Bhutan - Lindsay Brown [206]
Bamboo work is available in most of the handicraft shops and sometimes at roadside stalls. The round bangchung baskets, which some people have nicknamed ‘Bhutanese Tupperware’, can easily be stuffed into a bag or suitcase. The large baskets called zhim that are fastened on horses to carry gear on treks are hard to find, but a smaller version is available in many shops. Another unusual item is the large bamboo pipes covered with weaving that are used for carrying local liquor.
Handmade paper is available in large sheets and sometimes is packaged into handy packets of letter-writing size. Several local artists sell their paintings in small art galleries in Thimphu and Paro, and sometimes in hotel shops.
Carpet manufacturing is a recent innovation in Bhutan; traditionally most carpets in Bhutan were imported from Tibet or Nepal. There is a large factory in Phuentsholing and a small carpet workshop in the Phobjikha valley. Carpets are available in most handicraft shops, and a limited supply is on hand at the workshop behind the Phuntsho Chholing Guest House in Phobjikha (Click here).
Some of Bhutan’s minority groups wear ‘interesting’ hats, which make for curious gifts and conversation pieces. If you look carefully, you can find bamboo hats from Laya, Brokpa yak-hair ‘spider’ hats and conical bamboo Bumthang hats in shops throughout Bhutan.
Traditional Bhutanese songs can be haunting, if monotonous. The popular songs are an interesting combination of Bhutanese, Tibetan and Indian influences. You can find recordings of both classical and popular Bhutanese songs in most towns. Locally produced CDs cost Nu 200 to 400.
Bargaining
Bargaining is not a Bhutanese tradition, and you won’t get very far with your haggling skills here, except with trailside vendors on the hike to Taktshang and in the local handicrafts section of the Thimphu weekend market (Click here). Shops, restaurants and hotels all have fixed prices.
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SOLO TRAVELLERS
Solo travellers attract a hefty surcharge (US$40) on the daily tariff (Click here for details) and may find that larger groups get priority at hotels and restaurants. But apart from these inconveniences they should enjoy the personal service and potential flexibility of travelling solo. For issues related to women travellers Click here.
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BIZARRE BHUTANESE STAMPS
You probably won’t strike it rich by buying postage stamps from Bhutan, but they make a colourful addition to any collection. Some items are issued specifically for sale to collectors by an agency in New York, and others are locally produced by the government itself. There is not much demand for Bhutanese stamps and the value is generally low. However, the number of stamps issued in each series is generally so small that any increase in demand sends prices skyrocketing.
The price of 3D mushroom stamps shot up when topical collectors of mushroom stamps discovered them and exhausted the supply. The issue of playable record stamps sold out quickly in Bhutan, and only a few thousand were produced because of the expense. These are now worth hundreds of dollars a set. Most stamps, however, are available in adequate quantities at a reasonable mark-up over face value. Bhutanese stamps often are auctioned on the internet through eBay.
Some shops sell older issues and handsome souvenir sheets, but the philatelic counter in the Thimphu post office has the largest selection. For more information on Bhutanese stamps check the websites at www.bhutan.org and www.bhutanpost.com.bt.
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TELEPHONE & FAX
There are numerous public call offices (PCOs) throughout the country from which you can make STD (long-distance) calls within Bhutan or to India at a standard rate of 30% above the normal tariff. Some PCOs also offer international subscriber dialling (ISD) calls overseas. Most hotels can arrange both local and international calls, though