Phobjikha Celebrations

[back blip after no internet connection for a couple of days]
 
 
Pretty cool day today. We spent a few hours at the local monastery, where, lucky for us, there was an annual celebration. So once again, we got to see the villagers and valley dwellers get together in prayers and offerings, sporting their best outfits. The socializing was nice to observe and made for nice local flavor in what is usually an austere setting.
 
The Valley is home to about 5,000 people, most of them farmers, with potato being their main cash crop (we crossed several trucks filled to the brim, heading to India).
 
I had so much fun taking portraits of the farmers: such character filled faces!  The language barrier was overcome by lots of gestures and a little smile.  When I turned to camera around to show them the shot, they giggled, obviously pleased, while others looked over their shoulder. That made the next ‘ask’ that much easier :)  My guess is, they do not get photographed very often, and seeing themselves was a treat.  Most of my shots are of the elderly: I just can’t resist a face that tells a thousand stories through its lines :) [btw, the reddish color on the gums and lips comes from chewing a nut, that has some interesting properties: think "high" ;)]
 
   We took a leisurely stroll down from the monastery to the bottom of the valley and these couple of hours were enchanting (I’m so glad we didn’t have to climb!). I was struck by the landscape, which reminded me of an Alpine setting: lush green meadows with wild flowers, tall trees and fern, little streams finding their way down the slopes. I’m also impressed by how well their forests are tended to: the undergrowth was cleared and the tree bases trimmed. There is a huge conservation effort ongoing to ensure the valley remains pristine (in spite of some recent tourism pressures).  See extra for pic of the valley