Sealed With a Kiss in Bhutan

The king kisses his wife in Thimphu

El Mundo.es
dpa | Nueva Delhi
Sunday, October 16, 2011

On Saturday, the king surprised  the 30,000 people gathered in his honor to celebrate his wedding  in the capital city of Thimphu  as he asked the crowd  if they wanted to see how he kissed his wife, as published in the daily press "Times of India".

The crowd answered as expected and while at first he kissed her on the cheek, after a second request, he obliged with a better than noble kiss.

This act would not have caught attention had it not happened in a country where a public demonstration of affection is not considered to be a common practice and much less is expected from the king.

Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, 31 years of age,  got married with a plebeian Jetsun Pema, 21 yrs old, last Thursday after a  fairy tales romance which led to three days of national holidays in the entire country of  a small kingdom in the Himalayas.

This photo of Bhutan is courtesy of Trip Advisor

Bhutan is a country with a unique history. The country was never conquered or colonised. The Bhutanese have, therefore, developed a culture free from outside influence. They cherish their institution of monarchy and have developed a deep sense of nationhood. So when they arrived in the modern world they already had an ancient culture strapped on to their backs.

Their pristine environment is another element that always dominated their lives. They live among beautiful mountains which have protected them from the vagaries of nature and also from human depredations. Living in splendid isolation they became a happy people.

No wonder they are among those with the high indexes of happiness in the world.

Source of Information on Bhutan:  Google Search