Punakha is situated in the central part of Bhutan so it was a pretty long drive to get out there from Thimpu which is in the Western part.  We broke up the drive with a lot of really cool sights though.  First up was Dochula Pass, the site of 108 Bhutanese Stupas that were built to commemorate lost soldiers.  The mist was really heavy when we drove through the pass so it had a really spooky atmosphere.

Next up, we stopped at the Divine Madman’s Temple.  The Divine Madman is a really holy figure in Bhutan that spread Buddhism around the country many centuries ago.  Along the way, he also tamed the demons of (had sex with) many women all across the country.  So his symbol is the penis and it is painted all over people’s homes and businesses.  Bhutanese people make a special pilgrimage to his temple if they either need help having a child or they have too many girls and they want a boy.  In the giftshop nearby we saw a flute made out of a human thigh bone.  Apparently back in the day it was a great honor to had your femur turned into a flute.

The Dzong itself was beautiful and it is situated where two rivers meet.  There were enormous beehives hanging from the roof that been there for centuries.  Nearby is a really long suspension bridge.