Last Sunday we ignored the forecast for rain, grabbed our bikes and headed up the Thimphu Valley. Our goal was to cycle about 20km to the end of the road and hike up to Changri Goemba (which means Monastery). Without a map, and with little in the way of directions, we followed the Thimpu Chhu (river) upstream along potholed and occasionally muddy roads. We predictably got lost, and ended up discovering the beautiful Dechenphu Lakhang.
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- These three buildings house water-powered prayer wheels
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- After a long ride up a hairpin road through the forest, we finally knew what was at the top!
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- View of the temple complex from the entrance
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- The central tower reflected in the wet courtyard
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- Close up view of the beautifully carved wooden balcony
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- This mossy Hobbit-hole was hidden behind the annex
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- Looking up from under a set of carved wooden windows
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- A tiger guards the path to the temple
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- Last view of the goemba as the fog closed in around us
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- A pleasant surprise of a Buddha painting and prayer wheel house by the side of the road
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- “Kindly refrain from indulging in any uproarious acts that disrupt the tranquility of this place…”
bhutan chronicles 
Hi Randall and Antonia, I can give you good directions if you’d like to make it to Cheri next time. By the way, you found Dechenphu Lakhang, home of Thimphu’s local deity. I think it one of most elegant that I’ve seen, design-wise.