Kathmandu

We’ve dreamed of traveling to Nepal and here we are in Kathmandu at long last.  Sure, it’s chaotic, polluted, and a bit dirty (actually, very dirty).  There seems not one proper road and someone is leaning on the horn all the time, but this place has so much soul.  It’s where Tibetan and Indian culture meet, and blend together with the many other tribes.  The people are beautiful and smile warmly to your “Namaste.”

Almost every traveler to Nepal comes to Thamel.  The neighborhood is packed with shops, guesthouses, eateries, trekking agents, and more shops.   And with it come the legions of opportunists and beggars.  Within a minute of having dropped off our packs at the hotel, I was offered hash on the street.  Um, don’t smoke, except for all the exhaust fumes…  A normally dressed woman came up and asked for money, as well as another with infant and “empty” baby bottle.  After that, you can get pashmina, cheap trekking gear, pirated media, and yak wool everything until about 10 PM.  Noise dies down, as the power is cut an average 7 hours daily, on a rotating schedule.

The first evening was spent at the Thamel House, an incredibly atmospheric restaurant serving Nepali and Newari food in a restored merchant building.  The set meal came with wild boar, curry chicken, mutton, daal, and a host of other treats.  It all went down very well with Everest Beer.  The traditional Nepali dance performances in the dimly lit garden were entertaining -- especially the audience participation, us included.  The hosts had been liberally pouring complimentary Raksa (rice spirit) in flat clay saucers.  Eight shots was a good stopping point.

The walk from Thamel to Durbar Square wound through the old part of the city, a wonderfully medieval neighborhood with alleys densely packed full of vendors and chaos.  Your eyes wandered to admire every dwelling, whether it be the intricately carved doors and windows or because it seemed ready to crumble and fall over (with the people living inside). Every hundred steps would reveal another small entrance leading to a temple, shrine, or interesting courtyard.  Otherwise, much attention was occupied dodging obstacles on the ground or the irritating motorbikes…

Durbar Square was the big draw in this city.  The many temples were antique, impressive, and ornate.  And even amusing, as there was one with various tantric explicit sexual positions carved into the wood of the roof struts.  In the Kumari House lived the Kumari Devi, the prepubescent Living Goddess chosen by the Nepalis.  She’s almost 4 years old and, standing in the lower courtyard, we could hear her shrieks from above.  As we stood there, she came to the window and looked down for a brief few seconds.  She wore traditional black eye make-up and a red dress.  It was strangely amazing to see her, and it is considered good fortune.  

There were tons of temples and, apparently an equal amount of hash, as I was again offered it several times that afternoon...

PICTURES

Leaving the square, we hiked up the several km to the Swayambunath Temple and Stupa overlooking Kathmandu Valley.  The impressive location and iconic stupa with a depiction of the all-seeing eye are pictured in many books.