Word: bhutan
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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...Personally, I would prefer to keep the King's rule. But even a good monarchy is seen as an autocratic government.' KUNZANG WANGDI, chief election commissioner of Bhutan, after the Himalayan kingdom held a mock election on April 21 to prepare citizens for the advent of a parliamentary government next year. King Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck whose father initiated the move toward democracy, will oversee the switch, although many Bhutanese say they would prefer him to remain in charge
Where do you find the best raclette east of Geneva? In Bhutan, naturally. Operated by longtime Swiss resident Fritz Maurer, the Swiss Guesthouse, tel: (975-3) 631 145, overlooks the small town of Jakar in the Bumthang valley, Bhutan's cultural heartland. With its grazing cows, mountain scenery and orchards, the property looks beautifully reminiscent of Heidi, and generous plates of the house special, raclette, assist the illusion. But how does the traditional Swiss favorite of melted cheese, gherkins and potatoes manage to taste so good here...
...answer lies in Maurer's background. An agriculturist by training, he came to Bhutan more than 30 years ago to help the remote kingdom develop a dairy industry, before staying on to open his guesthouse in a traditional stone building that was once the home of the King's sister. Maurer's professional expertise, as well as the pristine environment, ensure that the food at the guesthouse will be among the freshest you've tasted. Vegetables are from the garden. The jams, honey and bread (apparently a favorite of the Queen Mother's) are homemade. The butter and cheese...
...Accommodation comprises nine comfortable twin rooms heated by wooden stoves. Exploratory treks to the valley below will also help to keep the cold at bay. So will the hike to the cobblestoned village of Ura, believed to have been home to Bhutan's earliest inhabitants. As you ramble back, the thought of a plate of Maurer's raclette will have you yodeling with delight...
Vacationing in the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan last week, I received the question people inevitably ask when they hear I live in China: Do the Chinese really eat dogs? The answer to this question - as I told my worried Bhutanese guide, who like many in the staunchly Buddhist country considers canines to be only slightly below humans in the karmic heirarchy - was yes, but. Yes, Chinese, particularly in the south, do have a taste for fresh dog meat. But in recent years, urban pet ownership has skyrocketed, as yuppies (or Chuppies, as they're locally dubbed) find a poodle...