First Day in Kathmandu
Location: Kathmandu, Nepal
Local Time: Monday, Oct 17, 2005 - 7:00pm
This place is awesome. People should just fly into Kathmandu directly. Skip India.
We were six when we arrived here, the six of us who met on the train Saturday night. The Israeli husband and wife, Jay and Serina, parted from us this morning in front of the bakery. They said they knew where they wanted to go next and the rest of us are just bumming around with no plans.
So, Seth (Canadian from Toronto), Patrick (older gentleman from Belgium), Andre (university student from Germany) and I bought some baked goods (they chowed down on donuts, I went for croisants and cheese bread) and went upstairs to the patio on the roof and had some chai tea. Very popular drink over in this area. Good stuff.
My stomach had been bothering me a little for the last two days so I hadn't eaten except a couple cookies. However, with fresh bread in front of me, naturally I chowed down. Hmm, bread.
Next, we hit a bank machine and then a cybercafe (where I made the previous entry) before going to a hotel.
In India, there are guys always following you, trying to talk to you so they can con you out of something. Here, everyone is much more relaxed. In India, the rickshaw drivers drive in front of you to get your attention. Here, nice and polite. You can actually say no to them (most of the time) and it means something. The streets are not so filthy as Delhi, and the people much more friendly and helpful.
We got hotel rooms in the Shambala Hotel and started walking. Patrick took a nap, so it was Seth, Andre and I. We found a rooftop restaurant for lunch. I tried banana lassi. Very good. Like a smoothie, but richer, more yogurt flavour. I hear mango lassi is even better.
Next, Seth and I went looking for treking tours while Andre, not feeling well, went back to the hotel. I was also not feeling well, but I persevered, hoping walking would get rid of my upset stomach and cramps. Nope.
In the street we ran into a friend of Seth's, Sam. They had travelled together a couple of times in India and now by accident, found each other in Nepal. Sam said not to bother with guides and organized treks. He says, the word from other travelers is the trails are well marked and frequently travelled by other trekkers. Guides are not necessary.
Following the advice of the guidebook, we went looking for bulletin boards with notices of people looking for treking buddies, but we didn't have much luck there. The bulletin boards don't seem all that useful.
At the Fire and Ice cafe, we stopped for a rest and something to drink. I had a soda tonic, because I vaguely remember hearing somewhere that it settles you stomach. It did, it was wonderful. I felt so much better after that.
Next we went walking, heading for Durbar square, an older part of the town populated with pagodas. We ran into Patrick by accident and he came with us.
I can not describe to you the feeling of wandering through these streets. The red brick buildings stretch up 3 or 4 floors on each side of the 1.5 lane streets. Cars, motorcycles, bicycles and pedestrians all work through these flooded streets, a swirling, ever changing flow of chaos that somehow works.
The horn, ever present in Delhi, is used much less freqently here, and the pace of everything is not so frantic. I actually feel that I can take a moment to examine the merchanise that crowds both sides of the streets, without being immediately attacked by the over eager vendors.
I'm not much for shopping, but this place is so amazing I want to buy things, I want to go shopping. Such fabulous stuff, so colorful, such variety. What incredable cultural opportunities are destroyed by Walmart and the Bay.
In an open square south of Durbar Square, a vendor demonstrates a Nepoli game of tigers and goats, a game of strategy and forethought.
We enjoy an exceptional cup of chai tea, and I buy some post cards. What a strange feeling to know I have no where to go, and all the time in the world to get there.
Most important of all, remember, soda tonic settles an upset stomach.
Local Time: Monday, Oct 17, 2005 - 7:00pm
This place is awesome. People should just fly into Kathmandu directly. Skip India.
We were six when we arrived here, the six of us who met on the train Saturday night. The Israeli husband and wife, Jay and Serina, parted from us this morning in front of the bakery. They said they knew where they wanted to go next and the rest of us are just bumming around with no plans.
So, Seth (Canadian from Toronto), Patrick (older gentleman from Belgium), Andre (university student from Germany) and I bought some baked goods (they chowed down on donuts, I went for croisants and cheese bread) and went upstairs to the patio on the roof and had some chai tea. Very popular drink over in this area. Good stuff.
My stomach had been bothering me a little for the last two days so I hadn't eaten except a couple cookies. However, with fresh bread in front of me, naturally I chowed down. Hmm, bread.
Next, we hit a bank machine and then a cybercafe (where I made the previous entry) before going to a hotel.
In India, there are guys always following you, trying to talk to you so they can con you out of something. Here, everyone is much more relaxed. In India, the rickshaw drivers drive in front of you to get your attention. Here, nice and polite. You can actually say no to them (most of the time) and it means something. The streets are not so filthy as Delhi, and the people much more friendly and helpful.
We got hotel rooms in the Shambala Hotel and started walking. Patrick took a nap, so it was Seth, Andre and I. We found a rooftop restaurant for lunch. I tried banana lassi. Very good. Like a smoothie, but richer, more yogurt flavour. I hear mango lassi is even better.
Next, Seth and I went looking for treking tours while Andre, not feeling well, went back to the hotel. I was also not feeling well, but I persevered, hoping walking would get rid of my upset stomach and cramps. Nope.
In the street we ran into a friend of Seth's, Sam. They had travelled together a couple of times in India and now by accident, found each other in Nepal. Sam said not to bother with guides and organized treks. He says, the word from other travelers is the trails are well marked and frequently travelled by other trekkers. Guides are not necessary.
Following the advice of the guidebook, we went looking for bulletin boards with notices of people looking for treking buddies, but we didn't have much luck there. The bulletin boards don't seem all that useful.
At the Fire and Ice cafe, we stopped for a rest and something to drink. I had a soda tonic, because I vaguely remember hearing somewhere that it settles you stomach. It did, it was wonderful. I felt so much better after that.
Next we went walking, heading for Durbar square, an older part of the town populated with pagodas. We ran into Patrick by accident and he came with us.
I can not describe to you the feeling of wandering through these streets. The red brick buildings stretch up 3 or 4 floors on each side of the 1.5 lane streets. Cars, motorcycles, bicycles and pedestrians all work through these flooded streets, a swirling, ever changing flow of chaos that somehow works.
The horn, ever present in Delhi, is used much less freqently here, and the pace of everything is not so frantic. I actually feel that I can take a moment to examine the merchanise that crowds both sides of the streets, without being immediately attacked by the over eager vendors.
I'm not much for shopping, but this place is so amazing I want to buy things, I want to go shopping. Such fabulous stuff, so colorful, such variety. What incredable cultural opportunities are destroyed by Walmart and the Bay.
In an open square south of Durbar Square, a vendor demonstrates a Nepoli game of tigers and goats, a game of strategy and forethought.
We enjoy an exceptional cup of chai tea, and I buy some post cards. What a strange feeling to know I have no where to go, and all the time in the world to get there.
Most important of all, remember, soda tonic settles an upset stomach.
posted by Jaye | 5:15 PM
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