Exploring Kathmandu

My alarm went off at 9:30am, but I just don’t want to get up yet coz I know the cold will start to seep in again…..managed to somehow get up at 10am and have a shower. Then, I wanted to just stay under the scalding hot shower and not get out of the bathroom anymore! God! Such a tropical baby I am…… hahahaha

The view from my balcony, with mist/fog still shrouding the houses nearby really doesn't help in making me feel warm...lol
I went out on foot, looking for the infamous Thamel area coz I wanted to get a shawl and have breakfast, well, definitely in that order! I got lost at first coz I veered off in the right direction from my guesthouse instead of turning left, and found myself in junction with vegetable traders and lots of rickshaws fighting for a strip of alleyway! The scene which greeted me when I got out in the main street is so unbelievably retro 60's what with the "padyak" or rickshaw traffic and the dusty roads.

The streets are so dusty and dirt-strewn, nothing romantic about the sneezing fit I got but the place does have it charms. After a while, I found it surreal like stepping back in time and finding yourself stuck in a time warp in the 60s.

Finally found my way back and got myself a bargain. The yak wool shawl I got I was really happy about coz the shopkeeper gave me a huge discount as he said I look like a Nepali!!! Lol I’m loving it here now!

The roundabout at Chetrapatti Chowk, this will become my landmark to everywhere in the next few days. Whenever I’m checking the map, I always gauge the distance of the place from the chowk since my guesthouse is just close by. The lack of distinguishable street names can also be confusing especially in Thamel.

The breakfast though was bad (I was told by the shopkeeper to head to Yak Restaurant for breakfast --- because that is where tourists go!)…..I ordered chicken & mushroom soup….I was expecting a creamy soup and got this….. a soup with chunks of chicken & sliced mushrooms swimming in it!

I went over to Marco Polo hotel to meet up with Aida. We decided to head on to the Durbar Square. Took a taxi for 200 rupees without haggling, not bad at all! This is way better than Sri Lanka!

Kathmandu Durbar Square

Durbar, generally means “palace” hence the entire Kathmandu Valley is dotted with a lot of Durbar Squares! Temples and palaces always go together, that is why all the Durbar Squares have palaces or royal residences alongside temples where they can worship and pray.

I initially thought that going around is free at first, only to be stopped by the ticket collector later on! Entrance to the square is valid only for the date stamped on the ticket however if you are planning on multiple visits during your stay in Nepal then you can go to their site office to have it stamped with a longer validity period.

The serenity or the impact of the Square will not be felt unless you go on one of the overlooking restaurants (which we did!) coz the Square itself is just overwhelming with people. In a sense its good because it means that ordinary citizens still uses the Square just like the older times albeit in a more modern version --- later in the afternoon there was a political rally there. The square has been in active use since 1000AD, that’s a lot of history in there.

Shooo...shooo....this cow just doesn't want to move.....I have to move to another spot for my photo ops! hahahaha

We explored the opened buildings. The 17^th century Hanuman Dhoka, previously a royal palace used by kings which is now turned into a museum and you pay 250 rupees to get in. It’s worth it, if only for the architecture but it’s very unkempt and the museum where all the royal items are displayed is off-limits to our cameras!

The area is just small but it is congested with a lot of temples and museums. When we went to the Kasthamandap or the “wooden house”, there was a wedding ceremony there (we initially thought it was a burial coz there was a burning pyre in the middle!). The bride and groom looked so young! Aida shrieked, “she’s kissing his feet!”. The South Asian tradition of touching the man’s feet really takes some getting used to! I know it’s a sign of respect but ummm……it is still the feet….

While waiting for the time when the Royal Kumari will appear around 4pm, we went for a late lunch at the Himalaya View Café, the best place in the Square with such fantastic view of the entire Square as a background. The food is so-so…..good thing the view is superb!

I had steamed chicken momo --- similar to Oriental dumplings or our own Siomai but with the slight taste of curry.

Anyways, enough of the temples, we went out to a side street near the Square, Freak Street. Turn right, past the rows of "antique" souvenir items displayed. It still has the retro 70’s hippie feel about the place but is now crammed with restaurants and souvenir shops. All the long-haired hippies have already relocated to Thamel area. Lol!!

Thamel

Aida still has a lot of shopping to do as she is flying back to Doha that night so we went off to Thamel in style ---- on a rickshaw! I ended up shopping more than she did! But honestly, I need to bring back samples of Nepali tea and coffee…..and also the paper lamps!! Love them!!

This maze of streets and alleys is the place to SHOP in Kathmandu. You can find anything and everything here. From generic trekking gears (I swear, they must come from the supplier coz they all sell the same items!), to souvenir items and paper lamps to clothes. And sometimes tucked somewhere is a Spa offering foot massage and hot stone therapy.

Thamel does have a certain distinct vibe about it. You can see people walking by checking some shops then all of a sudden you have a rickshaw pass by or a taxi zooming in, all vying for space in its narrow streets.

Then it’s time to head back to the hotel…..more chit-chat with Aida over coffee. It’s really nice to meet up with people who can also appreciate the same things that you do. However short it was, the meeting and the day spent was really great! Now I have a new friend to meet up with when I go over to Doha! The joys of travelling --- meeting new people, learning about different cultures.

It’s my second night here and honestly, the cold is freaking me out completely! Even to change my clothes is such a battle but id don’t want to sleep in the clothes I was wearing! Ugh!

And yes, I have to forego dinner as well coz I don’t have the energy to brave the cold and come out from my room! I cannot really live in a place like this!

More shots around Kathmandu.....