Nepal Journal

(Lea) A man in a bright orange robe, white beard, and white lines painted on his face walked up and placed a red dot on Keith's and my foreheads - this is for 'good luck' he told us. We encountered a sadhu, a Hindu religious man, our first five minutes on the Kathmandu streets.

The sadhu illustrates the great color and life we discovered in Kathmandu. The morning after we arrived we viewed Kathmandu from our hotel rooftop. From there it looked pretty gray and drab - lots of square buildings and dusty roads. But as we explored the town we quickly discovered the color through the people. We saw women dressed in vibrant purple, green and blue saris, Hindu sadhus in their orange robes, and Buddhist monks clothed in red. The vendors called out friendly "Namastes" as we passed by their shops full of colorful Buddhist prayer flags, Tibetan rugs and prints with bright multicolored Hindu gods.

Offerings of incense filled the air as we discovered Hindu and Buddhist temples and statues along our route to Maju Deval (a Hindu temple for Shiva). From Maju Deval's steps, we watched the chaos and excitement of Durbar Square, the center around the Old Royal Palace and multiple Hindu temples. Sadhus, worshippers, vendors, cows, and tourists all converged among and around the square. After Durbar Square, we toured Thamel, the main tourist area. The streets were lined with trekking agencies and visitors preparing for treks and mountaineering in the Himalayas - from 3 day treks around Pokhara to climbing Mount Everest.

Amidst all of this color, we also encountered Kathmandu's poverty. Nepal is the poorest country we have visited and there are parts that are hard to take. The hardest part is seeing children begging. What we find really difficult is knowing what to do when approached by a 5 year old girl asking for money. All the guidebooks and even the local newspapers strongly advise not to give to beggars, particularly children. Apparently, some children can make more money in one day begging than their parents can working, so some parents will keep them out of school to beg. Giving the children money encourages this cycle. The recommendation is to give money to a local charity helping the poor. But explain that to a hungry 5 year old, holding her hands out.

(Keith) We consciously chose to stay in each country for about a month because we felt that is the minimum amount of time to really experience the local customs. Well today we are experiencing a Nepali holiday/festival called "Holi". "Holi" is a water festival similar to those in Thailand and Mynamar. During these festivals, those brave enough to take to the streets are welcomed with buckets of colored water . . . foreigners seem especially welcome! People's skin and clothes end-up a rainbow of color from the dyes and water. We (as many foreigners did) chose to watch the festivities from the confines of our hotel.

One of the neat experiences in Kathmandu was the Swayambhunath Temple (or the "Monkey Temple"). This temple is one of the most important Buddhist temples in Nepal and is located several kilometers outside of Kathmandu. We decided to walk from our hotel in the tourist district, Thamel. As we walked the short distance, our senses were assaulted. We pass a woman carrying a huge cabinet on her back; we pass sadhus smoking peacefully on the street; we pass delicious German bakeries; we pass cows; and we pass the most squalid river I have seen. As we approach the temple we are greeted by the ever present children. One filthy seven year old boy wants to know where we are from . . . we tell him "America"; he quickly responds with "The capital is Washington D.C." He then challenges us to name another country . . . "Germany" . . . "Berlin" he exclaims; "Russia . . . Moscow", "France . . . Paris", he never misses. Although Nepal has a staggering illiteracy rate (70%), this boy had certainly been taught the basics of world geography.

Once reaching the temple, we climbed up a series of very steep stone stairs to the main temple. Along this climb there are numerous monkeys lounging and playing; once at the summit we encounter our first prayer flags and wheels. Each is inscribed with prayers; when the wind blows the prayers are said to be carried into the air. The gompa (monastery) is a collection of elaborate carvings of Buddhas and Hindu gods, prayer wheels, and stupas. Roving bands of monkeys linger throughout the complex.

Kathmandu is a great introduction to this part of Asia; I think it is a precursor to some of the sights, sounds, and smells of India; the Indian influence on the city is very apparent. But before we travel south to India, we are off to see the massive mountains and dense jungle that form the beautiful wilderness of Nepal.

Check out more Kathmandu Photos.

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