The Last Shangrila at the Shangrila...

Work colleague John Tronco and friends are having a photo exhibit of Bhutan at Edsa Shangrila Mall Atrium starting this July 28.

It's quite appropriate, if you think about it. An exhibit at the Shangrila featuring the kingdom considered to be the Last Shangrila. Hehe!

I'm not sure what photos John will showcase, but I'm certain that they're brilliant. The guy was invited by the present King of Bhutan to his coronation. While the rest of the photographers from National Geographic (!) and others could only take from a certain area, John was the only photographer allowed to roam freely during the ceremonies to document the event. I forget how he formed ties with the king, but all I can say is he's one very lucky guy.

Bhutan is one country I'd definitely want to visit while my legs are still strong enough to go trekking and do some climbs. LOL!

A couple of months ago, my manager invited a Bhutanese national to give a talk about Bhutan to a couple of people at work. Prior to this, I only know Bhutan as the country where Gross National Happiness is measured rather than GNP. The guy arrived wearing Bhutan's national costume and it was easy to sense that he wore it with pride.

He shared how the country tries to really preserve the culture and heritage of the people. And we also found out that getting there can be quite challenging. First off, the country has a controlled tourism policy.

In 2008, only 21,000 tourists entered the country. If I'm not mistaken the ministry of tourism keeps the numbers of visitors per year to a maximum of 25,000 (?) to be able to safeguard the country's resources and culture.

And then there are only one or two airlines that are able to enter the country, and these airlines fly out from Bangkok and India.

The government tourist tariff starts at $200 per day plus surcharges. This includes the basic travel package - airport transfer, land transpo, accommodations, meals, sightseeing, museum fee. Airfare, visa and other expenses not yet included. Quite expensive, huh compared to a trip to our neighboring countries.

But I think the experience would be well-worth it. If only to experience a world away from our world...

Alright, make sure to visit Images of Bhutan - The Last Shangrila at the Edsa Shangrila Mall starting this July 28 - to get a glimpse of the mountain kingdom, its people and its culture.