Out and About in Kathmandu, Nepal (14-17 May 2016)

Although we were in Kathmandu, Nepal, for the opening ceremonies for the Early Childhood Development Center (ECDC), we had free time to look around.

14 May – Saturday

Yesterday we arrived in Kathmandu and went to our hotel, Park Village Hotel and Resort. We then walked to ECDC with Tom Morgan for our first visit with Pushpa Basnet and her children. At ECDC we met a couple from Germany, Joachim and Helga Schulze and their daughter Kerstin, who lives in Singapore. They have been supporters of ECDC and were here for the opening. Helga told us about a temple a short distance from our hotel that we should visit.

The Budhanilkantha Temple is a Hindu temple north of Kathmandu and close to ECDC. At 7:30 AM, the monks gather to wash the Sleeping Vishnu statue. According to one of the locals that greeted us near the statue, the statue was discovered by a farmer while he was plowing his field. This is one of a couple of stories about the origin, none of which have been proved true, or not.

Unfortunately, we never made it there in time to see the ceremony. However, on our first visit, it was Saturday which is their weekly holy day and the crowds were very large. As you can see in a couple of the photos, the of people waiting to lay gifts at the feet of the statue was quite long.

Around the grounds of the temple, there were prayer flags and many place for the religious to offer prayers and gifts.

IMG_5429 - Prayer candles and joss sticks — Prayer candles and joss sticks

IMG_5445 - Prayer candles — Prayer candles

IMG_5440 - Prayer flags: blue symbolizes sky and space, white symbolizes air and wind, red symbolizes fire, green symbolizes water, and yellow symbolizes earth — Prayer flags: blue symbolizes sky and space, white symbolizes air and wind, red symbolizes fire, green symbolizes water, and yellow symbolizes earth

After this visit we went to the ECDC facility for the opening ceremonies.

15 May – Sunday

We started today with another visit to the Budhanilkantha Temple, and a leisurely stroll around the nearby neighborhood. Today the crowds were significantly less than yesterday. This made for easier viewing of the grounds.

IMG_5474 - Entrance gate to the temple — Entrance gate to the temple

IMG_5475 - Part of the temple grounds — Part of the temple grounds

Outside the temple grounds…

RLW20160514090727937 - Shops near the temple — Shops near the temple

RLW20160514090201352 - Pat looking for something to buy — Pat looking for something to buy

IMG_5470 -The streets are made of mud after the rain — The streets are made of mud after the rain

IMG_5472 - Cables in a drainage ditch — Cables in a drainage ditch

IMG_5479 - A gate near the temple where the road split because of the big earthquake last year — A gate near the temple where the road split because of the big earthquake last year

IMG_5441 - A driver considers driving over the break in the road but didn’t do it! — A driver considers driving over the break in the road but didn’t do it!

IMG_5482 - An interesting vehicle — An interesting vehicle

IMG_5483 - Remember these? Used everywhere. — Remember these? Used everywhere.

IMG_5444 -Clothing store — Clothing store

IMG_5484 - Yarn or rope drying — Yarn or rope drying

IMG_5486 - This looks like it could be yarn, but can’t tell for sure — This looks like it could be yarn, but can’t tell for sure

IMG_5481 - This building may have either been damaged in the earthquake or from being forced to give way to the road widening — This building may have either been damaged in the earthquake or from being forced to give way to the road widening

RLW20160514091740357 - The road our hotel is on — The road our hotel is on

16 May – Monday

Today we took a tour of Kathmandu. Our guide was recommended by Monique Kovacs Nathan, our friend from the U.S. Embassy. Deepak Risal was and excellent guide. We were picked up from our hotel at about 8:00 AM, where we had gathered with Sharon Kuggelmass, Kerstin Schulze and her parents, Joachim and Helga.

Kathmandu Tour - Our tour (the star at the center top is the Park Village Hotel) — Our tour (the star at the center top is the Park Village Hotel)

Our first stop was an area near Rani Pokhari, which had been partially drained of water so it could be worked on.

DSC0002 - Rani Pokhari under renovation — Rani Pokhari under renovation<

From here we wandered through markets, past temples and into throngs of people, during the rest of our first stop. Here are some of the things we saw:

IMG_5587 - Anchovies and other products of the sea — Anchovies and other products of the sea

IMG_5591 - Flattened rice is one of the items sold here — Flattened rice is one of the items sold here

RLW20160516085355602 - We bought some black salt from this vendor — We bought some black salt from this vendor

DSC0041 - You can see three colors of salt at this vendor’s stall — You can see three colors of salt at this vendor’s stall

IMG_5600 - Black Nepalese salt — Black Nepalese salt

DSC0027 - Weighing fruit for a customer — Weighing fruit for a customer

IMG_5593 - Closeup of the scales used in many stalls — Closeup of the scales used in many stalls

RLW20160516100010108 - Throughout the country, there remain many signs of last years earthquake — Throughout the country, there remain many signs of last years earthquake

IMG_5605 - One of the shops we passed repaired these musical instruments – the back is a bellows, pumped with one hand, while the other hand plays the keyboard. Sounds like an accordion, as might be expected. — One of the shops we passed repaired these musical instruments – the back is a bellows, pumped with one hand, while the other hand plays the keyboard. Sounds like an accordion, as might be expected.

IMG_5609 - The Power Grid common in 3rd world countries — The Power Grid common in 3rd world countries

RLW20160516100526372 - Motorcycles in these narrow streets could be hazardous to one’s health — Motorcycles in these narrow streets could be hazardous to one’s health

RLW20160516095344517 - Freak Street – a 1960’s and 1970’s hippy hangout — Freak Street – a 1960’s and 1970’s hippy hangout

RLW20160516102317257 - Selling goods to drivers on the bridge — Selling goods to drivers on the bridge

Just across the bridge, we met our van for a short ride to the Unesco World Heritage Site of Swayambhunath, a complex with an access of 365 stairs (we drove up), lots of monkeys and a beautiful stupa.

RLW20160516105426168 - Our tour guide, Deepak Risal — Our tour guide, Deepak Risal

RLW20160516104128406 - Stupas near the entrance — Stupas near the entrance

DSC0091 - Buddha’s eyes" — Buddha’s eyes”

DSC0102 - Monkeys on the stairs — Monkeys on the stairs

RLW20160516105157635 - The dark spot under the arm is a baby monkey — The dark spot under the arm is a baby monkey

IMG_5620 - Waiting to have a picture taken — Waiting to have a picture taken

DSC0112 - Looking out over part of the Kathmandu Valley — Looking out over part of the Kathmandu Valley

RLW20160516105943604 - Some of the sprawl of Kathmandu Valley — Some of the sprawl of Kathmandu Valley

DSC0114 - Across the valley is a home for monks (the golden-roofed building) — Across the valley is a home for monks (the golden-roofed building)

DSC0118 - Looking down on some of the stalls just below the Swayambhunath complex — Looking down on some of the stalls just below the Swayambhunath complex

RLW20160516105957634 - Swayambhunath Stupa — Swayambhunath Stupa

DSC0130 - These are a group of stupas purchased by rich people to bury their families — These are a group of stupas purchased by rich people to bury their families

DSC0110 - The top of Swayambhunath stupa is meant to resemble a lotus blossom — The top of Swayambhunath stupa is meant to resemble a lotus blossom

IMG_5618 - Another Buddha statue — Another Buddha statue

DSC0108 - Prayer flags are everywhere — Prayer flags are everywhere

DSC0069 - Flutes for sale — Flutes for sale

The next stop on our tour was for lunch. Deepak gave us two choices, one of which served typical Nepalese food – which is what we chose, unanimously. Unfortunately for me, he didn’t give us the complete details, as I’ll explain. We soon arrived at The Bakery, across from the U.N. compound.

RLW20160516131058335 - My first Everest beer — My first Everest beer

RLW20160516140042255 - The U.N. compound across from The Bakery Cafe — The U.N. compound across from The Bakery Cafe

When we sat down and were given menus, I decided to order my first Everest beer (one of the 3 major Nepalese beers). I told the waiter and pointed to the menu. He didn’t seem to understand, at first, so I repeated my order. Still no understanding of what I wanted to drink. I was getting rather frustrated with the waiter, and less than pleased. I had the same problem ordering my food. Only after my beer arrived, I heard the conversation at the table, explaining that all the waiters were hearing impaired and that we were supposed to use some simple sign language (which was shown on signs around the restaurant – that I hadn’t seen).

After lunch, we headed to our second World Heritage Site, Patan Durbar Square. This area sustained severe damage from the earthquake in April, 2015. Some of the building have been repaired, but there is still much destruction visible all around.

Since we were so close to another temple, the Golden Temple, our guide recommended we walk a few blocks to visit it. We all agreed and off we went.

RLW20160516144843370 - Entrance to the Golden Temple — Entrance to the Golden Temple

RLW20160516144956615 - Elephants standing on tortoises on either side of the entrance to the inner courtyard — Elephants standing on tortoises on either side of the entrance to the inner courtyard

IMG_5638 - Gold leaf covering a wall of the temple — Gold leaf covering a wall of the temple

IMG_5631 - Monkey holding a jackfruit — Monkey holding a jackfruit

RLW20160516145158054 - Monkey in chains with prayer wheels in background — Monkey in chains with prayer wheels in background

The Golden Temple was worth the diversion.

We then headed to the final stop, the World Heritage Site, Bhaktapur Cultural City. This site consists of 3 major squares: Bhaktapur Durbar Square, Taumadhi Square and Dattatreya Square. As you can see from the photos, there is still much damage from the earthquake in April, 2015.

RLW20160516153627695 - Walking from the bus parking to Bhaktapur Cultural City — Walking from the bus parking to Bhaktapur Cultural City

RLW20160516153757632 - Up the steps — Up the steps

RLW20160516153918021 - On our way to purchase tickets — On our way to purchase tickets

RLW20160516154157659 - Across from the ticket office — Across from the ticket office

Bhaktapur Cultural City Ticket - Our ticket — Our ticket

Bhaktapur Durbar Square - Bhaktapur Durbar Square (1) — Bhaktapur Durbar Square (1)

RLW20160516154442922 - Bhaktapur Durbar Square (2) — Bhaktapur Durbar Square (2)

RLW20160516154448160 - Bhaktapur Durbar Square (3) — Bhaktapur Durbar Square (3)

Golden Gate - The Golden Gate – entrance to the 55-window royal palace — The Golden Gate – entrance to the 55-window royal palace

RLW20160516154631301 - Inside the 55-window palace — Inside the 55-window palace

Royal Bath Pond - 55 Window Palace - oyal bath at the 55-window palace — oyal bath at the 55-window palace

Hindu God and Big Bell - Hindu God and Big Bell — Hindu God and Big Bell

RLW20160516160019123 - Erotic art on the eves of a temple — Erotic art on the eves of a temple

DSC0173 - Erotic art on one of the temples we passed — Erotic art on one of the temples we passed

Pottery Square (before the earthquake, this square was often filled with pottery for sale)

We then were taken back to our hotel, with just sufficient time left to change clothes before being picked up by the staff of ECDC, who were taking us to dinner. Dinner was at a restaurant that Pushpa and her brother and sister had played in when they were growing up. At that time the building had be abandoned and they were told it was haunted and, therefore, they must not go near it. That was one of those parental commands that made it all the more interesting to disobey.

The restaurant is now Bhojan Griha. “The historic residence of the royal priest was built over 150 years ago. It was on the verge of collapse and took over 6 years to restore.” We sat on cushions on the floor and enjoyed an excellent Nepalese meal and a traditional show of dancing and music.