Gourmet Coffee in the Himalayas
Our 12 day journey across Bhutan, (apart from one internal flight that took us to an airport perched on the top of a mountain in the east of the country) was accomplished in a trusty Toyota Coaster mini bus, which seated about 20 people.
The bus, driven expertly by one of the guides, was quite maneuverable , grippy on the rough surfaces and reasonably comfortable inside, though it was good to get out and stretch after a few hours on the long journey. There was always bottled water and good company on board.
Until 45 years ago there were very few roads in Bhutan and the current highways are still fairly primitive, clinging as they do to the steep Himalayan slopes. Landslides and washouts are common, especially during the monsoon season and many of the roads still have basic gravel or hard-core surfaces. It takes a calm and skilled driver to negotiate the twists and turns through the gigantic landscape.
Bhutan is 70% forested so we were usually traveling through beautiful wooded landscapes. On this particular day, though, I was excited because the road was going to pass through one of Bhutan‘s national parks which cover 43% of the country.
It was a misty day, which, although it impeded spectacular views, it veiled everything in vapor spun mystery. It also made driving a precarious “ooh ah” experience.
The ancient forests throughout the journey with inspirational. Most had never been cut so giant cypresses, cedars, firs, pines and oaks towered over lesser trees and below them shrubs, flowers of all kinds and luxuriant ground cover. We were traveling through a pristine. and untouched ecosystem, one that had been in this apex condition for several thousand years.
Himalayan pheasant
Moving through the jungle we saw a great hornbill couple cascading through the forest canopy, various Himalayan pheasants skittering by the side of the road, and, most dramatically of all, a 2000 pound semi wild bull, called a Mithun,
Mithun, semi wild bull
standing in all its nonchalant glory on the road’s edge. What other strange and exotic creatures lurked in the dense vegetation that engulfed us?
It was a privilege to be there, especially given the pressures of development and destruction that has befallen much of the great Himalayan mountain chain that arcs in splendor from Afghanistan in the west across Pakistan, India and Nepal to Bhutan, China and Burma in the east.
Cafe Ura, Bhutan
As we reached the high pass between watersheds, the landscape opened up and a rustic, almost alpine village came into view. At its center, overlooking the valley, was a new, cabin-like wooden building with deck and benches that announced itself as Café Ura. It was a gourmet coffee spot in the middle of nowhere.
Our damp, weary group was delighted with the find. We all gathered around the serving counter eager to order our particular caffeine laced favorite. State of the art coffee machines, excellent coffee, and Bhutanese baristas were ready to provide.
Bhutanese baristas
The place was an excellent example of the entrepreneurship that is being encouraged by the Bhutanese government. Modernization and diversification, with a nod towards tourism, are definitely on the agenda. This is balanced with efforts to support, and in some cases, reestablish traditional crafts and ancient practices. Bhutan has 13 traditional skilled crafts, including painting, carving, sculpture, paper making, weaving and tailoring. We were fortunate to see artisans being trained in many of these fields at schools and institutes throughout the country.
Grateful coffee drinkers
Today, though, it was coffee that was king. Like at some chic but modest ski resort we were sipping our lattes and our espressos in the damp pine needle scented air, gazing across a high country landscape of barley fields, distant forests and hills romantically draped in mist.
“Coffee is my love” read the sign on the cabin wall and chatting with the young Bhutanese staffing the place it was clear that they were proud of their business venture and their product. We were happy to support them, and yes, the coffee was good.
Drakpa
Our head guide, Drakpa, who was unfailingly, polite, helpful, and often quite funny, found a guitar in the coffee shop and proceeded to strum a few bars of a typical Bhutanese song. All our guides were impressive in so many ways. They effortlessly organized, carried, drove, told stories, fixed equipment, liaised with hotels staff and merchants, answered any and every question and any other required assignment. Sometimes, for other tour groups, they conducted multi day treks, so they were also fit and strong, and always willing to help the oldest and least capable of our group. Having said that, everyone was in pretty good shape. You wouldn’t want to take on this kind of trip if you couldn’t walk a fair way, often uphill and downhill, put up with the rigors of bus travel and be open to the exoticisms of the culture, the food and the environment. We were a game bunch.
As we waved goodbye to Café Ura that day we topped the ridge and made the downward journey, snaking back-and-forth across wooded ridges to the valley of Bumthang twinkling below. We were there for several days to explore historic and mythic side valleys, and to attend one of the great Buddhist dance festivals or Tshechu, which take place at the Jakar Dzong, a great fortress, administration center, and monastery, on a prominent hill at the center of town.
More about that festival in the next blog.