The Penn Stater Magazine

A Trek to the Tiger’s Nest

Tina Hay — Fri, 24 May 2013 17:00:23 +0000

Bhutan’s most famous site by far is called Takstang—or, more commonly, the Tiger’s Nest Monastery. It’s famous because it’s perched almost impossibly on the side of a sheer cliff, at an altitude of more than 10,000 feet. The only way to get there is by a long, steep trek with an elevation gain of about […]

Birds of Bhutan

Tina Hay — Thu, 23 May 2013 13:40:07 +0000

Bhutan is said to be one of the most ecologically diverse nations in the world, and is a paradise for bird lovers, with something like 700 species. Our Alumni Association tour isn’t really focused on birding, but I’ve been keeping my eyes and ears open for birds when I get a chance. My favorite bird […]

Driving, and Other Bhutanese Adventures

Tina Hay — Wed, 22 May 2013 13:10:43 +0000

I knew going into the Bhutan trip that there would be a few drives of three hours or more—from Thimphu to Punakha, from Punakha to Gangtey, and so on. I pictured at least a two-lane highway, if not four, and I certainly assumed it would be paved. I figured I’d use those bus rides to […]

A Valley at 9,600 Feet

Tina Hay — Tue, 21 May 2013 11:58:15 +0000

We’re just back from two days in the Phobjikha (pronounced roughly like “pope JEE kah”) Valley of Bhutan, a valley that’s really more of a mountain valley: The altimeter app on my iPhone said we were above 9,600 feet. It was noticeably chillier there than any other place we’ve visited, with nighttime temperatures in the […]

Money in Bhutan

Tina Hay — Mon, 20 May 2013 14:50:40 +0000

The local currency in Bhutan takes a little getting used to. It’s spelled Ngultrum, which I struggle to pronounce, but luckily the locals just abbreviate it to “Nu,” which is pronounced like “new,” or more accurately, something like “nee-YOU.” The Nu is pegged to the Indian rupee, so if you’re comfortable with the rupees-to-dollars exchange […]

A Jam-Packed First Few Days in Bhutan

Tina Hay — Sat, 18 May 2013 05:08:00 +0000

Greetings from Punakha, a city of about 30,000 in western Bhutan. It’s the former capital—Thimphu is now the capital—and is still the spiritual capital of the country. I’m a little fuzzy on what qualifies a city to be the spiritual capital, but I suspect I’ll have a better grip on that after we visit the […]

We’re on Our Way to Bhutan

Tina Hay — Mon, 13 May 2013 12:54:14 +0000

Right about now, the Penn Staters who are signed up for the Alumni Association’s “Bhutan: The Hidden Kingdom” trip are making their way to airports in order to begin their journey. Some are flying out of Dallas; others out of JFK; and I’m at Dulles. Regardless of the gateway city, we all have the same […]

Capturing the Days with Will Yurman

Ryan Jones — Fri, 10 May 2013 21:30:07 +0000

One of the highlights of our May/June issue is a photo essay featuring the work of Will Yurman, a photojournalism instructor in the College of Communications. The inspiration for our feature was Will’s online project, “A Day A Photo,” which he started about a decade ago and continues by posting one photo, every single day. It’s […]

A Stop at MetLife Stadium Reminds Us That Football Season is Only 115 Days Away

Ryan Jones — Thu, 09 May 2013 16:45:08 +0000

The Penn State Coaches Caravan wraps up Thursday with stops in DuBois and Pittsburgh, but I’m back in State College today—both to get caught up on my magazine duties, and because my daughter’s fifth birthday is something I’m not about to miss. So Wednesday was my last day, and a great one, starting out in […]

Alumni Volunteers Keep the Coaches Caravan Rolling

Ryan Jones — Wed, 08 May 2013 23:11:26 +0000

I’m writing this from Dickson City, where we’ve arrived for the Wednesday night stop on the Penn State Coaches Caravan. It’s a huge turnout—close to 1,000 people, I’m told—coinciding with the annual scholarship dinner held by the Alumni Association’s Greater Scranton Chapter. Watching folks file in, I can tell you the volunteers manning the door […]