Category: Asia

On March 12, I took the ‘Reunification Express’ train back from Ninh Binh to Hanoi in the evening, and connected with the Fansipan Express overnight train north to Sapa. 
 
Arrived in Hanoi to rain! This is the ‘dry’ season! Yet, in 12 days so far in northern Vietnam, I have not seen the sun or blue sky yet. Overcast and sometimes drizzle.
 
There are ‘tourist’ trains to Sapa that have more comfortable cabins. I reserved this one, and it was quite nice.
 

 
We departed at 9:30pm. The rail gauge seems a bit narrower in Vietnam, and the train rocks and rolls, but I find that charming. Off to sleep till 6am.
 
At 6am, we roll into Lai Cai, the northernmost stop on the Vietnam Railway at the border with China. It’s funny that Judy and I had been not that far from here to the north in Yunnan province, China.
 
A 45 minute taxi ride climbing into the mountains brought me to Sapa town at 4900 foot elevation, and the first blue sky and sunshine I have seen! Yahoo! Sapa is the name of the Hmong (hill tribe) settlement that was there before the Vietnamese bothered to come up here. The French referred to it as Chapa.
 
I check into a lovely room for 3 nights that looks out over the Sapa Valley. This should be fun!
 

 

 
Valley fog at Sapa, Vietnam from Mel Malinowski on Vimeo.
  
Sapa lies on one side of the Sapa Valley, so that as you look out, you are viewing the high mountains (up to 10,300 feet high) on the far side. The sides of the valley are quite steep, which makes motorcycling along some of the roads a bit scary. If you ran off the edge, it’s a long ways down. I’ll bet there would be some good soaring possible here.
 

 
The town itself is a bit chaotic. It’s currently a mix of shops and restaurants that look similar to global backpacker destinations such as Siem Reap (Ankor Wat) and Luang Prabang, Laos, side by side with high rise hotel construction.
 

 
I’m told that at times, the whole area is buried in cloud and you cannot see the mountains at all! I’ve had the good fortune to arrive in a patch of sunny weather. It must get very hot here in the summer at times, as I passed a shop that advertised “Only 30°C (86°F) inside!”
 
I rented another Yamaha motorcycle, and headed up to Silver Falls and Tram Ton Pass. Exciting two wheeling on this steep road, with mixed motorcycle, car and truck traffic.
 

 
I climbed beyond the guard railing and up among car size boulders to the base of the falls, and lay there for some time in the light mist enjoying the falling water and clouds zipping by above. Peaceful, happy.
  

  
Silver Falls, Sapa, Vietnam from Mel Malinowski on Vimeo.
 
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Next day, I headed off on motorcycle to Lao Chai, which is a ‘Black Hmong’ village with lots of terraced rice paddy.My plan was to go 24 km.(about 15 miles). Not far out of Sapa, the road became very rough, with patches of 4-6″ rocks to ride through. This was not easy on a small motorcycle. But the views were dramatic.
 

 
As I turned down the steep side road to the village, I lost control. It was steep and very rocky, and I tried to brake hard with my right brake, my most effective one. However, it happened so fast that I also had the throttle twisted a bit with that hand as I squeezed the brake handle, and the motorcycle spun out under me and went down on its side. Fortunately, I was not under it, and neither the motorcycle nor me was injured. That was a new experience! Not one I thought it would be good to repeat, lest I break something on the motorcycle, or perhaps a bone or two.
 
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Despite my attempts at caution, the bike went down two more times later, due to the very rough condition of the road. After about 18 km., I decided it was more prudent to go back to Sapa. I think I’ll stick to the paved roads.
  
The next morning, I awoke in a cloud. Now I understand the name “Cloudy Sapa Cafe”. Some people I’ve met said they went to Sapa for several days, and saw nothing but fog. Visibility can’t be more than 50 meters. As Dad used to joke “The fog was so thick you could slice it with a knife!”

So I curled up with several pillows and studied–meteorology–for my upcoming pilot’s exam.
 
Things lightened up a bit around noon, so I hiked up to Ham Rong park above Sapa. Its limestone pinnacles remind me of the ‘Stone Forest’ near Kunming, China:
 

 

 
 
 
 
 
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There are numerous ‘Black Hmong’ villages in Sapa. They were here, in fact, long before the Vietnamese. Here are a few pictures of local people (I’m not 100% sure of ethnicities)

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Morning, my last day in Sapa,which is starting out as a second day of dense fog. Anyone only here for a few days may never see the unusual terraced rice paddy and dramatic mountains. Time to study and eat local food before heading off for the overnight train back to Hanoi.
 

 
There is still a fair French influence in Vietnam from the colonial days, and many French tourists. I think the above dish is French cuisine with local veggies. It was yummie!
 

  

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]On March 8th, I took the ‘Reunification Express’ train from Hanoi to Ninh Binh, about 2 ½ hours south of Hanoi, to begin the second part of my explorations.

On the train, you can chose ‘hard seat’ or ‘soft seat’ (costs 15% more). Here is what ‘soft seat’ is like. The seats are a bit like economy airline seats. They were OK for a short trip, but might not be so much fun for all day.

This part of the route is industrial for the most part, rarely scenic.

Ninh Binh itself is nothing special. But not far out of the city, you enter the karst limestone area, which is dramatic and beautiful.

My accomodations at a ‘home stay’ complex were simple but comfortable:

No heat in the room, and as I arrived in a light drizzle, about 64°F, it was time to put on a couple of layers. I had reserved a room with a private bath, but the owner asked me if I was willing to accept a smaller room without bath, and be compensated by getting all my meals provided. That was fine with me. The bed was a comfy 6″ foam mattress, a bit softer than the Asian standard, which is closer to my preference.

After a delicious ‘bun pho’ rice noodle soup with chicken and vegetable lunch (the owner’s wife clearly is a very good cook), I put on my rain gear and rented my first ever motorcycle to go explore the countryside.

A nice little Yamaha, it is a great intro, not too heavy or powerful. Technically, it’s a ‘scooter’, but it has strong acceleration and can go faster than I want to on mixed quality rural roads. . It’s fun, and out in the country like this with little traffic, it feels safe enough. I’m learning how momentum and centrifugal force can be your friend. I’m sticking to not more than 60 km/hour for starters.

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One of the attractions in this area is the Trang An area, a world heritage site. It is very popular, and hence touristy. You go to a big lake or riverside dock area, with perhaps 50 or more small rowboats. For about $9USD, you are taken on a 2 ½ hour trip out among the karst peaks. You slowly paddle along the shallow waters, enjoying the dramatic limestone peaks around you.

Our boatwoman who rowed us. I’m not sure I could have kept that up for that long!

You row eventually toward what seems the end of the ‘lake’, blocked by a large peak. At the base is a very small cave, about 6 feet high at most. And in you go, rowing 350 meters (1100 feet) through a cave all the way under the mountain! On the other side, you are in another big lake. And on you go through a series of lakes and caves.

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Next morning, off to Cuc Phuong, Vietnam’s first National Park. First stop, the primate center.

Gibbon swinging from Mel Malinowski on Vimeo.

There are numerous very endangered primates kept here. Their goal is to help breed them, increase the numbers, and then hopefully be able to re-introduce them. Many turtle species are also endangered worldwide. They are hunted and sold for food. Turtles have been around for 200 million years, and survived as the dinosaurs did not. Their shells protect them from most predators, but now humans are a superpredator that they have no defense against.

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There is a very large tree in the park that is believed to be 1,000 years old:

Today, I am off to visit the huge Bai Dinh Buddhist center, the headquarters for Buddhism in Vietnam.

 

I have come to be uncomfortable with all the pomp that organized religions seem to often evolve toward. Jesus and Buddha both had some simple and profound ideas. I”m not at all sure they would approve of what the Catholic Church and institutional Buddhism have become based on those ideas. Bigger and fancier cathedrals, and enormous complexes like Bai Dinh with thousands of statues. In Bhutan, a $62 million dollar bronze Buddha statue is nearly complete, and the building below it is meant to eventually hold more than 100,000 statues of Buddha. Why? This does not seem like the “Middle Way” to me.

On the way to the far end of the complex, I rode on the electric car with this Vietnamese family:

And also these kids:

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I met an Israeli family traveling with their children at NBHS. We had many interesting conversations, and their six year old son Yuval drew pictures for me (see collage).

On my last morning, Scott took a group of French student nurses visiting out with me for a bike ride through the rice paddies.

Rice Paddy bike ride from Mel Malinowski on Vimeo.

Now it is time to take the train from Ninh Binh back to Hanoi and on overnight to Sapa.

Judy and I visited Thailand, and fell in love with the people and their delicious cuisine, our favorite in the world. We went back many times, and visited many areas from north to south, visiting hill tribe villages in the uplands, and snorkeling in the south.

Then, we decided to try to get to know busy, crowded Bangkok. This was a bit of a challenge, as at first glance, it seems like a chaotic mess. However, when we settled in, in a comfortable ‘serviced apartment’, and began to explore as if we lived there, we came to like Bangkok.

I began to study Chen Tai Chi in Bangkok, and decided to come back this year for 6 weeks to learn more.

Chen Tai Chi from Mel Malinowski on Vimeo.

This is a short clip to give you an idea what Chen Tai Chi is like. It is purposefully very slow. Done well, it is graceful, good exercise, and a kind of meditation.

I study Chen Tai Chi with the Chen Tai Chi Club of Thailand in Bangkok.

http://www.chentaichithailand.com/#welcome

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I began by flying from Hobart, Tasmania to Bangkok via Melbourne, about 5,000 miles. I hit a little travel snag in Melbourne. Prior to giving me my boarding pass to Bangkok, Jetstar had to verify that I had a valid permission to visit Thailand. I explained that US citizens did not need a visa to visit Thailand (what I thought–we had never needed one). Upon doing a little more research for them, we determined that in fact US citizens are allowed a 30 day maximum visit without getting a visa. As Judy and I had always gone for less than 30 days, we had never bumped into this rule.

Jetstar politely told me that unless I could provide proof that I was departing Thailand within 30 days, they could not fly me there or they would be fined. As my Jetstar flight to Hanoi was 43 days later, that did not qualify. As my flight to Bangkok was leaving in 2 hours, I needed a quick solution!

I asked Jetstar what was the cheapest flight they had out of Thailand in 28 days. It was to Singapore, for $49. So I bought a ticket on that flight, not intending to use it. This got me my boarding pass for Bangkok, and I figured I could sort it out there.

I rented a nice one bedroom apartment in Bangkok, two blocks from where Judy and I usually stayed. On the 16th floor of a new building, with an exercise facility, pool, steam room and sauna (hardly need a sauna in Bangkok!), it is roomy and comfortable. (the steam room turned out to be helpful later when I got a nasty sinus and chest cold)

Food in Bangkok is delicious and inexpensive. For example, for a late breakfast yesterday, I had stir-fried chicken with vegetables for $2.12 USD:

Yum! For lunch, I went to our all-time favorite restaurant, Kinnaree Gourmet Thai, an upscale place with a great selection of dishes. For $12.64 including service, I had this:

Spicy pomelo salad, stir fry chicken and pork dishes

With fried banana and fresh coconut ice cream for dessert. I ate only half, brought the rest back for dinner. Pretty good deal! If I ate like this very often, I’d get too round to do Tai Chi, so I stick to simpler food most of the time. I mostly ate a mix of street vendor food and supermarket deli curries, supercharged at home with added spinach, broccoli, tofu and such.

After my first Tai Chi practice session in the park, I headed out to the Immigration Office by subway and taxi. After submitting several pages of forms, a picture, and paying about $54USD, I was granted permission to stay 60 days rather than just 30 days. So I don’t need to take that one day trip to Singapore. Had I gotten the visa in the US, it would have cost $40.

I think it is short-sighted of Thailand to make it difficult for visitors to stay more than 30 days, and to not allow applying for a visa more than 3 months ahead. As I am traveling all the time now, I never have time to be able to spare my passport and mail it in to get a visa. This may complicate some future travel to the extent that countries do not have electronic ways to get a visa (such as Russia and India!) The moral of this story is, however: always check on visa requirements ahead of time!

Making rice crepes in Bangkok from Mel Malinowski on Vimeo.

 

Kickball in Bangkok from Mel Malinowski on Vimeo.

Thailand has wonderful fruits. Whenever I am away from Thailand, I miss being able to get Thai pomelo. Pomelo is like a very large relative of grapefruit,  perhaps 3x as big, and the Thai variety is not at all acidic like grapefruit. The result is a mild, refreshing fruit:

There are many street vendors in Bangkok making and selling quality food at lower prices than you pay in a restaurant. One of my favorite street vendors is usually selling on Soi 8, Sukhumvit, making Som Tum Thai among other things (green papaya salad with dried shrimp and peanuts). I have been eating her Som Tum for years, whenever we were staying here. It is my favorite lunch. At 40THB (about $1.12 USD) it is a bargain. It IS spicy.

As you can see in the video below, making Som Tum Thai is complex and involves a lot of mixing and pounding. That this woman can stand here and do this for many hours amazes me. I doubt I would have the stamina to do so. Her food is very good, and she has a steady stream of customers. Alas, a week after I arrived she told me that she was going home to Issan (in northeastern Thailand) for 5 weeks. She will be missed.

 

Som Tum (Green Papaya salad) in Bangkok from Mel Malinowski on Vimeo.

This video shows her making Som Tum Lao, a variant with salted crab. I prefer Som Tum Thai. This video is about 2 minutes long. You can see her taste a piece of the salad. This is quality control: she always does this, and then will adjust the flavoring if needed. High standards are typical of Thai cooking.

Here are typical ingredients for Som Tum Thai:

2 cherry tomatoes
1 Thai chili pepper (2 if you like really hot)
1/2 tablespoon dried shrimp
3/4 tablespoon fish sauce
1/2 clove garlic
3 green beans, chopped
1 cup shredded green papaya
⅓ lime (squeeze in juice)
¾ tablespoon palm sugar
1 tablespoon toasted peanuts

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Thailand is a predominantly Buddhist culture, very old, and is a bit of a challenge to understand if you come from a European/American culture. I am far from qualified to explain it to you. There are many authors who try, with mixed success. I’ll just make a few observations from time to time here. Pay attention to Thai culture, and you can come to be as fond of it as we did.

I have rented a Jeep and driven in rural northern Thailand without problems. That said, I don’t recommend doing so in urban areas, as driving here is a big melodrama, and we don’t really know the informal rules. There is a lot of speed and bluffing involved, like a big road rally, and if you don’t know the game well, you could get hurt. It also can be no more expensive to hire a vehicle with driver than a rental car.

Being a pedestrian in Bangkok seems safer to me than in New York. This may be because of two Thai characteristics, the first being politeness. The second is a superior alertness to what is going on all around them. I think this is why the service in Thai restaurants is so excellent: if the water in your glass gets low, your Thai waiter will notice it before you do, and refill it.

Likewise, on the street, cars and motorcycles and tuk-tuks do their best to avoid the rudeness of hitting you (whereas in New York City, it seems there is a bounty on pedestrians–hitting them is always an option, but if not, blast them with your horn to get the h*ll out of your way). The Thai best may not be enough if you are totally oblivious and step out in front of a fast-moving vehicle, so try to cultivate Thai awareness and not do that. If you wish to keep your elbows intact. it is best to not flap them around obliviously like a chicken, lest a silent, speeding motorcycle inadvertently clip them. Learn self-awareness.

(note: my Tai Chi teacher says that, as anywhere, there are lesser skilled drivers that are a hazard, people have accidents, so things may not be as safe as I have so far experienced. Use care, and walk defensively)

I like flowers, as anyone following this blog knows by now. I went to a street vendor and got some cut flowers to dress up my apartment. Thailand is the favored home of many orchids.

Many things in Bangkok are inexpensive at current exchange rates. One of my favorites has become Thai oil massage. Tai Chi is strong exercise, and as the Tour de France riders know, good massage speeds your muscle recovery. In Hawai’i, spa massage costs $80-$200 an hour, and I have not seen it as the best way to spend our money. Here in Bangkok, however, a five star spa across the street from my apartment charges 500 Thai baht ($14.27 US dollars) for an hour of Thai oil massage. Every 11th massage is free, a 9% discount. A 50-100 baht tip is appropriate.

The massage begins with a wash and scrub of your feet (soothing and pleasant). Then you move to a stylish massage room, don disposable underwear for modesty, and lie down on a comfortable massage table. Then begins an hour of relaxing, flowing draped massage. I massaged Judy on a massage table every day while we were in Hawai’i, as it helped her relax, particularly as her health declined. I like oil massage because then the strokes can be long and smooth.

I have a favorite masseuse, whose name is Pin, and at my request, she does the massage Chen Tai Chi speed (very slowly) without poking too deeply. Ah…

 

Some of the artwork scattered around Silk Spa:
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This week was a big motorcycle show here at the shopping mall called ‘Central World’. Motorcycles are considerably less expensive than cars, and can get through when the cars are at gridlock. Of course, everyone admires high performance motorcycles such as these racy Italian bikes made by Ducati. (Most you see on the streets are not this fancy, but one can dream).

One free attraction at the show was ‘The Wall of Death’. Inside a not so big round structure lined with boards angled at the bottom, then vertical along the sides, spectators got to stand around at the top while daredevil riders performed the stunt of riding parallel to the ground at high speed, held up only by centrifugal force. Anyone care to calculate how many Gs are pressing on the rider in order to keep the bike up there?

The first rider looked about 14 years old, but rode like a bat out of hell!

Wall of Death from Mel Malinowski on Vimeo.

Bangkok has many faces.

It is very much a Buddhist country.

Yet look above and beyond that shrine to see the emerging modern Bangkok sprouting up from the very old traditional city.

In the time when I am not practicing Tai Chi, I have been getting back up to speed as an iOS programmer, learning Apple’s new language Swift. Apple is requiring all older apps to be recompiled and resubmitted for compatibility with the plethora of new devices. When I started iOS coding, there was just and iPhone, and then an iPad. Now, there are many sizes of both. I just completed a re-write of my simplest app, Travel Clock, aimed at frequent travelers and the visually impaired, and it now is in the App Store again, with added features. Next, I am working on making it available in Chinese, French, German, Spanish, Dutch and Thai, which is an interesting challenge. Good brain exercise.

My Tai Chi is progressing slowly. It is a challenge to explain it adequately, particularly as I am as yet a naive student with less than two months practice. But I will try.

Recently my instructor told us part of what he was trying to teach us was to learn ‘the edge of our balance’, for that was essential to exerting power if needed. Balance and weight distribution are important, and in the process, you certainly do improve your balance, awareness and strength. Tai Chi is excellent isometric exercise.

My teacher has warned me not to try to teach Tai Chi to others when I do not yet understand it myself. However, I will do my best to report on what it seems to be. You can skip this section if it does not interest you.

Tai Chi Chuan (太極拳) literally translates as “Ultimate Supreme Boxing”. The Chen family school is the oldest, and the parent source of all Tai Chi today. It is the one I have chosen to study.

It has been described as an “internal martial art”, although to judge from the Tai Chi practiced by most adherents today, it looks more like a very slow, stylish dance/exercise. My teacher assures me that advanced students of it (in perhaps 20 years of work) have serious martial arts ability. He describes being out for a walk with his mum in the UK (he’s British) and being bothered by two large louts. With one fast, powerful move he knocked the first down to his surprise, and the second decided they should not bother him.

That is not my goal. I’m doing Tai Chi for the exercise and health benefits. Along the way, perhaps I may gain some of the spiritual benefits. We shall see.

(My Tai Chi teacher recommends avoided a fight whenever possible, using quick, strong force when absolutely necessary, and then breaking off as soon as possible. Think of this part of Tai Chi as self-defense)

There is an elevated train system that allows you to avoid the chronic Bangkok traffic jam (which is truly awful–once, after getting only ½ mile in half an hour, Judy and I just got out and walked!) The Skytrain seems expensive by Bangkok standards (rides from 15 to 50 Thai Baht (43 cents to $1.42 USD), as you can get a stir-fry chicken dish at Tops for 45 Baht. Yet the Skytrain is often packed. It is the fastest way to many destinations (assuming you are unwilling to risk the motorcycle alternative).

 

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More faces of Thailand

The word ‘taiji’ represents the interaction of yin and yang, which are complementary opposites. Taijiquan teaches that hardness comes from softness and quickness comes from slowness.

“The training exercises of Taiji…are designed to build gong. Physically, the accumulation of gong refers to constant improvements in balance, coordination, agility, sensitivity, and strength or power. Mentally and spiritually, the accumulation of gong refers to improved awareness and confidence, and constant advancements toward realizing tranquility of heart and mind.” –Taijiquan, the Art of Nurturing, the Science of Power, Yang Yang, Ph.D.

Now, I must practice, practice, practice, with the goal of moving the Tai Chi from external to internal. Perhaps you may see me among the millions of Chinese exercising and practicing many forms of martial arts in parks all over the world in the early mornings. I like that a lot better than exercising with machines in an air conditioned room.

Looking ahead…my time in Bangkok is drawing to a close. Next stop: Hanoi, Vietnam

On my way back to Washington, nearing the end of my five month journey begun in early June, I decided to stop over 3 days in Seoul. Judy and I had booked a trip to tour South Korea, but had to cancel it when her health declined. This will just be a scouting stop for a later visit.

Incheon Airport is one of the best world airports. Immigration was quick and efficient, and it was easy to follow signs to the express train into central Seoul. 45 minute trip cost less than $7, in a very comfortable modern train. A example of good urban design, much better than fleets of taxis clogging the freeways.

Coming to Korea has led me to review the history of the Korean War, which happened when I was a toddler. I knew a the generalities, and had watched M*A*S*H, the anti-war situation comedy based on a medical unit in Korea.

I had not realized just how close we came to defeat, and what a long and nasty war it was. It easily could have developed into WWIII. Joseph Stalin was unwillling to let it go that far, and declined to directly involve Russian troops so as to avoid that. Russia supported the North Koreans and China with materials, but not troops.

At the same time, our position was compromised because we were backing a rather nasty dictator in South Korea (as in South Vietnam in the late 50s) as being better than communism. Still, with grit and good military leadership, we did manage to fight to a draw, holding the border at the one determined at the end of WWII. A win in the sense that we did defended South Korea’s existence.

Was it worth all the lives lost (over 37,000 American soldiers) ? You decide.

The Palace guards dress in traditional costumes

Lots of small streets with hundreds of places to eat.

A great Korean buffet right next to Seoul Station. Amazing assortment, and a good way to sample different foods by sight.

 

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At another restaurant, some dishes were on offer which I chose to skip.

So I picked a plate of vegetables sautéd with pork and octopus. It was spicy and good. The small dishes are kimchi (spicy pickled vegetables) and seaweed. A satisfying lunch.

There is a lively street food scene here, day and night. You can buy all kinds of snacks and more.

[vc_video link=”https://vimeo.com/189771549″]

Fish Cake Soup comes sizzling! It was good.

This is a kind of freshly made potato chip. Cut a potato into a big spiral, dip in a coating and deep-fry. I have not yet tried one, but I may. Potato chips on a stick?

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Seoul has an extensive subway system. The display system in the subway stations lets people know where their incoming train is, and gives this entertaining announcement, complete with moving graphics:

Seoul Subway announcement from Mel Malinowski on Vimeo.

On my second day, I visited the Leeum Samsung Museum of Art, and Bukhansan National Park.

Andy Warhol!

[vc_video link=”https://vimeo.com/189771814″]

Magical kinetic art.

And now the Park. A huge mountain of beautiful weathered rock.

I scattered more of Judy’s ashes atop Jokduribong Peak. Rather steep hiking up big, weathered, rounded rock bones.

My conclusions on a short visit: Seoul is quite clean, well-organized, loaded with (Korean) food options, seems safe, friendly locals, great transit (subways, buses), lots of parkland. When I come back to Korea, I’ll spend more days here, as I have by no means exhausted the options here. Rather cool in the winter!

There is a rather large cultural gap here to deal with. The Korean alphabet is very difficult, and the food is less familiar to us than (say) Chinese cuisine. If you come with an open mind, there is a lot to see and appreciate.

Nighttime view from the head of my bed at 16th floor near Seoul Station. This stay certainly has given me a better feel for Korea than just buying LG and Samsung products. Quite an interesting people and culture.

401 days now on my own, without my partner. A brief sojourn ahead in Amboy, WA and California, then I begin year two in New Zealand.

 

After trekking, I returned to Paro for two nights before departure.

The yellow areas are rice paddy.

Originally a watchtower, this building now serves as part of the National Museum, high on the side of the valley. It is under renovation in 2016.

There are many children living as monks in Bhutan. They primarily come from poor families, and the state is the main source of funds to feed and clothe them. There is a program now where you can sign up and ‘sponsor a monk’ for $12 a month to help them with food and clothing.

Here, they are learning two of the horn instruments played traditionally by the monks.

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There are some ruins around the valley of buildings made with mud walls.

Trucks are all decorated, in this case with a Bhutanese dragon.

Art from the wall of a Paro cafe. A modern take on Bhutan?