Globalization in Bhutan

Despite being tiny and isolated, Bhutan is not immune to the globally-interconnected material culture. Archers use thousand dollar bows imported from the US, and kiras, the women's national dress, are being woven by weavers just across the border. In the capital city of Thimphu, it was easier to find 'luxury' products like tonic and sparkling water and pizza and Newsweek than it is here Mysore. (There's a serious shortage of tonic water here, as well as a lakc of non-sketchy bars, thwarting my attempts to avoid malaria through a daily G&T.) The other day, I waited 45 minutes for a copy of Newsweek while a shopkeeper ran it by the censors who stamped "The external boundary of India as depicted is neither correct nor authentic" on several pages. I will be happy to be back home where censorship is at least more subtle.