We had a big touring day of both Thimphu and Paro, the two largest cities in Bhutan. We started by driving up steep roads to visit an enormous golden statue of Buddha which has been under construction for years. Buddha looks out over the entire valley. The construction project has been financed by the government of Bhutan and also by the governments of the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Korea as a gift.
We then drove to the traditional medicine hospital which only treats patients using natural herbs and holistic therapies. It sits adjacent to the westernized hospital which treats in a more "contemporary" way. Doctors from both hospitals consult with each other over the best manner of treatment for each patient. Healthcare like education is provided freely to all Bhutanese citizens.
Next we went to the school of arts and crafts which is a competitive institute where students come to learn the traditional crafts of sculpture, drawing,weaving, silver making and many other arts. Their works are then sold and they also create a great deal of artwork for the temples and other government buildings.
In the afternoon , we drove to Paro for lunch and then visited the National Museum and the Paro Dzong which houses both monks and the area government offices. Afterwards, we checked in to the Zhiwa Ling hotel complete with white robes and wifi.
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