Bhutan: a photographic journey

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Dobji Dzong, Haa Valley, Bhutan von Nils Leonhardt Über Flickr: Capture of the picturesque Dobji Dzong, which is considered to be the first model Dzong in Bhutan. The fortress was built in 1531 by Ngawang Chogyal, the brother of Chojie Drukpa kuenley, aka the “Divine Madman”.

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Military Barracks, Damthang, Haa Valley, Bhutan von Nils Leonhardt Über Flickr: "Truth! Freedom! Justice! And a hard-boiled egg!" — Terry Pratchett (Night Watch) *** Capture of green-roofed military barracks located in the small and remote town of Damthang at the end of Haa Valley, Bhutan, close to the Chinese border.

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Dealmaker, Paro Festival, Paro, Bhutan von Nils Leonhardt Über Flickr: "Childhood should be carefree, playing in the sun; not living a nightmare in the darkness of the soul." — Dave Pelzer (A Child Called "It") *** Happy children counting quite some amount of money during the Paro Tshechu, Paro, Bhutan, March 2018.

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Prayer Flags, Chele La Pass, Bhutan von Nils Leonhardt Über Flickr: "Doubt everything. Find your own light." — Gautama Buddha *** Capture of typical prayer flags dancing in the wind high on the Chele La Pass, which combines the valleys of Paro and Haa.

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Lone Horse, Gasa Dzong, Gasa, Bhutan von Nils Leonhardt Über Flickr: "When happiness settles upon you like a butterfly, sit very quiet and remember the colors" — Diane Lee Wilson (I Rode a Horse of Milk White Jade) *** Capture of a white horse who freely and happily roams through the park of Gasa Dzong, Gasa, Bhutan.

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Dance of the Rakshas, Gasa Tshechu, Gasa, Bhutan von Nils Leonhardt Über Flickr: Capture of the traditional Dance of the Rakshas during the Gasa Tshechu, Gasa, Bhutan, March 2018.

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Cherry Blossoms, Tengchu Goemba, Paro Valley, Bhutan von Nils Leonhardt Über Flickr: "What a strange thing! to be alive beneath cherry blossoms." — Kobayashi Issa (Poems) *** Cherry blossoms and reflective light captured during the golden hour at the remote Tengchu Goemba, Paro, Bhutan.

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Portrait of a Bhutanese Woman, Haa Valley, Bhutan von Nils Leonhardt Über Flickr: "Sometimes people are beautiful. Not in looks. Not in what they say. Just in what they are." — Markus Zusak (I Am the Messenger) *** Portraiture of an old Bhutanese Woman met in small village of Ha, Bhutan, March 2018.

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Morning Mist, Dochula Pass, Bhutan von Nils Leonhardt Über Flickr: "We changed again, and yet again, and it was now too late and too far to go back, and I went on. And the mists had all solemnly risen now, and the world lay spread before me." — Charles Dickens (Great Expectations) ••• A capture of morning mist slowly floating into the landscape on top of the Dochula Pass with the Himalayan mountains in the back, Bhutan March 2018.

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Forest Fog, Jigme Dorji National Park, Gasa Valley, Bhutan von Nils Leonhardt Über Flickr: "Ich bin der Geist, der stets verneint! Und das mit Recht; denn alles, was entsteht, Ist wert, daß es zugrunde geht; Drum besser wär's, daß nichts entstünde. So ist denn alles, was ihr Sünde, Zerstörung, kurz, das Böse nennt, Mein eigentliches Element." — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (Faust) *** Untouched semi-tropical forest covered in morning fog captured in the beautiful Jigme Dorji National Park, Gasa District, Bhutan.

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Market at Gasa Festival, Bhutan von Nils Leonhardt Über Flickr: "I notice it says on your tray, ‘Dibbler Enterprises, Est,’” said Vimes. “Shouldn’t it say when you were established?" — Terry Pratchett (Night Watch) *** A photo tourist exploring the local market during the Gasa tshechu, Bhutan, March 2018.

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Dance of the Terrifying Deities, Paro Festival, Bhutan von Nils Leonhardt Über Flickr: "Here too it’s masquerade, I find: As everywhere, the dance of mind. I grasped a lovely masked procession, And caught things from a horror show… I’d gladly settle for a false impression, If it would last a little longer, though." — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe *** Capture of a Buddhist monk wearing a colorful traditional dress performing the Dance of the Terrifying Deities, Paro Tshechu, March 2018.

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Mountain Scene, Himalaya, Gasa Valley, Bhutan von Nils Leonhardt Über Flickr: "Light slanting down across Alode the Cliff illuminated a hundred forests; the irradiated foliage seemed to glow with internal light: bitter lime, intense gray-blue given pointillist fire by scarlet seed-pots, dark umber, black-blue, black-green" — Jack Vance (Marune: Alastor 933) *** Early morning sunlight passing through the Himalayas captured in the remote Jigme Dorji National Park, Gasa, Bhutan.

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Wheel of Fortune, Gasa Festival, Bhutan von Nils Leonhardt Über Flickr: "Luck is my middle name," said Rincewind, indistinctly. "Mind you, my first name is Bad." — Terry Pratchett *** A scene of ordinary enjoyment during the Gasa Tshechu.

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Portrait of a Monk, Tengchu Goemba, Paro Valley, Bhutan von Nils Leonhardt Über Flickr: "To realize one's destiny is a person's only obligation." — Paulo Coelho (The Alchemist) *** Portrait of a young buddhist monk aged 17, captured at the remote Tengchu Goemba, Paro District. The historic monastery is still active and occupied by roughly 20 monks.

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Rinphung Dzong, Paro District, Bhutan von Nils Leonhardt Über Flickr: "We rode on the winds of the rising storm, We ran to the sounds of the thunder. We danced among the lightning bolts, and tore the world asunder." — Robert Jordan (The Dragon Reborn) 

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 Late afternoon view of Rinphung Dzong, which is located in the Paro Valley, Bhutan. The Buddhist monastery is also known as Paro Dzong.

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Dance of the Judgement of Dead, Gasa Festival, Bhutan. ••• "Deserves it! I daresay he does. Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement. For even the very wise cannot see all ends." — J.R.R. Tolkien (The Fellowship of the Ring) *** Monks performing the Dance of the Judgement of Dead at the traditional Gasa tshechu, March 2018.