Nov 2000: Black Neck Crane Festival To celebrate the King's birthday in November, Nade, Takeshi and myself went to the Black Neck Crane Festival in Phobjikha. These picture were taken with a digital camera by Takeshi. Click on the small image to view a larger version.
	Gante Goemba - on the upper-ridge of the Phobjikha valley sits this spectacular monastary. This picture was taken en route to the festival.		Standing near Gante Goemba, the three foreigners pose with some locals.
	By Gante Goemba, these monks were on their way to the monastary. We hijaked them for this picture.		The point of the weekend was to see some endangered Black Necked cranes. Here they are when seen through a telescope.
	Takeshi is the Japanese guy that took these amazing pictures. Here he stands in Phobjikha valley.		The beautiful Phobjikha Valley with early morning clouds. (The crane festival is held in this valley).
	Phobjikha Valley [2]		Early on Sunday morning we got up before sunrise to see the cranes from this bird blind
	At the Crane Festival, a procession with singing and dancing locals opened the event.		The Crane Festival was held at the Phobjikha school. This picture shows the main class with flags waving.
	Many children were at the Crane Festival. This shows them being well behaved before performing.		Where's waldo? It definitely helps being taller than everyone - I always get a good view. In the foreground is Nade, the organizer of this trip.
	The school children begin their parade singing beautifully.		The school children's parade [2]
	The school children after sitting nicely for too long move to get a better view.		Crane Festival: Women Sing and Dance traditional songs.
	Crane Festival: A traditional Folk Dance with dancers wearing not-much in the cold wind.		Crane Festival: Several games were at the festival. This guy is doing " Smash a Can".
	Crane Festival: Another game being played - "Animal Race".		Crane Festival: the most popular game - "Beer Fishing". I tried this several times, but unfortunately failed each time. I decided it's easier just to buy my beer!
	Crane Festival: Another game - "Crane Fortune" (let the crane determine your fortune!)		Crane Festival: All of the locals brought food to eat. Mostly this was rice with milk (or something like that). The kids here are beautiful.
	Crane Festival: These Kids Performed a dance/song playing out the traditional farming of the Bhutanese.		Crane Festival: Takishi thought this old man was really neat, so he had this picture taken with him.
	Crane Festival: a beautiful Kid.		Crane Festival: Transportation isn't easy in Bhutan. This shows how most transportation is done (in the back of large trucks).
	Cranes Flying [1]		Cranes Flying [2]
	Cranes Flying [3] : After getting cold at the festival, we went hunting for some black necked cranes. Before we could get too close, they flew over top of us. This is a picture of them flying (they remind me of Canadian geese!)		Phobjikha Valley is beautiful (there's no electricity or telephones in this valley).
	Returning from our walk through Phobjikha valley, here is Nade and Jason.		Phobjikha Girls
	Leaving Phobjikha Valley on Monday : truly paradise.		On our way out, we stopped at Gante Goemba (just outside Phonjhika valley), and went inside the monastary.
	Here is Takeshi and Jason inside Gante Goemba Monastary. Beautiful Bhutanese architecture.		Inside Gante Goemba, Jason and Takeshi pose with some young monks.
	Phobjikha Valley.		Transportation is tough: here are people in the back of a truck.
	Looking down on Wangdi Jail from the road.		Enroute from Phobjhika to Thimphu, we stopped at the Punakha Dzong. A hilight of this was getting a specialized tour by the young lady in front, and rubbing foreheads with the monk standing beside me.
	Punakha Dzong (what we got the tour around) - right inbetween two rivers.