KATHMANDU, NEPAL
I took an Indian Airlines flight to Kathmandu. It was only a 1 hour flight but we were still served lunch - yellow dahl, kofta, and chapati (it actually wasnt bad airplane food!). As we were landing, the plane played a Yani-like version of 
Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody. Strange! I got my visa at the customs counter after filling out form and giving them a passport photo and $30. When I exited, my hotel arranged for a pickup so I found the guy with my name on his sign and we were off. Ahhhh sooooo much easier than haggling with tuktuks!!!! It was 20 degrees cooler than sweaty India. Yeah Kathmandu! It also seemed less impoverished and cleaner - even the dogs seem healthier.
As we were driving, there was ALOT of military in riot gear on the streets. There was a ceasefire between King and Maoists but the Maoists have been threatening strikes and protests so military is still in high alert. I'm just moving from one high alert to another! (many things closed in Delhi due to terror threats, pretty much get molested oh they call it frisked going into Taj cause of terror threat, etc...) We crossed the bridge and starting passing a bunch of trekking stores - humm must be the tourist area! 
My hotel was actually a proper one - not a hostel. After a month in India navigating through touts, rickshaws, cows, monkeys, and camels - I decided to spoil myself! I stayed at the International Guest House which was only a few blocks on the edge of the Thamel District. It was still only $25 a night for a really nice room, TV, and bathroom. They also have a pretty good restaurant (specializig in Japanese food apparently because Japanese tour groups have taken a liking to the place). You can arrange tours through the owner. Anyway, I checked in and then walked around Thamel district. Of course, in Kathmandu they think I am an Indian tourist. Hahahaha.
The Thamel District starts in the south of Kathmandu at a little place called Tahiti Tole. The best landmark is still the Kathmandu Guest house which is pretty much in the center of Thamel.
It's a huge tourist area (compare right street photo of Thamel District to street photo above - just a few blocks away) with all the Western services, stores, and restaurants you would ever need. Here you can get a great latte if you need a break from chai and you can get a great steak if you need a break from veggie dahl dishes.
You can buy everything and anything here -- silk clothes, cashmere sweaters, hippy 'Berkeley' clothes,
embroidered t-shirts, tea, spices, trekking gear, books, maps, etc. Here's what it's like walking down a block in the Thamel District. While dodging tuktuks, people, dogs, and motorcycles - you pass a bead shop, a book shop, a tourist agency, a western restaurant, a trekking gear shop, "Want some hash?", another bead shop, a souvenier shop, "Change money?", a booth where a guy is making embroidered t-shirts, "Massage? Massage? Good massage!", another trekking gear shop, an internet cafe, and a money changer. Then you repeat at the next block.
There are tons of international restaurants here where you can eat Japanese, Thai, Chinese, Mexican, Italian, American, and New Orleans food. Since I had just eaten Indian food 3 meals a day for the past month - I did slip from experiencing local culture and ate at a great cafe serving wood fire stove pizzas and a steakhouse. I did have Everest beers with my meals - does that count? Hahaha. For another dinner, I had a local dish called
Dal Bhat. Dal is lentil soup and Bhat is mild vegetable curry. I also ate Tibetan momos (fried or steamed dumplings) served with
ketchup and green chili paste.
Mmmmm!
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Funny shirt |
Trekking shops are everywhere! |
Tibetan Prayer Flags were flying on most rooftops
Durbar Square >
