Our guides took us to three different spots today. We rode in a very nice, spacious, air conditioned van (which is the first vehicle with air conditioning I have ridden in here). Our first stop was Durbar Square, Kathmandu. Durbar means temple; the entire area (which is sizeable) is filled with Budist and Hindu temples. It's very beautiful & chaotic - a ace I will never forget. There were hundreds of people, some of them on foot, some on scooters, some selling things and legions of pigeons flying everywhere! Our guide was explaining the significance of everything we were seeing and we were all having conversations with one another. :) it was a lot to process but a lot of fun!
Next, we went to Swayambhunath to see the Monkey Temple. I went on my own Friday to see this area but I was happy to go back as there is so much to see there. Our group is also very interesting. Megan & I (Dave went to Thamel today) have been joined by two young Austrailians, Tanya and David, who have been traveling for almost a year and have been almost everywhere on Earth during that time. They just got back from the Base Camp trek we are going on so we have been asking them a lot of questions and listening to their fascinating stories. Another gentleman from India has joined us and will remain with us on trek. Anyway, we all enjoyed the Monkey Temple then we were on to Boudhanath.
We ate lunch on a pretty rooftop terrace here, which overlooked the second biggest stupa in the world (pictures below). The stupa was impressive but what I really enjoyed was talking to the others and watching the prayer flags flutter in the breeze. It was an absolutely beautiful day and an unforgettable moment in time.
Finally, we went to Bagmati were they prepare the dead for burning then sail the remains down the river. It's a place thick with smoke, eerie and silent. The feeling here is subdued and silent. I was glad to leave it.
Our guide took us back to the hotel to collect Dave then we went for a trip debriefing, to pay our remaining trek balances and get our remaining gear (sleeping bags, duffle bag, t-shirt, parkas). After this we dropped off our things at the hotel and picked up two more young men, one from Canada, the other from the U.S. and went for a "welcome" dinner.
Traditional Nepali foods were served and a cultural dancing program commenced. We sat at very low tables with our legs crossed; most of us were quite stiff and kind of uncomfortable but the conversation was lively and we all enjoyed ourselves.
It was a very enjoyable day. :)
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