Many tourists who had been to Bhutan always challenged how Bhutanese were not that happy. So it was not as what it claimed to be.

Well, in 1972, the 4th King of Bhutan, King Jigme Singye Wangchuck, declared that “Gross National Happiness" is more important than Gross Domestic Product. This concept measures a broad perspective, including:

• Psychological well being
• Health
• Education
• Time use
• Cultural diversity and resilience
• Good governance
• Community vitality
• Ecological diversity and resilience
• Living standards

While it is not the simple "happiness" commonly known, this Gross National Happiness index does convey a message to the world that Bhutan government cares about the overall wellbeing of the individuals.

What's the Reality?
After 2 weeks of travelling around Bhutan, I have spent a long time talking to my guide, monks and kids who speak English. While the standard of living is still very basic, most of people were content. They respect their royal family, the government, appreciate what they are able to achieve and the education that they receive.

Polygamy 
One of the most liberal things in Bhutan is that both men and women can have multiple wives and husbands at the same time. The 4th King of Bhutan has married four sisters as queens! Divorce is not considered a disgraceful thing to do. So most adults would be pretty happy about relationship. 

Education
Bhutanese kids receive 11 years of free education. In this trip, I drove by some schools, visited some villages and monasteries where some young monks were taken classes. I learned that students would go outdoor for classes for better light and warm when the sun is out. That is pretty smart. 

Smiley Faces Everywhere
If you take your time to observe and talk to the local people, many people are kind and nice. People are in general helpful and kind. If you want to take photos of the local, ask nicely and many would say "yes". Here are some of the beautiful faces in my trip.