A 177ft gilded Buddha statue looks over Thimphu like a guardian angel ... so when the opportunity arose to visit Bhutan, I took the chance to explore it both as a traveller and to seek knowledge.

While hundred-year old monasteries are a common sight throughout Bhutan, one of the newer additions is the Buddha Dordenma Statue in Thimphu. At a height of 169 feet, it is one of the largest ...