Day 1, February 23, First day in Bhutan:

The flight alone is worth the trip to Bhutan. Flying over the rugged monstrous landscape of the Himalayas, witnessing some of the highest peaks in the world. Mount Everest stood there, a grandiose sight, its sparkling snow peak vividly present in the crisp clear sky. What a magnificent sight! And then the flight down to Paro! The landing went zig-zag in between mountains, descending on a 30 meter runway! I just read on the internet that the Paro landing strip is "one of the scariest in the world". Worth the thrill! The Paro airport in Bhutan is the most gorgeous airport I have ever seen. The architecture is designed in full traditional Bhutanese glory! Tons of colors and symbolic designs on the wooden window frames and pillars. Wangdi, the UNICEF representative's driver, was there to pick me up and take me for a tour around Paro before driving me to Thimphu, the capital, where I was scheduled to have lunch with Gepke, the UNICEF representative.

Paro, like Thimphu and all other major cities in this country, is situated in a valley. A mix of urban sprawl and agricultural activity (mostly rice paddies). All along our drive Wangdi (pronounced Ongi) was telling me various interesting facts about Bhutan and about the things I was seeing. I went to visit the Drugyal Dzong ruins a bit outside of Paro, overlooking a magnificent landscape - including the snow-covered Jhomolharithe mountain in the distance (in the direction of Tibet - see photo). On our walk up the old dzong we met a monk who accompanied us along our walk [Every district has a dzong. The dzong houses both the administrative body and the religious body of each district]. The day was so clear that we could perfectly see Jhomolharithe . The sun was shining and I got a look out on my first ever sight of rice paddies. The monk invited us into his house where he lives with his entire family. A typical Bhutanese house. Walls covered with pictures of the 5 Kings of Bhutan, an old television set, and a room to my left that was dedicated as a shrine for the Buddha. Wangdi and I got Bhutanese chai (Ja) and some little snacks they offer to guests (such as "zau", made of dried-fried rice and dried-fried corn). The family was incredibly friendly and hospitable. On our way back to the car the monk looked at me and said in Dzongkha (the national language): "Your stay in Bhutan is going to be very smooth. Many auspicious signs tell me this, particularly the clear day. You have brought good weather with you".

Wangdi drove us to Gepke's house. Paro and Thimphu are relatively small cities but extremely congested. Because of their location, they cannot spread out much. Mass rural to urban migration is taking place as a result of the country's fast development causing even more population pressure problems. I was surprised at the amount of cars we were encountering on the road; everyone owns a small Maruity Suzuki here ☺ And the expats + people with money have ginormous cars which are so out of place on the narrow streets. Lunch was very good. I was received with a warm welcome by Gepke who immediately showed me to my new "home" - a section of the house with my own room and bathroom. During lunch I was briefed on what my task in the office would be and some small formalities. After lunch I went to the UNICEF Office and met all 30 staff members. Wangdi drove me through town afterwards and took me home, where I took a breather - overwhelmed by everything I had seen and heard - and unpacked my stuff to settle in my new casa.

After another delicious meal I was ready to sit in bed, read a book, and fall into a deep sleep.