HPB (Health Promotion Bhutan)

White wall - minus red-robed monk

Fortress (hilltop of course) - burnt down by a stray candle left burning during a Paro Tsechu some years ago

Oldest temple - one of 108 built in a day

Bhutanese boys like guns

Main street in Paro town

Our patient guide, Rinzin Dorji

Paro Dzong - most of the Dzongs are a combination of government offices and monastery

At the base of Taktsang

Reaching Tiger's Nest looked near impossible from here. And yes, the more important a place, the higher it is...this was no hilltop monastery!
We need to hike to where???

Halfway up - and feeling very pleased with ourselves, and possibly a bit light headed

Getting closer

A 'slightly' steep slope...I don't think we managed any pics of the really steep bits (had to concentrate on the breathing and on not falling over)

Rinxin treading a fine line

Just about a 100 stairs down a gorge, across a stream and up again to reach Taktsang...

Namgay stopping to build stone stupas on the way

Jaw droppingly amazing

The stairs had railings...sigh of relief

Not that the locals needed or used them

Rinzin did this climb 15 times in 2012!!!