Buttertea at Sunrise: A Year in the Bhutan Himalaya
Often seen as a magical paradise at the end of the world, Bhutan is inaccessible to most travellers. Set against the dramatic scenery of the Himalaya, this beguiling memoir recalls hardships and happiness in a land almost untouched by the West.

When Britta Das goes to work as a physiotherapist in a remote village hospital, her good intentions are put to the test amid monsoons, fleas, and startling conditions. But as she visits homes in the mountains and learns the mysteries of Tantric Buddhism, the country captivates her very soul. Gaining insights into the traditions of the mystical kingdom, Britta makes friends, falls in love, and battles illness.

Throughout it all, as she writes, she worries about the "destructive nearness of technology" and fears that Bhutan's charm and innocence may soon be lost. Still, Bhutan has endured for centuries, and there is no denying that the country has transformed her life forever.

1102999376
Buttertea at Sunrise: A Year in the Bhutan Himalaya
Often seen as a magical paradise at the end of the world, Bhutan is inaccessible to most travellers. Set against the dramatic scenery of the Himalaya, this beguiling memoir recalls hardships and happiness in a land almost untouched by the West.

When Britta Das goes to work as a physiotherapist in a remote village hospital, her good intentions are put to the test amid monsoons, fleas, and startling conditions. But as she visits homes in the mountains and learns the mysteries of Tantric Buddhism, the country captivates her very soul. Gaining insights into the traditions of the mystical kingdom, Britta makes friends, falls in love, and battles illness.

Throughout it all, as she writes, she worries about the "destructive nearness of technology" and fears that Bhutan's charm and innocence may soon be lost. Still, Bhutan has endured for centuries, and there is no denying that the country has transformed her life forever.

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Buttertea at Sunrise: A Year in the Bhutan Himalaya

Buttertea at Sunrise: A Year in the Bhutan Himalaya

by Britta Das
Buttertea at Sunrise: A Year in the Bhutan Himalaya

Buttertea at Sunrise: A Year in the Bhutan Himalaya

by Britta Das

Paperback

$24.99 
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Overview

Often seen as a magical paradise at the end of the world, Bhutan is inaccessible to most travellers. Set against the dramatic scenery of the Himalaya, this beguiling memoir recalls hardships and happiness in a land almost untouched by the West.

When Britta Das goes to work as a physiotherapist in a remote village hospital, her good intentions are put to the test amid monsoons, fleas, and startling conditions. But as she visits homes in the mountains and learns the mysteries of Tantric Buddhism, the country captivates her very soul. Gaining insights into the traditions of the mystical kingdom, Britta makes friends, falls in love, and battles illness.

Throughout it all, as she writes, she worries about the "destructive nearness of technology" and fears that Bhutan's charm and innocence may soon be lost. Still, Bhutan has endured for centuries, and there is no denying that the country has transformed her life forever.


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781550026801
Publisher: Dundurn Press
Publication date: 05/30/2007
Pages: 224
Product dimensions: 6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Britta Das went to work in Bhutan as a physiotherapist under the auspices of VSO, the British aid organization. Buttertea at Sunrise, her first book, has been published in Britain, India, Germany, and Holland. Born in Germany, Britta now lives in Toronto, where she continues to work as a physiotherapist.

Table of Contents


Acknowledgements     9
Prologue     13
A Road Leading East     17
From a Distance     24
First Encounters     33
Where You Going, Miss?     38
Don't Close Your Eyes     45
Lhamo     53
Back-Breaking Work     59
Om Mani Padme Hum     66
Choden     72
Compassion for Little Things     79
Chilli con Carne     86
Friction     92
Are You Feeling Boring?     98
Minakpa Ama     104
Buttertea Is Warm and Salty     109
Meme Monk     118
DifFerent Expectations     123
Chortens and Prayer Flags     130
A Trulku Star     136
To School on Crutches     146
Town Planning     154
Dharma or Dollars     159
Kadam Goemba     166
The Dances of Light     177
A Midnight Prayer     188
Woes in Trashi Yangtse     195
Losar New Year     203
The Sound of a Conch     209
Epilogue     216
Glossary of Frequently Used Bhutanese Terms     220

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"... fascinating and so very readable. An American or Canadian high school or college student would likely find the work interesting and valuable for its adventuresome account."

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