On the far hillside smoke rises from inside the monastery to mingle with skeins of mist floating off the valley floor, floodlit by the sun's first rays. It's just after dawn and the monks are burning juniper branches to send an offering skywards. The union of people, Buddhism and nature epitomises the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan itself. Down below, along a hillside spur, stretch the red roofs of Trongsa's fortress dzong, outlined in bright gold banners in preparation for the investiture of the Crown Prince. It's both a religious and State occasion: the two are indistinguishable in Bhutan. Government officials and monks, both draped in crimson - the symbolic colour of heroism - direct from these dramatic buildings the nation's practical and spiritual wellbeing. Offices share courtyards with temples and officials bearing directives mingle with monks bearing marigolds.
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