Paro airport, Bhutan

After a cancelled  flight from Bangkok to Bhutan last November 22, 2015, our flight resumed the next day,  November 23. We went to Bhutan to attend the Economic Freedom Network (EFN) Asia Conference 2015. This is Bhutan International Airport in Paro, another province about 1 hour by car  from Thimphu, the capital.

Just a medium-size building in traditional Bhutan architecture.

These 3 photos I got from the web. The airport and the runway is surrounded by mountains on all sides -- front, back, left and right of the runway. Bhutan being mountainous, the valley in Paro seems to be the widest flatland area in that country, that's why the airport was built there.

Before the plane reaches the runway, it has to  negotiate huge mountains and fly in  between some of them so that when it reaches the runway, it's already on a low altitude so that it can brake faster and not reach the end of the runway that is facing another small mountain.

Just huge and  wide mountains. Many are fully vegetated, others have only grasses. These mountains could be almost solid rocks, little top soil to support trees.

Some lowland areas are used for agriculture and residential purposes. Some deforestation should be due to harvesting of wood for houses and furnitures.

An example of a mostly rocky mountain.

Lots of rivers in between mountains. This long and winding road could be the road connecting Paro and Thimphu, running along a river.

The plane has passed the taller mountains, negotiating a descend towards the valley. A temple and few houses on  the right.

A small farming village near the airport.

These structures look like a school. Across the river is the runway.

Taj Tashi Hotel, Bhutan

Finally, I have visited Bhutan, last November 23-25, 2015, when I attended the Economic Freedom Network (EFN) Asia conference 2015. Venue was Taj Tashi hotel in the capital city Thimphu. It is a grand, esoteric, eloquently designed hotel in that place in the Himalayas. It is also an expensive hotel, perhaps the most expensive in Bhutan, but the conference organizers were able to get a good discount for the international participants, several dozens of us from Asia, US, Canada and Germany.

I did not take a panoramic shot of the hotel but here's one from the web. Really beautiful.

Back view of the hotel, the people were my co-participants in the conference. On the left is the main restaurant, on the right is the main conference hall.

Outside the conference hall.

Just outside the main restaurant is this mini-temple.

Buddha in the middle.

Restaurant, view from the outside.

Another view from the back.

Outside the fence, I think it's a government office, or a small hotel.

My room. When I first saw it, I felt like a prince. It was huge, my bed can accommodate 3-4 people. Behind the bed is the toilet, it has a heated towel rack, heated floor. They helped a lot because late November, it was soooo friggin cold for me.

My work area plus a flat tv nearby. Behind me is a sofa.

Again, my bed. I and about 2 dozen other foreign participants were supposed to stay at the hotel for 3 nights and 4 days but our Bangkok to Paro, Bhutan flight on November 22 was cancelled, so we stayed at an airport hotel in Thailand that night. Which means we stayed in Bhutan for 3D/2N only. Well, others for another day for a tour.

Thanks again, EFN Asia for that wonderful conference in a wonderful country. I really enjoyed my stay in Bhutan -- very friendly, warm and gentle people.

The hotel staff, ahh, they are very polite and friendly. Thank you guys.