Kathmandu Valley


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January 29th 2011
Published: January 31st 2011
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From Pokhara we took a tourist bus to Kathmandu.. It’s been the best transport we’ve had in all of our travels… A cruisy 6 hours ride with 2 toilet stops. What do we want more!
Arriving in Kathmandu we saw a big smog cloud hanging over the city! We where back in the choas. Barking of the dogs, honking of the cars, people everywhere!!

Kathmandu

Kathmandu is the capital and the largest city of Nepal. The city has often electricity cuts, traffic jams and is regularly paralysed by political madness.
We found ourselves a nice little hostel in Paknajol, instead of Thamel. Thamel is known as the tourist centre of Kathmandu boardering the "old city" of Kathmandu.

Determent to explore the city the next day we went to “the Monkey Temple” also called "Swayambhunath"
Our first temple of Nepal really!! On a nice little hilltop in the middle of Kathmandu. Swayambhunath temple is a chaotic jumble of Buddhist and Hindu art. Its centred around a shinny white stupa, topped by a gilded spire painted with the eyes of the Buddha. These eyes you see all over Kathmandu Valley and beyond.
This temple is fully in use.... People spinning the prayers wheels, trying to sell whatever they can. It's hectic but beautifull.

According to legend, the Kathmandu Valley was once a lake and the hill now topped by Swayambhuntath rose spontaneously from the waters, hence the name swayambhu, meaning 'self-arisen'.

After that we decided that we already needed a break of this city.. And made plans to go to Bhaktapur.

Bhaktapur

Getting our ridiculous expensive entrance ticket we walked into the past! That’s the feeling you get from Bhaktapur! Bhaktapur is te third of the medieval city-states in the Kathmandy Valley.
The Nepali still call it Bhadgoan or the Newari name Khwope, meaning city of devotees..
Narrow cobblestone streets wind between the red-brick houses, joining all the squares with it's beautifull temples, statues, etc. It’s a town in a town. Nothing really exciting activities to do around.. So instead we just had days of watching the world pass by! Soak up the atmosphere, watch people doing there things.

Nagarkot

After a few days chilling it was time to keep on going.. Nagarkot it was.. People say it's one of the best places to see the Himalaya's and that between October and March you nearly always get rewarded with a view.
We took the adventure of taking a local bus out of town!! Just 50 rupees for the two of us!! Nothing to complain about! But arriving in Nagarkot our idea of it was a bit different!! First of all it seems that the clouds could open any second and it would pour down! And all the accommodation wasn’t what we expected! Not good at all! Finding a place finally it started to snow!! And of course no views of the Himalayas at all!! Big huge bugger!!! We shouldn't read over the "nearly always" rewarded!!!
A coin decided our destination! And that was to turn around and take the local bus back to Bhaktapur to go back to Kathamandu that same day!!!
But this time it’s wasn’t that much fun in the bus!! Snowing, going down mountain, to many people (this time really to many people!), window wipers not working, having to reverse to let other people come up the road, hanging over cliffs and what more! This is where we decided not to take any more local busses if it wasn’t necessary!

Kathmandu

Early evening we were back in Kathmandu and a week to go before we were going to Chitwan NP!.
Second time around in Kathmandu we knew what to expect and we enjoyed our week far better.
Busy sorting out our Tibet tour to go to China… Tibet is easy.. but China and visas are more difficult than we thought! But hey that’s a sorrow for when we arrive in China.. one step at the time!!
Of course some sightseeing to do! Kathmandu Durbar Square is a must to visit! So we did!!! Kathmandu's Durbar Square was where the city's kings were once crowned and legitimissed, and from where they ruled. Durbar Square means 'palace'.

Patan

Our last Durbar Square was Patan. Once a fiercely independent city-state, Patan is now almost a suburb of Kahtmandu. Separated only by the dirty Bagmati river. The only thing we can say: "it's another square, with again beautifull temples", but you only can take as much!

It's time for something new, something different!! Chitwan NP bring it on!!




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