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From Bhutan With Love
Dr. Erik Allgoewer reports on Gross National Happiness - a Marion Institute-sponsored documentary film project..

I wanted to send an update, now that we have reached Bumthang, in the center of Bhutan.

We first filmed interviews with ministers in Thimpu as well as the daily life of its inhabitants. After that we drove down to Phuntsholing, the border town with India in western Bhutan. There we captured scenes in nearby villages where people of Nepali origin live. We filmed some industrial activities and interviews with village headmen.

From there we went back up to Thimpu, visiting on the way a very impressive hydro-electric plant, dug into a mountain and which delivers all electricity to western Bhutan.

After this north-south trip we headed east to Punakha and Wangdichoeling. District meetings with the Dzongdas [district-governors] could be recorded. Thereafter we drove for hours to a small village were we spent the night recording ordinary village life and questioning people about their feelings toward Gross National Happiness.

The trip east brought us to the Gangthey-monastery. In this valley the government has forbidden to draw electrical lines because they fear that the Black Neck Crane, an endangered species, will be harmed as it touches down there during its migratory flights: a good example of GNH in the ecological and spiritual field.

From there we reached Tongsa and turned south again toward Shemgang. The idea was to drive into the tropical forest and reach a remote village to spend some days with its inhabitants. Pouring rain had unfortunately swept away the bridge forcing us to turn around and head north all the way up to Bumthang where we now spend some days roaming this very sacred valley. It is also the occasion to get things organized for the second half of our trip that will take us to Tashigang, Tashi Yangtse and Kaling.
I will try to contact you again from the south-east to tell you more about this part of the country which is less known by the outside world than the western and center part of Bhutan, the land of the Peaceful Dragon.

Tashi Delek and thanks to all of you people who are with us in this adventure.

Erik