Today we dressed in Bhutanese gho and kira for a Bhumtang festival. Festivals are very important events to the locals for their religious meanings and everyone goes to the temple to see singing and dancing. Toi Sin did a great job being a Bhutanese lady and people thought the guide only had one client =P
After the festival, we had dinner at a family's home. When we arrived, we were served ngaja which is like indian chai. The food, especially the chili and cheese, was spicy and delicious. After dinner we had some ara (home made liquor from wheat that the family grow) and talked to the lady of the family and our guide explained how the ara was made.
These things combined made me feel like we are truely in Bhutan and I think I better understand what their lives are like.
Toi Sin appreciated that people in Bhutan still consider tourists as their guests, even if it means bringing them inconveniences, such as unstable electricity. Living in Bhutan is more than survival but is also to care about life. When life is important, respect, trust and peace come automatically among the people and life becomes a little simpler and a little bit more worth living.
