13 May 2020

Kingdom of Orchids

posted in: Bhutan Blog, Travel Specials | 0

By Dr. Heiko Hentrich All photos ©Heiko Hentrich Why Bhutan… I am a tropical botanist, who has travelled to many Latin-American countries to do field studies in remote places. As a side benefit of my job, I meet people from different cultures, and I have come to appreciate the opportunity to learn about other ways of life, customs, food, and languages. On my journeys, I usually stay with locals and prefer these private accommodations to hotels, because you learn so … Read More
20 Apr 2018

“The guest of one night is like a god”

posted in: Bhutan Blog, Travel Specials | 0

By Ulrike Cokl One evening some Bhutanese friends and I were chatting about the charm, warmth and generosity that one experiences when visiting a village home in Bhutan. Most tourists who visit the little kingdom are on a tight schedule, moving from guesthouse to guesthouse, eating the same bland food every day. They are disconnected from local experiences of commensality and conviviality so characteristic for rural life. I decided to think about ways that would allow tourists to experience Bhutanese … Read More
3 May 2017

Tashi’s Dream of Bread

posted in: Giving Back | 1

For the second time master stove-setter Christof Bader came all the way from Bad Gastein in Alpine Austria to the little Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan. Yet again, the Austrian non-profit association Bhutan Network had planned and organized the building of a bread baking oven together with Bhutanese villagers. The oven will offer a start into new and exciting opportunities around the art of bread baking.  Photography and original text in German by Silvia Schmid “I hope you understand what this … Read More
12 Aug 2016

Traditional Hospitality and Travelling in Bhutan

posted in: Bhutan Blog, Travel Specials | 0

“The guest of one night is like a god” Bhutanese proverb By Ulrike Cokl In the Kingdom of Bhutan hospitality permeates every sphere of social life, whether private or public; it infuses (religious) festivals, rituals, rites of passage from birth to death and all kinds of political and social gatherings. From the sharing of food and drinks, singing and dancing, to the exchange of gifts, goods and services, such all-encompassing traditions of hospitality are fundamental to enriching and fostering relationships, thuenlam, at every … Read More