Bhutan - Lindsay Brown [132]
Shopping
As in most towns in Bhutan, the shops in Jakar contain a surreal hodgepodge of goods, many of which are brought over the border from China. A typical shop may sell shoes, pens, nails, soap, toy cars, locally made baskets, dried fish and prayer flags, as well as ‘foreign fancy items’. One item in good supply in Jakar is chugo, dried cheese. Unless you want to break your teeth, let a piece soften for a long time in your mouth before you bite into it.
Udee Woodcarving Factory (Map) employs a few woodcarvers who turn out traditional lama tables and painted carvings.
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SWISS FARM
The Swiss Farm is a development project established by Fritz Maurer, one of the first Swiss to work in Bhutan, and now run by his son. The project introduced brewing, farming machinery and fuel-efficient, smokeless wood stoves to the valley, as well as its first tourist guesthouse Click here. The milk from large Jersey cattle is used in Bhutan’s only commercial cheese factory and Bhutan’s only native beer, Red Panda, is brewed here. It’s possible to visit the farm but your guide needs to arrange this in advance.
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The Yoser Lham Shop (Map; 631193) is the main outlet for the Swiss Farm. The shop sells the farm’s cheese, apple juice, peach brandy and apple or honey wine, as well as soft Gouda or hard Emmenthal cheese at Nu 250 per kg. This cheese is made for eating off the block, unlike the soft Bhutanese datse, which is used only in sauces. Honey is available in July and August.
Sonam Handicrafts ((Map; 631370) has pricey but nice pieces, including chang (barley beer) holders and ornate gau (amulets). Credit cards incur a surcharge of 5%. The Bumthang Handicraft Shop, also in the centre, is strong on textiles from eastern Bhutan.
Handicrafts Emporium ((Map; 631576) is the showroom of a government-supported handicraft project and sells textiles, wooden bowls, tables runners and ghos. It’s 250m down a dirt road just past the Leki Guest House.
Getting There & Away
Gari Singye Express has Coasters to Thimphu (Nu 267, 12 hours), daily except Monday, leaving at 5.30am.
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CHOKHOR VALLEY
To most people the Chokhor valley is Bumthang and the Chokhor valley is often called the Bumthang valley or just simply Bumthang. It’s possible to visit Jampey and Kurjey lhakhangs in the morning, cross the river and have a packed lunch at Do Zam, and then visit Tamshing and Konchogsum lhakhangs in the afternoon.
Western Side of the Valley
The road that leads up the western side of the valley connects a string of interesting temples which are connected in one way or another with the visit of Guru Rinpoche to Bumthang in 746. A mountain bike would offer a great way to link up the monasteries and continue over to the east bank.
SEY (GOLD) LHAKHANG
Beyond the hospital north of Jakar is the Sey (Gold) Lhakhang, properly known as Lhodrak Seykhar Dratshang. This is a monastic school, established in 1963, with about 25 students. The central figure in the lhakhang is Marpa Lotsawa, a great teacher and translator of the Kagyu lineage. The chapel is open to visitors.
JAMPEY LHAKHANG
This fabulous temple is up a short side road about 1.5km past Sey Lhakhang. It is believed to have been built in the year 659 by the Tibetan king Songtsen Gampo, on the same day as Kyichu Lhakhang in Paro, in order to subdue a Tibetan demoness (boxed text).
The temple was visited by Guru Rinpoche during his visit to Bumthang and was renovated by the Sindhu Raja after the Guru restored his life force (see the boxed text, opposite). It has been repaired several times, and a golden roof built over time by various penlops of Trongsa.
Inside the main Jampey (or Jampa) Lhakhang are three stone steps representing ages. The first signifies the past, the age of the Historical Buddha, Sakyamuni. This step has descended into the ground and is covered with a wooden plank. The next age is the present, and its step is level with the floor. The top step represents a new age. It is believed that