者是两人分享的自助餐，有大约七碗食物，例如红米、荞麦面条、一种炒面、姜胡萝卜、绿豆、芦笋、辣椒蕨菜（非常好吃）、带有柠檬味的白奶酪、咖喱酱中的鸡蛋、荞麦薄饼、含豌豆的奶油土豆、饺子或辣椒。有时我们的司机杨需要忍受我们点的素食，因为他与我们的导游尹不同，不是素食者。餐后通常有水果。在一次在一家农舍用餐时，我们甚至还被提供了自制的白酒（阿拉）。我们也曾再去过这样一种所谓的“农舍”。每次，我们还被带去看了冥想室或祈祷室，与寺庙不同，我们在那里可以拍照。

阿拉，这种自酿的白酒，我们也在寺庙和修道院中作为对僧侣和尼姑的供奉。人们最常用来献祭的是保存良好的钞票。此外，水果也是常见的供品，但还会献上蔬菜、即食面、大米、牛奶或芒果汁。

僧侣的寺庙和宗堡与我们看到的唯一一座女性修道院相比几乎没有区别。女性修道院整体上显得更加明亮和愉快，花朵也更多，但妓者在发型上与僧侣并没有什么区别。

访问完布纳哈的宗堡后，我们还观看了比赛的射箭比赛。射箭是不丹的国民运动，自1984年以来，不丹定期向奥运会派出射箭运动员，尽管这一运动被视为男性运动。在（理想情况下）11人团队中，两个队在饮酒的陪伴下相互竞争，目标是射击距离145米的碟子大小的目标（一个35x110cm大的板子上绘制的靶子）。与使用传统竹箭的司机不同，我们观看的比赛中的射箭者身穿传统的戈衣，使用着最先进的器材。在145米的距离下，如果能击中靶子，那就值得庆祝，如果能击中绘制的目标（2分），那可能还能多跳舞一支庆祝舞。队友们在得分后会进行一段排练好的庆祝舞蹈。阿尔梅尔先生只是感到着迷，而瓦斯女士对于从145米远的地方射过几只打盹的流浪狗则有些震惊（流浪狗看起来和射手一样放松）。接下来是让人叹为观止的吊桥，然后我们在接下来的几天继续参观寺庙、宗堡、舍利塔和女性修道院。不过，在我们继续前往松赞和松赞之前，我们在报告中还得介绍一下学生们。孩子们在穿着校服时总是友好地面带微笑，挥手向你问好，握手并询问你来自何处或名字是什么。由于所有孩子从6岁开始就学习英语，对他们来说交流简直是小菜一碟。但是，与其他贫穷国家不同的是，他们从不询问零食、金钱或类似的东西。而不丹是一个相对贫穷的国家。然而：没有无家可归者，几乎没有精神病患者和药物成瘾者。几乎没有人追求巨大的财富。在大多数不丹人的佛教哲学中，财富并不是最重要的。

至关重要的是幸福。因此，不丹第四任国王在2003年不仅引入了民主，没有任何压力，还引入了国民幸福指数，取而代之的是国内生产总值。自那时起，每年都会进行民意调查，询问人们在国内的幸福感和缺少什么，而政坛以此作为方向而不追求盈利最大化。这不仅解释了100%的有机农业，还解释了良好的教育和免费的药物与医院。当我们问导游政府党与反对党有什么不同，他微笑着腼腆地说，其实没有太大区别。反对党可能会要求多一个医院或更多的旅游，但他想不出其他区别。两个政党都非常支持环保。

我们前往松赞和松赞的旅程让我们穿越多个山口，最高达到3900米。众所周知，Lummerland是一个有两个山的岛，但它的高度通常在两位数之间。只要我们在3900米的高度散步，一切都很好，但更大的活动，比如攀爬或系鞋带，在考虑到高空空气时就显得有些困难。

而我们在3000米以上的高度轻松做到的是购买牦牛奶酪，甚至可以用它来杀死某个人，如果当时手边没有其他硬物。我们还在考虑如何最佳使用它……有趣的是，商贩似乎很难找零10欧元，但可以轻松用银行应用程序来支付，这或许给这一切增添了一些浪漫感。 值得一提的是，牦牛、这些给予我们奶酪的生物，让我们感受到了喜马拉雅的气息，与此同时，我们也看到了几座5000米以上的高山，并喝了黄油茶。我们在这里不透露它的味道，把这个小秘密留给你们的想象。

最后值得一提的是，我们看到的各种寺庙（脱鞋、穿鞋、脱鞋、穿鞋……）以及在前国王的旧宫殿，现在变成博物馆时，我们得以感受在这个追求幸福的国家统治的感觉。如果有空缺的话，我们会申请这个职位。

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.

今天的一切都与前几天在500万人大都市加德满都的混乱和忙碌形成鲜明对比。我们的旅程以世界上最壮观的山地降落之一开始——前往帕罗。在整整一个小时的飞行中，我们将欣赏到令人叹为观止的喜马拉雅山脉的景色。帕罗机场被认为是世界上最难降落的目的地之一。机长必须凭目视飞行并手动操控，因为机场周围的山脉使得导航设备无法使用。只有少数优秀的飞行员获得了飞机降落的许可。

走进不丹帕罗机场的那一刻，我们仿佛被投射到了另一个世界：这里宁静、淡定，并展现出完全慢生活的心态。我们的向导和司机热情迎接我们，为我们披上一条白色的围巾，帮助我们摆脱繁重的装备。空气清新洁净，您可以明显嗅到不丹作为唯一一个碳排放为负的国家所散发的气息。

经过一个小时的美丽旅程，沿着帕丘河，我们抵达了不丹的首都廷布。

午餐后，我们将进行一次两个小时的徒步旅行，穿过首都上方的森林，前往金色的佛像。

晚上，我们和导游及司机一起与当地人共度时光，他们的英语流利，非常好，我们在（诚然非常累人的）打坐姿势中享用丰盛的、辛辣的菜肴。

总而言之：这是一次虽然非常疲惫，但同样充实的一天，让我们首次感受到这个国家和人民的美好。

我们从德里出发，飞往不丹王国，停留了几天。在飞往加德满都的航班上，我们在完美的天气下飞过珠穆朗玛峰、洛子峰等高峰。不丹是一个小小的喜马拉雅国家，只有大约 70 万人，甚至比瑞士更小。对我们而言，特别之处在于，旅行者不得在国内独自游历。必须预订旅游，按国家规定的日费标准收费。费用包括导游、司机、餐食和酒店。然后，你将获得在预定的天数内有效的签证。这意味着我们有机会享受一次不寻常的高标准：我们被载着乘坐一辆豪华的小车，晚上送到一处美丽的度假村。

在帕罗降落后，我们由导游 Thinley 和司机 Raj 穿着传统的 Gho（膝盖长度的服装）迎接，前往自然博物馆并参观了林彭宗。 Dzongs 是堡垒、佛教寺院和政府大楼的混合体。僧侣在寺庙间走动，而周围的围墙则是社区房屋。我们立刻去吃第一顿饭：桌上总是摆满至少 5 道菜。虽然不丹人主要吃辣椒（在这里辣椒被视为蔬菜），但游客还可以享受到印度菜、中国菜、藏菜（饺子！）甚至西方菜肴。我们立刻注意到与印度相比，这里显得格外宁静。而且几乎没有汽车鸣笛。晚餐味道美妙，但对我们两个来说很不适应。第一晚我们几乎是在厕所里度过的，而不是在床上，第二天早上感觉很疲惫。

尽管如此，我们还是想尝试攀登著名的虎巢寺。但在还没爬到一半时，我们就不得不放弃并折返回去了。与此同时，笑逐颜开的中国旅行团骑着马从我们身边经过。恰好是国王的生日，这里用整整三个假期来庆祝。我们有机会观看面具舞、孩子们的表演和一场射箭比赛。比赛中，选手们用竹弓从145米的距离射向小靶子。命中率很低，因此每次命中都会伴随着两队的集体舞蹈和歌唱，热烈庆祝。整个下午我们在这里休息和恢复，因为我们希望第二天能保持状态。

第二天早上我们精神饱满地出发，进行为期五天的德鲁克步道徒步旅行，这条路线穿越山脉通往首都廷布。我们有导游、一名助理、一名厨师、一名马夫和 7 头（！）驮马陪伴，所有费用都已包含在日费之中。帕罗海拔2200米，第一段行程就上升到3900米。空气逐渐稀薄，爬山越来越费力。在山顶我们欣赏到了美丽的寺庙和壮丽的对乔莫兰里（7326米，不丹第二高峰）的景色。在之后的几天里，我们在山脊、山口和湖泊中徒步旅行。我们一直在接近4000米的地方过夜。夜晚的清冷让人瑟瑟发抖。有一次，甚至连牙膏都结冰了。幸运的是，我们的仆人为我们准备了床上热水袋，或者生火取暖。这里的树木界限在4000米附近。营地的装备在奢华程度上盖过了任何夏令营：我们有一个用毛毯装饰的餐帐篷，洗澡用的热水，甚至还有一个带有正式坐具的厕所帐篷。我们的饮食也得到了保障。除了下午茶时间的薯条和爆米花之外，午餐和晚餐总至少有 5 道菜和一份甜点。作为虔诚的佛教徒，不丹人不杀生。他们却很喜欢大量从印度进口的肉类，连在印度（那里牛是神圣的）都有些想念的牛肉。

到达廷布后，我们首先享受了我们带暖气的套房。第二天，我们参观了城市上方 52 米高的巨大佛像和令人印象深刻的宗。正好是佛教新年洛萨尔（又是 2 天假期）。我们观看了高科技金属弓的射箭比赛，并为我们的徒步团队加油助威。在不丹的飞镖比赛中，选手们用重箭射向20米外的小靶子。

第三天，我们经多楚拉山口前往普那卡。途中我们还要避开国王的车队，之后是皇后的车队。皇室家庭乘坐丰田海拉克斯出行。在普那卡，我们找到了国家最美丽的宗，坐落在河口。接着，我们徒步前往生育寺。在这里，无法怀孕的夫妇可以进行补救仪式。一个留言本展示了许多成功案例，还有很多笑着的婴儿照片。

在最后一天，我们再次出发前往虎巢寺。在健康状态下，这次完全可以完成。悬崖上的寺庙给我们留下了深刻的印象。我们甚至不想再回到山谷。最后一个晚上，我们在一个度假村和水疗中心住下，享受不丹的热石浴。热石被放入一个与木制泳池分开的小区域，慢慢煮熟。

我们回想起那些围绕着不丹的俱有传奇色彩的老虎和雷龙的传说；也许它的与世隔绝使不丹显得如此神秘和如梦似幻。我们依依不舍地告别。回程时飞越加德满都的航班让我们铭记于心：大风使飞机在喜马拉雅山中剧烈摇晃和滑动，仿佛它不想放我们离开。