Dochu La

The road from Thimphu to Punakha goes northeast and one of the highlights of the journey is at Dochu La Pass, the highest point between Thimpu and Paro at 10,000 feet. It provides a spectacular view of the Himalayas to the north when the sky is clear(rarely). On top of the pass are 108 chortens (Tibetan and Bhutanese name for Stupa), honoring those who were recently killed by insurgents. Chortens are Tibetan Buddhist reliquaries, memorials to the teachings of the Buddha. Sometimes actual relics of the Buddha or revered monks are inserted into the dome of the stupa, but whether or not there are relics inside, the stupas mark the landscape with reminders of the Buddha's teachings.This photograph is of the Chortens in Dochu La taken early in the morning when it was below zero degrees celcius in temperature and extremely misty and cloudy 03/03/2007 11:40:33