The Kathmandu Valley

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24/12/09

Bhaktapur(@1350m) was even better than Kathmandu for the medieval scene. Although only 30km from away, it need 90 mins by local bus. The outstanding 5-storey pagoda temple Nyatapola dominated the skyline when our bus approaching the town from the highway. Almost all the buildings inside the old quarter were dated, streets were mostly stone paved or laid with brickwork, it said most of the constructions had been ruined by the earthquake in 1934, I couldn't imagine how beautiful Bhaktapur should be before that time. The centre of attraction was the Durbar Square and its near neighbour Taumadhi Tole where the Nyatapola stood. And also the Tachual Tole linked by a busy commercial street to the Durbar. The town was full of beautiful temples, but I enjoyed more immersed myself inside the small lanes, always stop in a dead end of someone courtyard, sometimes bump my head on the low corridor while checking my map, or twisted my ankles on the uneven street ground while admiring the wood engraving. Many of those narrow street reminded me of somewhere in Italy. but Bhaktapur not without negative side, no garbage management, leaked of water, said only 2 hrs each day water would pumped into the outlet in town, you would see women queuing up with all size of container around 2pm. Also looked at the stinky waterless Hanuman River, the dying river was dark colour and full of garbages, but seem like it was a holy river to the Hindus, as the Hanuman Ghat was the place to performed cremation of dead body. Many handcraft still preserved here, brass work, wood work and art painting, surprised to see so many people painting thangkas in this small town. Also hand weaving could be find inside the old town for fabric and for carpet. The Pottery Square was still the same since few hundred years ago, earthwares laid all over the ground, in a corner they baked the products with straws, some workmen prepared earth and soil, some making vase on a spinning wheel, busy! King curd is the speciality here as you saw the sign everywhere, then find out it was actually mean yoghurt, and the were thick and creamy. After dark snack vendors appeared in Taumadhi Tole, although serving the same kind of thing, deep fried stuff or momo, but the egg rolled with chapati could be seen, my favourite! After 8 there would be less and less people and with the standard power cut out, Taumadhi Tole could be the only place that ignited. Tonight is X'mas Eve, not much going on here I guessed. And X'mas Eve translated in chinese would be Safety Night, guess I would honor the title and stay in and sleep early in order to had a safety night.

Note
Bus KMD to Bhaktapur Rs20
USD$1 = Rs73
Entrance fee for Bhaktapur Rs750

25/12/09

I started my hiking through the December mist this morning to Changu Narayan, it was about 4km away up on a hilltop. A welcoming changed for scene after heavy bombarded by the overwhelming sight in Bhaktapur, the road pass through village after village, surrounded by paddy fields dressed in green, together with the morning mist covered up many unnecessary objects, the environment was partly shone up with sunlight, it created a mysterious effect, and somehow looked a a Chinese water painting. The 2 hours slow and easy walk took me to the village of Changu(@1650m), actually you could came here by bus from Kathmandu nowadays, a short street with souvenir shops and guesthouses lead up to the top where stood the ancient Changu Narayan Temple which could dated back to the 4th century, this Vishnu temple was the oldest temple in the whole valley. This double roof temple had super long roof struts engraved with outstanding religious figures. Many small temples, shrines and pillars were surrounded the temple inside the courtyard, many stone inscriptions were in done great skill and detail, like the image of Vishnu astride the Garuda which you could also seen in the Rs10 banknotes.
Carried on my hike after a quick dal bhal to Nagarkot, "just walking east" the old told me, seem like he knew I had a compass in my watch! And it wasn't that difficult to figured out the way afterward, as people were everywhere, "it is Christmas, holiday today" a young boy told me. I wondered what x'mas meant to the Hindus? Yes...another day off! The dirt road ran on the ridge, and the view on both sides should be magnificent if...the sky was clear, still...l could see mile of mile green fields rolling out on the valley, with some chimneys in certain area declared industrialization, 90 mins later I got down to the main motor road where cars coming from Kathmandu, in the teahouse by the road side they told me another 90 mins uphill. Started with the long staircases up to a monastery, and then the trail caught up. Most of time I was just few meters above the motor road, the trail was dotted with local houses, so I had no chance to be lost, finally hit the bus park at the entrance of Nagarkot(@1950m) village, but was it a village? Only a couple of shops and restaurants at road junction, then further up was only hotels, and it spread a long way out with each hotel separated in the own seclusive location, I didn't tried to walked all that far as I didn't like the look of this place, together with the sky high room-rate. With the sky hazy like this, if I wasn't plan to walk from here to Banepa, I would have took the next bus down back to Bhaktapur. Looked around I got a room for Rs300, a great deal in Nagarkot as it actually got the Himalayan view from my window, I mean...supposed it will be clear the next morning. There really not much you could do here beside wait for sunrise and the mountain view, tour buses(mostly local tourists) began to arrived by sunset, mostly stay at the big resort Himalayan Club, and today was Friday and also... Christmas! Seem like it was a bit busy out there. But I will followed up from last night...a safety night!

Note
Entrance fee for Changu Temple Rs100

26/12/09

The sun rose up from thick cloud through my window this morning, no chance for the panoramic view of the Himalayan as predicted. So carried on my journey to the view tower, it was more than 3km up hill from Nagarkot, nothing had be mention in my info about the distance, sure this place was aimed for group tours and yuppies as they came with their own car, for individual travellers, you might need to start walking up here before 5am for the sunrise. Perhaps because of the misty sky, no need to buy ticket for climbed up the view tower when I got there. A 3m high army watch tower it was, and only with a cat-ladder which wouldn't do much for the senior tourists, a bit danger I would say. The sky at least cleared up a little and some mountains appeared on the northern sky, made up for a long walked up here! From the parking lot a dirt track went downhill to Banepa, only 4WD could managed on this road, so I was pretty much dust free on this trail, it was this enclosed within the army campus area and I saw soldiers were training inside the bush. And their noise triggered birds out from tree trunks, couple of beautiful long tail birds, rekoned their was more than a feet long, dark fur with red peck, and the tail with white stripes. It was all the way down hill walked today, and the hillside were engraved with wave of terrace fields, and created many "angel thumb print", the way Jam Goodman like to described. 90 mins after I arrived Nala where a unusual 4 tiered temple, as mostly you seen 3 tiered or 5 tiered temple, the Bhagwati stood in the village tiny square without much attention. But the Karunamaya temple at entrance of the town was rather crowded with pilgrims came with offering. A bus was about to departed so I took a ride to Banepa for the last 3km as it was on the motor road. Banepa was a busy road-junction town, behind the main highway, the town commercial street still preserved in old fashion way. The copper cladded 3 tiered Chandeshwari temple was about a km out side of town, again... Pilgrims crowded the temple with puja, couple of lamb were waited in line for offering, one already laying outside the doorway of the main temple hall, with its head decapitated! The beautiful fresco on tge outer wall of the temple was totally re-painted, and still not completed with a bamboo skeleton mounted on the surface, the new colour shone through the dull bamboo in big contrast.
A short bus ride took my to my destination in Dhulikhel(@1600m), another Himalayan view tourist sight, but here you need to walk to the view point, perhaps that's why I didn't see any group tour. In fact, not many tourists too, a small town with couple of temple spread on both end of the village, but I guessed I had enough of temple now, think I would just strolled around in easy pace and make my final walk tomorrow for this trip before heading back to Kathmandu. Dhulikhel also had many old houses in the old quarter, but again...enough was enough, especially after Bhaktapur, and I would preferred Banepa more if I wanted to hangout in town. As Banepa had a more lively street scene.
Note
Bus from Nala to Banepa, and Banepa to Dhulikhel both were Rs5.

27/12/09

Same hazy morning but I made the hike anyway. The Kali Temple on top of a small col after a long stairway supposed to be the best place to view the Himalayan range in Dhulikhel. And from the temple a nice trail along the contour of the mountain lead down to Kavre, then I find myself mostly on the dirt road until Namobuddha, and with the Sunday pilgrims, car drove into the mountain and I ate dust! Again...the Nepalese fusion. It was a stupa with prayer wheel around, together with hindus shrines and images. Carried on the walk to Panauti was a pleasure, the open view of the valley, although misty but the sight was welcoming. And it was plantation season with much action in the fields, women were carried fertilizer from the village to the field, while the men ploughed the dry land. The area around Panauti was rather pretty, the simple countryside scenery dissolved much of the indigested images of old buildings and temples in my head, what a fresh reset! but still...what Panauti offered me was couple more temples, I gladly walked through them with pleasure, and end my Kathmandu valley tour.

Note
Bus Panauti to KMD Rs40

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Comments

[hubankers]

wowowww
really very nice pictures. i coudlnt recognize some places though i am from BKt.