Today we drove to the Takstang Monastery which is also known as the Tiger's Nest The hike followed a steep switchback trail through the forest. On the way up we stopped at a tea house for tea and a biscuit and then continued on to the Tiger's Nest which is located at the end of seven hundred stairs.
The Tiger's Nest is one of Bhutan's most revered monuments. It literally hangs off the face of a cliff 2952 feet above the valley floor. The legend states that Guru Rimpoche flew from Singye Dzong to the present day Takstang on a mythical tigress and meditated in the cave before bringing Buddhism to Bhutan. The Takstang Goemba is built around this cave.
The climb was quite steep and very crowded with tourists and with ponies who were carrying both human passengers and supplies.
As my cold/cough continued to worsen one of the women in our group, an ER doctor from Breckinridge, advised that I reconsider the camping in the high altitude portion of our trip. She put me on antibiotics and said that day treks would be fine but camping in the snow/rain and cold was not a good idea. My sister and I spent much time discussing this and opted for day treks, flush toilets, warm beds and electricity.
From Beth:
The reality is that I was not probably not in any shape to complete the trek. The other people on the trek were very experienced and fit hikers and for many of them, a minimum pace was desirable - a pace which a couple of us did not meet. The destinations for all the hikes were well worth seeing - magical views and bustling, isolated temples.
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