Happiness is a place

High in the Himalayas’ mountainsides small buddhists kingdom squeezed between two giant neighbors. Local government refused the worldwide method of evaluating of country’s well-being – GDP, and created their own system that is known as Gross National Happiness (GNH).

Not long ago Bhutan was covered by the shadow of medieval ages. About 50 years before there were neither roads no total electrification; Internet and TV appeared in 2000th; the parliament system was launched in 2008 with the strong effort from the top: it was presented by His Majesty Fifth King and the need for national voting was accepted by Bhutanese people at least with confusion.

Bhutan is rapidly developing but even now most of the families cultivate terrace-fields just by hands and make flour in watermills look like tiny dwarf’s houses. Women sit in their gardens and weave fabric with old-old-old-fashioned machines that we used to see in fairy-tales about sweet Alenushka and cruel Koschey.

Nevertheless, everyone told without doubts that he or she is happy. Why so? Young monk explained the meaning of the word ENOUGH. After 10 days here we can say – enough with our desires.

So, it’s enough Bhutan for you today 🙂 We are still here experiencing on ourselves the traditional Bhutan medicine (Tibetan and Indian herbal study, mixed, but not shaken) or trying to find out in which of dozens Buddhas to believe.

By the way, many thanks to Travel Consul of Bhutan from Zilvinas and Natasha. We are doing our best to create impressive photo-story.

Happiness is a place.

Half of Bhutan territory is on 3000 meters altitude, nearly 700 000 inhabitants.

The top three sources of income: the export hydropower to India, tourism and eco-farming. We haven’t seen neither chemical fertilizers no herbicides.

Buddhism first arrived ti Bhutan in 8th century and gently integrated local beliefs and spiritual rituals.

For locals prayer flags are more important than roads…

19 years-old Pema Yangzom decided to become a nun two month ago.

The young generation is turning away from the traditional way of life to western civilization.

Gross National Happiness were created in ancient dzongs (like to our forts). This thing is more about quality than about quantity.