Nepal - Kathmandu and Pokhara: I left the heat of Goa and arrived in Nepal on November 13, 2012 - Diwali.  It was madness. More so than what I have learned Kathmandu normally is. Thank heavens I have been to many parts of India which prepared me for it. I can't imagine anyone coming here with no prior Indian sub-continent experience. It must be an incredible culture shock. I read a description of Kathmandu somewhere: "Pro: There are a dime a dozen trekking outfits and a decent variety of food establishments. Con: Incredible traffic, pollution and and overwhelmed infrastructure. In a nutshell: A very nice and crazy place." That about sums it up. I did like it but I was very sick, my energy levels were low and I was coughing all the time. The air pollution did not help. However the days were warm and very sunny although nights were quite chilly. 

It is impossible to capture the manic energy that is Kathmandu, population about 1.7 million souls and so I will just share a few shots I took of people and things.



Because it was Diwali the streets were filled with people celebrating the festival. Everywhere streamers were strung and it was a just a great time to be out and about. One gentleman pointed out to me, "Every day is a festival in Nepal. For example we celebrate 6 New Year's."  

A quiet street that has very broken surface (extremely challenging in a car); short, shuttered entrances to a typical Newar building  (Newars are the people of Kathmandu Valley), incredible carved wooden balconies above and the ever present electrical wiring that makes a Westerner cringe.

Bicycle apple (and orange) sellers

Bright pots of powder dye for sale in the market

A curious and very cool mask store.
To the left of it is one of the hundreds of Thanka painting stores found in the city.  (Thanka being a painting on silk usually depicting a Buddhist deity, scene, or mandala.)

A fantastic copper and brass shop with many wares stacked outside on the street. I love this shot.

A Sadhu (holy man, wandering monk) in Kathmandu. 80% of the population in Nepal is Hindu, followed by 9% Buddhist.  I'm not sure he liked me taking his photo from across the street. I'm getting the 'look'.

After a couple of days in Kathmandu I took a 8 hour bus ride west to Pokhara. There were few stops so I became good at snapping pics from the bus window. Sunny day but hazy with pollution. The white peaks in the far distance are the big Himalayas which are obscured by the haze.

This is appears to be a farm (rice?). It's winter so crops are harvested.

Terraced farming beside a pretty river.

The Himalayas are stunning and truly awesome even at a distance. I never got really close (a future trip hopefully). What appears to be clouds on the horizon is really huge peaks. Once again a bus window shot.  

Pit stop - literally.
I've had to use a lot of facilities that are very circumspect but this was one of the worse in my travels. I'll spare the details. I would not use it.

Typical village houses along the way. Snapped from moving  bus.

Another very typical house.
The road to Pokhara is paved and very good, a bit rough leaving Kathmandu and coming into Pokhara but otherwise in good shape. Lots of curves, ups and downs.

The city of Pokhara is approximately 200km west of Kathmandu. It is situated beside Phewa Lake. This photo is taken at sunset from the shoreline. Due to its proximity to the Annapurna mountain range in the Himalayas, the city is also a base for trekkers undertaking the Annapurna Circuit. I would like to do that but another time. I'll return.

Dinner of very good Pad Thai and the local beer, Everest. It was a special issue dedicated to a Sherpa who had climbed Everest many times. Twelve I think. 

Because it was Diwali (still) there was lots of street music and performances. These young dancers put on a great display. It was very chilly out at night and they are in bare feet, short sleeves, etc. Brave girls. They seemed to be having fun.

Sunrise on the Annapurna mountain range as seen from my hotel room window.

Sunrise over Pokhara

Sunrise over Pokhara. This day I returned to Kathmandu. Someday I hope to return and hike in the Annapurna range.





Bhaktapur, Nepal: I took a day trip to a small city near Kathmandu. Bhaktapur is an ancient Newar town and listed as a World Heritage by UNESCO for its rich culture, temples, and wood, metal and stone artwork. It is an untouched and preserved ancient city that is well worth exploring. Heck, I would recommend skipping Kathmandu when you arrive and go stay in Bhaktapur.

Portions of the movie Little Buddha (1993) starring Keanu Reeves were filmed in the Bhaktapur. The story goes that the movie people suggested to the locals that in order to perserve Bhaktapur they charge tourists admission to the city. It cost US$13 to enter the city and supposedly the money goes to maintaining sites, infastructure, etc. Some locals dispute the idea that the money finds its way to these causes but Bhaktapur was in far better shape than any other town I had been in so they must be doing something right.

Temple of Nyatapola.
This is one of the tallest pagoda-style temples in Kathmandu Valley and is famous for its massive structure and subtle workmanship.

Changu Narayan Hindu temple believed to be built in the 4th century.

Up close photo of carving found on one of the temples.
Wood carving is intricate, plentiful and beautiful.

Hindu worshippers.

Friends greeting each other in the street.
The male inhabitants of this city wear a special type of cap called the Dhaka Topi.

Itinerant basket seller (left).
He carries his wares on his head, hence the turban type headgear worn for cushioning.

Bhaktapur sees a lot of tourists. I stepped away from the well trodden areas of the city and started to explore some side streets and areas. The raised road way was made of stone with gutters on each side. Probably good to have during the monsoon time.

I came upon a square where the women were drying rice in the sun.

Continuing on, there was more rice drying and being raked and cleaned.

Taking a rest and surveying their domain.

Of course I am always on the look out for cats.
Here's a lovely brass statue.

ME-OW-ZIG was a music store selling a lot of local music both secular and sacred. The owner had music blasting from his shop and that's what drew me to the location. The cat was an added bonus.

Drying hay and making terracotta pots. Both full time activities in Bhaktapur.

Bhaktapur is a famous centre for wood carving and in this workshop I found two women carvers. Good for them!

Typical shop front.

The famous "Peacock Window" wood carving. The window adorns the Pujari Math (Hindu monastery) which, with rows of exquisitely carved windows and doors, is equally appealing.  It is sometimes referred to as the "Mona Lisa of Nepal" and a rare masterpiece in wood. Dating back to the early 15th century it is an excellent example of wooden fretwork that you see all over the Kathmandu valley.

Literally next door to the "Peacock Window" is the "Chicken Window"!
Coincidence? I think not.

Goa, India: It's a state in India with over 100 kms of beaches. I went there after a quick trip to Pune, India with my cousin.

This is the shot from the veranda of the beach shack I had on Palolem Beach, south end. The proprietors called them 'luxury cottages'. That made me smile but all the same the view is rather nice.

Fishing as a primary industry in Goa and it's mostly small time fishers that go out during the night in boats like this. During the day they will also ferry tourists about to make extra dollars. The fresh fish in Goa is great!

Before I headed to the beach I stayed a few days in a lovely restored Portuguese house in the town of Canacona. It was hard to get a photo of the one story house itself because it was surrounded by walls and large shrubs. The owner is an architect from Mumbai and he did a great job of restoring the building and decorating it. The spa was not operational while I was there but it really did not matter.

The house had many large verandahs that we great for lounging and reading a favourite book. I actually had a bad cold and was feeling very miserable so the peace and quiet was welcomed. The staff were so nice and felt bad that I was sick.



Breakfast was included. Dinner was optional. This is a great Goan Thali they prepared. Thali meaning a selection of little dishes. Here there is rice, dal, veg curry, seafood curry, some fried fish and prawns, roti, a red liquid that tasted strange and was suppose to take away the taste of the fish and aid in digestion.



Mowgli was Turiya's young labrador-mix. He was a rescue dog from Mumbai. The story was that a western tourist obtained him while in Mumbai but then had to leave and gave him to a rickshaw driver who was unable to keep him. Given that rick drivers are rather poor that does not surprise me. So he lived in the streets but found his way to a shelter where the architect got him and brought him to a better life in Goa. His back legs are a bit deformed. He was a very friendly young dog.

Art shot! Can't resist. These were pebbles placed into the concrete floor of the shower. They were there to prevent you from slipping. Very smart idea!

The town of Canacona has many nice houses which are painted bright colours. This is typical of Goa and also Kerala a state further south. These were all in the neighbourhood of Turiya. However they were not traditional Portuguese houses like Turiya. These were modern, recently built.



Seeing red!



Can that green be any more florescent? And the peach coloured fence? What a combo!

Okay, the pink was brighter than the green. It hurt my eyes to look at it.

Relaxing blue.

Of course not everyone can afford to live in homes like the ones above. This is more typical.

Sunset at Palolem Beach, Goa. Another fine day.

Have left Goa and now I'm in Nepal. Will post photos as soon as I can.