Blogs from Bhaktapur, Nepal, Asia

Last summer a friend asked me if I'd be interested in going to Nepal. 'Of course,' I said. Who wouldn't be interested in going to Nepal? So we planned this trip for April and I have finally arrived! I arrived last night after an uneventful flight. I waited in line for almost an hour to get my visa (25USD). Ravi, my tour organizer, met me at the airport with quite an entourage - himself, a driver, and my guide, Nabin. (www.adventurediscoverytreks.com) Only I didn't know Nabin was going to be my guide. I was taken directly to my hotel which was in the tourist area of Kathmandu called Thamel. I saw a lot of stuff I'd like have while looking through the window of that car. I think my hotel was called Hotel Buddha. It was ... read more

For our last weeks in Nepal, to avoid any more high risks, we decided to put our bags in more or less safe places. First on our route was Lumbini. There are a few dangers that await travelers on the road. First is the bus that brings you from point A to point B. Without a vehicle, you are rather helpless here, you need wheels to move. Busses are old and creaky, and do not look like they will last long. It is quite normal that in a 6 hour journey, the driver will stop a couple of times by a road repair shop to pump a tire or tighten some screws. It seems that there is no technical control nor normes to follow for this type of transport. A lot of buses are private, as ... read more

Lack of money means no luxury to pay for entrance fees to anywhere. No more temples or durbar squares. It means missing my date with a Sadhu. It is like being in Tibet without seeing a monk. Have you encountered photos/videos (or in person) of weird-looking men in dreadlocks, covered with ash, sometimes with painted faces, in yellow or orange robes (or naked), who are either begging for alms, doing yoga, or with raised extremities, and most of all, look stoned? Yes, those are Sadhus. And they really are stoned. Seriously. (To make it easier for you to imagine since, sadly, I do not have any picture of them, here's a link to wonderful photographs of these interesting men.) Sadhus, or holy men in Hinduism, have renounced earthly possessions and desires in pursuit of spiritual devotion ... read more

bhaktapur - a brilliant unesco protected ancient unchanged suburb of Kathmandu... read more

At first I had no idea what to expect. Actually, I didn't even know what was Bhaktapur two weeks ago. Than, we got on our flight to Kathmandu, and I had to ask myslef, what are we going to see in this land that I know so little about. Small notice, don't forget that we nearly never travel with a guide book... Bhaktapur became very fast an obvious choice. It is an old city 14km from Kathmandu. Most cars are not allowed in, and tourist have to pay 10USD just to enter the city. Somehow, I think cities like Venise should apply the same rule to limit the number of tourists and fund restorations. There is only 14km between the two cities, but it can easily take up to an hour to get there. We decided ... read more