Spending some time in Bhutan has only made me want to go back to the Himalayas even more. This stunning part of the world is one of nature's great showcases. In the Land of the Thunder Dragon, where mountain peaks and valleys are at some of their most extreme in the world, people have continued to endure and enjoy these conditions.

Like elsewhere in Asia, mountainsides have been tamed by terracing them for, well, generally rice. This one is rather low, at a paltry 4,500+ ft. It's only a window into the sanctuary of the Himalayas, and a tiny country where happiness matters more than economic power. What a lovely notion, so fit for a lovely country.

One of many golden valleys in the Himalayas.