A local shopkeeper dries Red chillies on the roof of his house, one of the most common sights in Bhutan. Paro is Bhutan's second largest town. The western end of the Paro valley is only 20 kms from the Tibetan border and for centuries it has been the first point of entry into Bhutan for Tibetans _ either invading armies or traders. The Parops (natives of Paro) are Dzongkha speakers and for the most part, farmers, taking advantage of the fertile land on each side of the Paro River.