Page 46 - BHUTAN 2007

THE HIMALAYAS

The most dramatic feature of Bhutan is often invisible—the high snow-

capped Himalayas playing hide and seek with the eyes as they retreat
behind the clouds of their own devising. When we drove west over the lofty

passes, we were always aware that just beyond the visible horizon were the

soaring peaks, but we never really saw them. However, the Thunder

Dragons were more generous to us as we returned back to the east of the

country. At the highest of the passes, the thick, cottony white clouds began
to disperse even though there were flimsy gray shawl-like wisps still grazing

the mountain faces. As we excitedly watched, the clouds lifted, the gray

wisps evaporated, and there were the towering tallest mountains in Bhutan,

shining brilliantly in the sunshine against the purest blue skies. We were all

captivated and the camera clicks never stopped until, like a concluding
drama, the curtain of clouds dropped back over the craggy, snow-covered

faces and ended the show.