Oct 8 - Thimphu Tsechu

We attend the Thimphu Tsechu, in its second day of a four-day celebration, after breakfast. A total of 18 dance performances take place over four days at the Thimphu Tsechu. We get to see six dances, including the Dance of the Black Hats. At the Thimpu Tsechu we notice three of the primary foreign influences on Bhutan - India, China and foreign trekkers. Brightly embroidered silks with Chinese motifs and characters decorate the best dressed attendees. We will also notice Chinese (double happiness) water thermoses throughout our trip. Throughout our trek many of the packaged foods and other daily consumables are clearly produced in India which strongly supports Bhutan. The most striking anomaly is the influence of high tech trekker culture. At the Tsechu we see several well dressed women in traditional dress wearing the latest gortex hiking boots and carrying their belongings in hi-tech trekkers backpacks. Very few people wear glasses or watches, possibly because they do not have a need for these things. However, the wearing of glasses or watches connotes a certain social status.
		Trashi Chhoe Dzong, the king's main offices and the summer residence of the Central Monk Body.
		We enter the dzong through the monk's entrance. The royal police at this religious event primarily serve as dress and behavior code enforcers.
		The royal dzong courtyard is packed with people from around the Thimphu area.
		Young monks watch the dance performances from the stairs leading to their residence within the dzong.
		These jesters liven up the intermissions and dance performances with comic lewd behavior (The phalluses they're waving are said to distract the evil spirits and are generally considered auspicious symbols.)
		Dance of the 21 Black Hats with Drums -- Drums here symbolize Buddhism itself.
		The dance celebrates the victory of Buddhism over the enemies, which, in addition to ignorance also includes spirits and deities associated with earlier/other religions.
		Withered by the noon-time heat, this young woman attempts to protect her head from the sun with her rachu, a sash worn by women on special occasions. Note the Chinese motif (long life) of her silk jacket.
		Children occupy a window ledge to get a better view of the performances.
		The resident monks of Trashi Chhoe Dzong.
		Bryan and Wendy pose with two of the local beauties. Tzechu is not only a religious event, but very much a social one in which young people flirt with members of the opposite sex.
		The heat and crowds takes its toll on young festival attendees.
		More Black Hat Dancing
		Notice the rich symbology of the costume.
		The hat is adorned with peacock feathers and heavy with Himalayan Buddhism (often referred to as "Tibetan Buddhism") iconography.
		Bruce got this picture by poking his head into the dancers tent.
		In the tent, the performers were either resting or preparing for their next performance.
		Brian snapped this shot of Michael, who also seemed to be wilting from the heat.
		Kind of an intermittance dance by young Bhutanese women performed in between the more traditional religious dances.
		Two young brothers in the official national dress of Bhutan.
		An elderly Buddhist nun requested that we take a picture of this boy.
		A more modern looking young Bhutanese woman, who looks like she's following the Shanghai 30s fashion look popular in many parts of Asia.
		Monks and visitors crowd upstairs windows to get a better view of the dances in the courtyard below.
		The view out of an upper story window of the Dzong.
		Again, note the curious structural abutments typical of Bhutanese architecture.
		Elephants, called "lamche", and other more fierce looking deities abound in Bhutanese art.
		Outside at noon, everyone seeks out a place to have a picnic lunch.
		Young and old alike wear their finest garments for the tsechu.
		On the way back from the Tzechu, we see crowds in front of the only movie theater in Thimpu. The latest showing: A love story and first film made by a Bhutanese.