Hide and Seek

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Pokhara was my one trip outside of the Kathmandu Valley during my short stay in Nepal. It is firmly on the tourist circuit, as becomes more than evident when walking the main street of Lakeside, the part of Pokhara that is, well, lakeside. It is one of those places that is unabashedly for and of the tourist, with lots of hotels/hostels, foreigner-focused restaurants, cafes, travel agencies, etc. Indeed, the only other place I saw a higher density of foreigners was in Thamel in Kathmandu. But you can't begrudge Pokhara its tourist dollars.

There's a reason it is so popular: it's beautiful.

If the only attraction were the placid waters of Phewa Tal, there would be enough reason to take the short flight (or long bus ride) from Kathmandu. I could have spent hours simply watching tourists and locals alike criss cross the large lake in the narrow, brightly colored rowboats that seemed endemic to this place. Just walking on the lake shore, or climbing into the hills surrounding the lake, was a relaxing respite from the hurly-burly of the city. The World Peace Pagoda, set high above Phew Tal, on the shore opposite Pokhara (and complete with its own helipad), seemed aptly named. It all was so peaceful.

But the lake isn't the only attraction. One of the big reasons Pokhara is crawling with foreigners is that it is one of the main staging points for expeditions into the Himalayas. And those mountains, in the form of the majestic Annapurna Range, loom over the town.

That is if it isn't hazy!

I actually wasn't sure what all the fuss was when I first arrived. I couldn't see any of the breathtaking mountain views I had been promised, just wooded hills. However, in the late afternoon, the hazy began to clear a bit....and in ghostly outline I could see it, the improbable peak of sacred Machapuchare, Fish Tail Mountain.* I think I let out an audible gasp!

Although in the two days I hung out in Pokhara I never got the crystal clear views that I had hoped for, I saw enough of the shimmering snow-clad Annapurna to make me bemoan my lack of time. They just begged to be trekked and climbed. I could see why so many people, from so many corners of the world, come to Nepal to try their hand at these soaring peaks.

Next time I'm in Pokhara, I'll be preparing for a trek...

*Machapuchare is so sacred to the locals (I believe it is identified in some fashion with the worship of Shiva) that climbing it is forbidden. I guess one just has to make do with Everest....

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Comments

[Ami]

News and photos of your travels are like a fresh breath for my soul! I love all of your blog posts. Miss you!