Advantages: Spectacular example of Bhutanese architecture Disadvantages: Not for those who are unsteady on their feet
For most visitors to Bhutan, Paro Dzong will be either the first or the last dzong that they visit in the country. This is due to it's proximity to Paro Airport, the country's only air-link with the outside world. For us it was the first dzong and one to remember. As our plane landed and taxied along the runway my eyes swivelled to hunt out the big white block on the hillside which I knew from my pre-trip research would be the dzong.
What's a Dzong?
The concept of a dzong is an unusual blend of the sacred and the secular and something that's found in Himalayan Buddhist communities but is most characteristically Bhutanese. Traditionally a dzong was a combination of a fortress crossed with a monastery whilst today most serve as a combination of monastery and local government administration centres. I find something engaging about ...
Advantages: Grand Central Station Disadvantages: Crowded in July and August
Despite being the hub of Greek Island ferries, Paros has a laid back attitude, outside of the high season of July and August.
We did some island hopping at the beginning of June and were pleasantly surprised at how much Paros has to offer.
Originally we only planned to stay overnight, en route to one of the more famous islands in the Cyclades, but I ended up staying for 5 days.
We landed in Paros Town / also known as Paraika and followed the first person who offered us a room to their small hotel, Manolis / Jimmy's apts heading left about 800 metres (or yards) away from where we docked. The manager was named Kiki and she had spent her first 15 years in Australia. She was very helpful and pleasant, despite the demands of her young daughter, Maria.
On the plus side, this hotel was 1/2 block from a beach, restaurants, bars ...
Reynarda 15.06.2003 (26.11.2003)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Paros (Greece)
understand it, the backstrap is used in conjunction with the footrest to tension the frame upon which the cloth is woven. The weaver sits on the floor, leaning back into the strap, legs outstretched to push on the foot-log ~ the whole fabric being strung over a triangular frame, which rises to about four or five feet above the ground. The distance between the backstrap and the footrest determines the tension. That I should be unable to follow the purpose of the many rods and threads surprised me not in the slightest. The product speaks for itself - beautiful lengths of silks, with stripes of geometric patterns in bold bright colours.
And so with more excitement tucked into the memory banks, we drove back into Paro at about 11 in the morning?and quite possibly ready to climb back into bed.
This was our last day, however, and it was not ...
hiker 21.01.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Paro (Bhutan)
