Kathmandu to Lumbini

---

Friday
I wake up at 5 am & find the power is back on, including wifi! Able to clean out my email and chat with Nikki on FB. Find out Moose is being the best Uncle Moose in the whole world while he babysits Aria. Strangely, while on the internet I lose track of time (gee, that never happened before) and all of a sudden realize I only have an hour until my ride to the airport. No time for breakfast, but I'm still not hungry. Repack my suitcase to be stored at the Norbu Linka while I'm off to Lumbini. Have a little chat in the lobby with a Korean guy from New York. This is his 5th trip to Nepal and he had to cut short his trek due to altitude sickness, first time it happened. He's trying to get to Lumbini, as well, and will catch a 14-hour bus ride tomorrow. He's planning on staying at the Korean Monastery. I on the other hand, am doing the luxury tour. I'm a little embarrassed about that, but during my flight, I get killer views of the Himalayas towering ABOVE the clouds! I cannot believe what a great life I have - I am so lucky! Catch a cab to the hotel after failing to negotiate a lower fare. During the ride I realize chopping a couple of dollars off the cab is not so important in the scheme of things and wish I hadn't even tried to bargain. When I got off the plane (a small 19-passenger job) there were few, if any fares for all the taxis and I don't think there are a lot of arrivals or departures from this airport. It's another harrowing highway obstacle course race to Lumbini, when we turn off the main road I see 2 sarus cranes in a field - gee, this must be the Sarus Crane Sanctuary. Then the hotel looms - OMG it's like a palace. I know I'm getting a hot shower tonight! In fact I'm also getting AC and a Toto toilet. A toilet that not only has a warm seat, but can also wash and massage your tush. Of course there are paper slippers. This is such a Japanese Hotel. I order cold soba for lunch. The hotel is about 1 km from the Lumbini Development zone which surrounds the Maya Devi Temple built around the authenticated exact spot of the birthplace of Buddha. The zone is also where all the different countries have built temples and monasteries. Gosh, there's even an Austrian one. I ask the hotel manager the best way to get to the zone and he says it's too far to walk, but the hotel has bicycles for guests to use.
Back from my bicycle venture. I somehow managed to avoid being killed on the same highway I came in on. Thank goodness, I knew what to expect and I quickly became expert at swerving onto the shoulder at the slightest sound of a horn or engine. I park my bike at the bike parking lot, 5 ₨ (10¢) and head for the Maya Devi Temple. Traveling solo seems to embolden strangers to approach me. A monk from Hyerabad, India, chats me up and seems quite disappointed that I don't know what he's talking about when he mentions some Buddhist term for breathing. He must think "Those Japanese Buddhists are such posers." Four teenaged Nepalese girls stop me and ask to take a photo and to practice their English. Before I enter the temple I ask a friendly Sri Lankan man to take my photo, which he interprets as a photo with him. He has correctly identified my ethnicity - everyone in Nepal has asked me if I'm Japanese. I have a regular spiel about being American, my grandparents immigrated, can't speak Japanese because of WWII, etc. No one has asked if I'm Chinese, or Korean. Who knew I have such a typically Japanese face? Or maybe the majority of tourists are Japanese. I invite his other friends to join in and the kindly army guy takes our photos with my camera and each of their phones. But I digress. I have decided that my only objective is to visit the Maya Devi Temple. I am surprised at the emotional effect of seeing the actual place Buddha was born. I guess all those years of Sunday School made an impression - although the "Long Ago In India" gatha isn't going to cut it anymore. I'll just do drive-bys with the other buildings. Lumbini is under serious construction and having no map, I miss a whole section of monasteries and only see the Chinese and Korean ones, both quite impressive. My hotel is outside the development zone but across the road from the Japanese built World Peace Pagoda which I will visit tomorrow morning. I find that my general aversion to visiting huge man-made monuments, new or ancient, to deities, men or whatever, also applies to my own religion, so I am satisfied with the Lumbini-Lite Tour. One thing good about all the huge monasteries and temples is the enormous economic boost being brought to this region. Giant buildings require a lot of labor and subsequently will require staffing, as well. New hotels and resorts are cropping up everywhere, too. One curious sight on the road approaching the development area. I saw two adjoining schools with a Star of David on the building. They were called Shining Star schools, so I don't know that they were actually Jewish-based. Back at the hotel it's now 7 pm and the power went off - seconds later the hotel generator kicked in - still got AC, lights, warm toilet seat, etc. I think it should turn back on at 10. I'm feeling a little guilty about staying in such a posh place while visiting the Buddha's birthplace. Because of that and my constant fear of running out of money - i will forego dinner tonight and meditate (read my book and play Plants vs. Zombies) in my room. Tomorrow I can break my fast with breakfast.

---

Photos

Maya Devi Temple and Ashoka Pillar
Birthplace of Buddha