An Urban's Rural View

Some guys will do almost anything to avoid blogging for a few weeks. Me, I'm off to Bhutan, a landlocked mountain kingdom in the Himalayas wedged between China, India and Nepal.

Bhutan is smaller than Kentucky and has fewer people than South Dakota. Only 2% of the land is arable -- it really is mostly mountains -- but 55% of the Bhutanese are farmers. Two years ago the government unveiled a program to become the first 100% organic-agriculture country.

Interesting though the country's agriculture may be, this is not an ag tour I'm taking. It is, rather, about seeing the spectacular scenery, the still largely unspoiled culture (it's said there's only one traffic light in the entire country) and especially the wildlife -- Black-necked Cranes, Golden Langurs and a strange goat-antelope called a Takin, among many, many others. Naturally, though, if I learn anything interesting about the country's agriculture, I will report back.

In the meantime, please accept this post as my "gone fishing" notice. An Urban's Rural View will return with more outpourings in late November.

Urban Lehner

urbanity@hotmail.com

(CZ)

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