KATHMANDU
Along with Mandalay and Calcutta, Kathmandu has one of the great exotic world names. As soon as the name rolls off your tongue images of ancient grandeur, lively spice markets, and narrow, pedestrian alleyways start to fill your mind. Beyond the images in my mind - which made Kathmandu seem more like the palace city in Aladdin, which is a completely different culture - I had very little insight as to what to expect when I arrived in Kathmandu. Thus I was a somewhat disappointed with the airplane arrival - when I flew into Dharamsala, India, outside the window to the East was the dramatic rise and long line of the Himalayas. The view into Kathmandu was slightly less dramatic - the horizon was hilly, with a few villages, than flattened quickly as you approached the airport.
|
|
|
Kathmandu feels slightly Indian but the slower pace and lower population density means you can enjoy relax and enjoy experience - although you still need to keep your head on a swivel to avoid being hit by a car or motorbike in the narrow streets. I arranged for the hostel to pick me up at the airport and fortunately there wasn't too much, if any, traffic on the way to the hostel. I stayed in Thamel, which is where most of Kathmandu's western budget accommodation is located. There are a few western style hotels and chains located in the Embassy Zone north of Thamel and farther east heading out to Baudha, a prominent Buddha religious site.
|
|
|
Thamel is the area where all the mountaineers, trekkers, and other adventurers stay before and after their Himalayan expeditions. Given the volume of Westerners there's a heavy presence of mountain equipment stores (mostly selling knockoff products), Western restaurants, and cafes, including Himalayan Java - I am guilty of spending a lot of time at it's various Kathmandu chains. Every other store seems to be playing the Sanskrit Mantra "Om Mani Padme Hum" so it doesn't take long before this simple chant is stuck in your head.
|
|
|
In spite of the touristy element, Thamel still maintains a pretty cool and relaxed vibe. If you are looking for a more authentic side of Kathmandu, you can walk in any direction from here and it will not take long to stumble upon local life. I went on a walking food tour with Backstreet Academy and even within Thamel there's a few nooks and labyrinths that show the non-touristy catering side of this neighborhood. There is a main thoroughfare, Durbar Marg, just east of Thamel that you may pass through on the way from the airport - this seemed to be as upscale and Western as it gets in Kathmandu.
From the Thamel area it's pretty easy to launch a few half day trips to other Kathmandu locations.
From the Thamel area it's pretty easy to launch a few half day trips to other Kathmandu locations.
|
|
|
I'm not saying that Kathmandu is as beautiful a city as Paris, Buenos Aires or Saint Petersburg but it is equally photogenic.
|
|
|
DURBAR SQUARE AND KUMARI - THE LIVING GODDESS
Durbar Square is a temple and palace area just south of Thamel - there are two other Durbar Square's in the Kathmandu area, however, this is Square contains the most buildings, although the photos from other Squares seem just as impressive.
|
|
Durbar Square has a central pedestrian walkway, which you need to buy an entrance ticket to access - locals can freely pass through. A few of the temples are only accessible during religious festival periods. Most of the sights are in the open and there's a palace complex you can walk through as well. There are a few individuals offering guide services, however, I just relied on the brochure that came with the entrance ticket to get around. It would have helped if I read a little more about the site before visiting because the brochure wasn't much more than a location map.
|
|
|
And a few more photos:
|
|
|
The best palace area was actually one of the smaller and somewhat hidden buildings on the south / far side from Thamel. This palace is the residence of Kumari, the Living Goddess. Kumari is a young girl, deemed to be a living goddess, who lives in relative seclusion at the palace. She makes an appearance every hour or so at a window in the open courtyard. Once she menstruates, she is no longer a goddess - she returns to her family and the next Kumari is identified. It's a unique concept that stands out from the other religious sites I've visited in that holy cow it involves an actual person.
|
|
|
BOUDHA AND PASHUPTINATH
I thought Boudha was singularly the greatest temple / stupa and second best religious site overall after Varanasi. The stupa has piercing eyes that seem to stare at you as soon as you enter the open square complex. Workers were reprinting the statue when I arrived - the white paint was blinding, so while the stupa could stare at me, it was quite difficult to look back. There are lots of smaller temples and monasteries around this area and you could easily spend a half or even a full day just exploring this section of Kathmandu. I grabbed a light lunch and coffee at one of the rooftop cafes overlook Boudha in one of the buildings in the courtyard area.
|
|
|
|
|
From Boudha, I flagged a taxi for a short ride over to Pashupatinath, one of Nepal's holiest Hindu sites and a mini version of Varanasi with burning ghats within a larger religious complex. There's a few temples in the complex but the main attraction are the stupas and bodies being cremated in the river that flows through the area. It's not the same level of cremation activity at Varanasi but feels more intimate.
|
|
|
For additional Kathmandu photos see FLICKR ALBUM.