A Short Pilgrimage to Gurugang Goempa

     Gurugang Goempa is gone. Perished at cliffside during the 2013 earthquake. As we sped by on the bus during our Sunday pilgrimage, none of our fellow riders could suss out where were going or what we doing. Turns out we were searching for a church that wasn't there.
        After hitch-hiking backwards we found the monasterys' remains and the monks who persisted on site in the make shift temple. After prayers, we found our selves in the village of Bithekha where hundreds of locals watched an archery match and enjoyed a long glass of ara.

I imagine that this man has seen a few archery tournaments at Bithekha.

On the cliffs' edge, after the 2013 earthquake, this is what is left of the Gurugang Goempa.

Shoes off at the monastery is the rule.

Parts of Bhutan really are rainbows and butterflies.

Young children at the archery tournament.

Archery is the national sport of Bhutan, and they are serious about it!

Roadside prayers on the way home.

Tractor on the road home.

The cows own the road in Western Bhutan.