Since arriving back in Kathmandu, I've spent a lot of time hunched in front of a screen trying to prepare my blog, the ropey connection has meant waiting ages for pictures to upload - luckily the rate is cheap as chips.
We took a minibus ride back from Pokhara on Saturday 5th - as you guys were probably thinking about letting off fireworks! It was cramped, hot and took 8hours. But it was a great relief to get back to our hotel room for hot showers, unlimited electricity and of course local ammenities. On Sunday we took a trip into Durbar Square Kathmandu. Probably the closest comparison would be Traflagar Square or Piccadilly Circus. Although the area is made up of historical monuments - temples and museums etc. We paid to look around and battled to keep the touting guides away. After an hour or so, 'Michael' was very persisitant and we conceded to let him show us around the Royal Museum. It was really interesting especially since I read a lot into the Royal family before I came out here.
After that we dined on the roof top overlooking the city and then had a trot around the local markets and the hippy-fied 'Freak Street'.
Monday, we went to look at another Durbar Square - this time in a place called Bhaktapur. This place was quite different to teh rest of what we've seen here in Nepal. The whole town kind of had some theme going on - very Red and rustic looking. Round every corner the locals were either making Clay pots or vases, or the women were drying beans in the sun using all sorts of methods.
The square featured similar temples to the Kathmandu Sq. A student came and talked to us and showed us around his school (that old chestnut!) - before showing us Nepali Mandalas. I finally found one I really liked so decided to bite the bullet and get it as a lasting souvenier of Nepal. There were many places to buy these but here we at least got to see them being made - as well as the money going to a good cause.
We got up at 4.30 am today to go check out morning prayer at Boudenath - a huge temple out of town. It was quite something - all the locals circling the temple and the monks performing their chants. For once we were the only tourists there which made the experience pretty special.
This lunchtime we end our 3 week Nepali adventure and fly to Thailand. From here we will stay grounded until after Christmas and take in sites around Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Malaysia.
2 comments:
Wow Luke, sounds like you're having an amazing time! The trekking sounds amazing...and like something i want to do someday! Oh well, guess i'll just have to live vicariously through you for now :)
Luke,
The Roundabout has taken a few days off 'cause you are up the mountains 'a
trekkin'. Just a few observations, first whilst looking out of your Hotel
window you could see the Peeks of Kath Mandu, so who is she ? Crumpet ? Bit
t*ts? Well i'm sorry but I can't take it seriously especially as you go to a
country called Nipple!! It was a good family fun piece about the 'thieving
monkeys@ surely that was a classical number done by Rossini. And the guy
whose only English was footballers names, surprised you didn't know the
Nepal back four Luke. Dev Narajan Chaudhary, Captain Upenova MMam Singh,
Nirajan Rayamajhi, Billy Singh Fish or even striker Arthur Mhathma Trevor
Francis Singh 'the flying winger who has to stop every 5 minutes to wipe the
dead flies from his glasses.
Hope the mountaineering goes better than my mates a few years back. He
wanted to enlist in an expedition to Mt Kilimanjaro (they can't touch you
for it apparently). He met the leader of the expedition who said they were
going to climb both peaks of Kilimanjaro. When my mate reminded him there
was only one peak he said "ah, yes thanks "and changed his story he said
"right the object of the expedition is to find any traces of last years
expedition" (which his brother had led) When my mate asked what they had
attempted the leader said "they were going to build a bridge between the two
peaks" !
Anyway stay Lukey as the Geordies would say
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