The picture is of Drakpa Dorji, my guide, in front of Tiger's Nest monastery which clings to a rock face 900 metres above the valley near Paro. It was a tough but delightful trek and it was so good to have some clean fresh air. There was some old snow and later on the way back down it rained a bit.
Later we also visited a 7th century temple where the monks were happening to perform a ritual with much chanting, banging of drums and blowing of horns. We also did a lot of wheel turning and chanting 'Ohm mani padme on' for good luck and I immediately tripped over. I suppose it was lucky I didn't injure myself.
I am now in chalet in the Olathang Hotel in Paro which was built to accommodate guests for the coronation of the king in 1974. Although there is some snow outside the chalet is warm and if that is not enough there is a hot water bottle at the ready hanging in the bathroom.
This has been a marvellous trip organised by Blue Poppy Treks and Tours who have an office in England with Caroline who is pleasantly efficient. My guide Drakpa was attentive and Wangchuk the driver drove very carefully. Mind you it is more likely to happen when the speed limit is only 50 kmh!
All the hotels were top notch and plenty of delicious food. They skimped on nothing.
Bought some local Arak sold in an old coke bottle it was so good and nice and sharp -I wish I had bought more.
Considering I have been in low lying Bangladesh for the last few weeks I haven't had a problem with altitude.
Yesterday we were in Thimpu the capital. Apart from dzongs we went to a park where there are some takins very strange looking animal. It is antelope/stroke goat but has a head like a cow and short stumpy legs.
Must also mention that in the Punakha district many of the houses have huge penises painted on them for good luck. Some even have some wooden ones hanging from the eaves called flying penises!

Tomorrow I fly back to Dhaka and have just seen on BBC that there is some nasty protesting and violence there.
Consequently I shan't be going back to Whitehouse Hotel as it located in central Dhaka. I shall stay in Gulshan the area of the embassies.