Nepal

Nepal: Kathmandu’s Stupas

Posted by carol.fletcher@rocketmail.com
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And then there were two. Our group tour of India and Nepal finished; we were alone in Kathmandu. We took the time to do laundry, read while lingering over coffee, and get caught up on news, photo back-ups, and journals. Also, we walked around the Thamel area—seeing much earthquake damage. And we spent time at some of Kathmandu’s stupas.

The Boudhanath Stupa

First on our list, we visited the Boudhanath Stupa (also spelled Boudha or Bodhnath). This is a massive structure near Kathmandu’s airport, one of the largest stupas in the world. Once on a major ancient trade route, Tibetan merchants used to rest and pray here. When China invaded Tibet in the 1950s, many Tibetan refugees came to Nepal and decided to live around Boudhanath. Today, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is surrounded by a Tibetan community and many convents.

Buddha's eyes on top of the Boudhanath Stupa. Kathmandu, Nepal.
Buddha’s eyes on top of the Boudhanath Stupa. Kathmandu, Nepal.
Around the Bodhnath Stupa. Kathmandu, Nepal.
Around the Boudhanath Stupa. Kathmandu, Nepal.

 

The legend of the Boudhanath Stupa

The history of the biggest stupa is a confusing tale of the hunt for water, drought, sacrifice, dew drops, and chickens. Here’s my abstract: A king wanted to build a watering hole. But there was no water where he wanted to build it. He consulted an astrologer who suggested sacrificing a male who embodied the 32 perfections (the same for choosing the little girl Living Goddess). Only two men in the realm met the 32 criteria…the King and his son. The King decided he himself should be the sacrifice. The king told his son to sacrifice a sleeping man without looking at his face. After the prince did so, he realized he had killed his own father. It’s unclear if the king’s sacrifice brought water.

The prince, however, was plagued with regret and guilt. He asked priests for ways to obtain salvation. They told him to release a flying hen from the sacrifice spot, and to build a shrine where the hen landed. The chicken landed where the stupa is today. As they built the stupa, a drought ensued and locals had to collect dew drops to survive. There are stories of female goddesses residing in the spot and chicken-keepers visiting–and in the end, it’s become a super-sacred stupa.

Visiting the Boudhanath Stupa

Like all stupas in Nepal, this giant white mandala has Buddha eyes, an eyebrow curtain, and prayer flags strung to the top spire. A surrounding deck lets visitors walk along the roofline. At ground level, the structure has 147 niches of five prayer wheels each, plus the bells between. In the back, there is a large space filled with pallets for pilgrims to prostrate themselves. All around the large stupa are alcoves with large prayer wheels, merchants selling prayer beads and religious paraphernalia, convents, restaurants, pigeons, dogs, and people.

Pilgrims come to prostrate themselves by Boudhanath Stupa. Kathmandu, Nepal.
Pilgrims come to prostrate themselves on the pallets behind Boudhanath Stupa. Kathmandu, Nepal.

 

We sat and watched people circle the stupa clockwise, fingering their Tibetan-Buddhist prayer beads–108 smooth bodhi tree beads with tassels. There was an old monk near the entrance, folded-up and sitting in a niche, bestowing blessings when asked by bowing head-to-head. Sometimes in family groups, most often solo, people circled. Monks, novice monks, and regular pilgrims. Dogs too. It was a calm and fascinating morning, observing there at the stupa.

We climbed up narrow stairs to a restaurant and enjoyed lunch on a rooftop overlooking the stupa. A breeze, a view, momo dumplings and orange juice. Yum.

A dog rests while pilgrims make clockwise circuits around Bodhnath Stupa. Kathmandu, Nepal.
A dog rests while pilgrims make clockwise circuits around Boudhanath Stupa. Kathmandu, Nepal.
Bells and vermillion/marigold markings at the Bodhnath Stupa. Kathmandu, Nepal.
Bells and vermillion/marigold markings at the Boudhanath Stupa. Kathmandu, Nepal.
Houses around the Bodhnath Stupa. Kathmandu, Nepal.
Houses around the Boudhanath Stupa. Kathmandu, Nepal.
A giant prayer wheel at Bodhnath Stupa. Kathmandu, Nepal.
A giant prayer wheel at Boudhanath Stupa. Kathmandu, Nepal.
An airplane leaves KTM airport, near Buddha's watchful eyes. Bodhnath Stupa. Kathmandu, Nepal.
An airplane leaves KTM airport, over Buddha’s watchful eyes. Boudhanath Stupa. Kathmandu, Nepal.

 

Return to Swayambhunath Stupa…on a Sunny Day!

We returned to the Monkey Temple on a sunny day. It looked completely different than it did in the rain just a few days before. Today, we climbed the 365 steep steps at the main entrance…slowly.

365 steps to Swayambhunath Stupa, Kathmandu, Nepal.
365 steps to Swayambhunath Stupa, Kathmandu, Nepal.

 

Up top, we looked at the places we’d stood in the rain, at the alcoves we’d hidden under. We made a few more clockwise walks, taking in all the sights we’d missed before. And again, we lingered to observe the rituals. Clockwise circling, whispering chants, leaving offerings of flowers and bread, lighting flames, spinning prayer wheels and ringing bells.

Buddha's eyes on a cloudless day. Swayambhunath Stupa, The Monkey Temple. Kathmandu, Nepal.
Buddha’s eyes on a cloudless day. Swayambhunath Stupa, The Monkey Temple. Kathmandu, Nepal.
A grotto for offerings at Swayambhunath Stupa. Kathmandu, Nepal.
A grotto for offerings at Swayambhunath Stupa. Kathmandu, Nepal.
Prayer flags and prayer wheels at Swayambhunath Stupa. The Monkey Temple. Kathmandu, Nepal.
Prayer flags and prayer wheels at Swayambhunath Stupa. The Monkey Temple. Kathmandu, Nepal.
Lighting fires at Swayambhunath Stupa. Kathmandu, Nepal.
Lighting fires at Swayambhunath Stupa. Kathmandu, Nepal.
Butter oil lamps and candle offerings at Swayambhunath Stupa. Kathmandu, Nepal.
Butter oil lamps and candle offerings at Swayambhunath Stupa. Kathmandu, Nepal.
Watchful Monkey. Swayambhunath Stupa, The Monkey Temple. Kathmandu, Nepal.
Watchful Monkey. Swayambhunath Stupa, The Monkey Temple. Kathmandu, Nepal.

 

Monkeys at the Swayambhunath Stupa

There were many visitors–and animals who live here. Dogs slept in the sun and shade. The pigeons pecked around and cooed. And the monkeys scouted for easy pickings. Stupidly, I forgot myself and carried a half-finished Coke out of a shop. Within a minute, a monkey locked eyes on the plastic bottle and ran towards us. Alarmed, I tossed it to him, half expecting him to catch it. It hit the ground and rolled, the carbonation clearly agitated inside. He couldn’t twist off the cap, so instead he chewed a hole at the bottom. The first puncture released some spewing Coke which attracted a baby monkey. The two of them licked at the stream flowing to the ground. Most of the Coke was lost. And the little monkey belched.

Monkey collecting an offering. Swayambhunath Stupa. Kathmandu, Nepal.
Monkey collecting an offering. Swayambhunath Stupa. Kathmandu, Nepal.
Monkey, Prayer Wheels, Prayer Flags, Marigolds. Swayambhunath Stupa, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Monkey, Prayer Wheels, Prayer Flags, Marigolds. Swayambhunath Stupa, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Marigold dog. Swayambhunath Stupa, The Monkey Temple. Kathmandu, Nepal.
Marigold dog. Swayambhunath Stupa, The Monkey Temple. Kathmandu, Nepal.

 

Curious thoughts ran through my mind that day. Monkeys eat the offerings. Dogs wear marigold necklaces. Candles burn. Squeaky prayer wheels spin. Bells ring. Prayer flags whip in the wind. And beyond is this expansive view of Kathmandu. There is an innate calmness about the place, the people. Despite the traffic, the earthquake damage, the thieving monkeys, it was serene here. I was sad to be leaving Nepal tomorrow.

Pigeons rest on the shady side of the stupa. The Monkey Temple, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Pigeons rest on the shady side of the stupa. The Monkey Temple, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Back steps at Swayambhunath Stupa. Kathmandu, Nepal.
Back steps at Swayambhunath Stupa. Kathmandu, Nepal. When we visited in the rain a few days before, none of this was set up. This passageway to the back parking area was a river waterfall that day.
Marigolds adorn Prayer Wheels. Swayambhunath Stupa, the Monkey Temple. Kathmandu, Nepal.
Marigolds adorn Prayer Wheels. Swayambhunath Stupa, the Monkey Temple. Kathmandu, Nepal.

 

Leaving Nepal

After a filling breakfast at Hotel Fuji, we headed by taxi to KTM airport for a long day of travel. Bryan stocked us up on snacks for the flights. I was near the end of a book about the Little Princes of Nepal and was looking forward to the quiet time on the airplane.  We waited only a short while before being called with a hand gesture to the gate.  We followed a line of people out onto the tarmac, and climbed the steps into our Qatar Airways plane bound for Athens via Doha.

As the plane lifted off, I saw the Boudhanath Stupa, then the Himalayas in the distance just before the plane turned away. Namaste, dear Nepal. Calm Nepal. Namaste.

Thamel dog. Our sleepy neighbor and friend. Kathmandu, Nepal.
Thamel dog. Our neighbor and friend, we saw this old man every day–in this same spot, almost always snoozing. Kathmandu, Nepal.

Thank you for reading

Select photos are available on Etsy.

Finally, if you liked this post and would like to stay in touch, please…

 

Carol Fletcher is a traveling, dog-loving, coffee-addicted photographer and blogger living in Chicago. To see more photo essays and projects, please visit www.carolfletcher.com.

Nepal: Mt. Everest Flight and Bhaktapur

Posted by carol.fletcher@rocketmail.com
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Everest and Bhaktapur

The morning after arriving in Kathmandu, we had one final activity planned with most of our G Adventures group tour. We were going on a scenic flight to see Mount Everest and the mighty Himalayas. And we’d spend another couple of hours with the last two of our group, wandering Thamel and riding out to see Bhaktapur.

Mount Everest and the Kathmandu Airport

Along the trip, our G Adventures guide, Khush, talked about the majestic Himalayas and Mount Everest. “Everest is growing. If you want to climb, you must go now,” he said.

Currently at 29,029 feet–nearly five-and-a-half miles above sea level–Everest grows about a half-inch taller each year as the Indian and Asian tectonic plates continue to collide, squeezing and pushing the Himalayas up. At the summit of Everest, there is no step higher in the world. I will never climb Everest. But I was thrilled to have the opportunity to see it. We got up pre-dawn and arrived at the busy airport before coffee.

There was some confusion at the ticket counter. Mistakenly, our group had been split onto two different flights. As we sorted it out, we heard screaming from above–a family of monkeys yelled at each other in the rafters of the airport. Finally, with tickets in hand, we wandered in a sleepy gaggle over to a shop for coffee and snacks. We had about an hour to wait for our flight.

March 12, 2018: Sunrise at KTM, Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport. Nepal.
March 12, 2018: Sunrise at KTM, Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport. Nepal.

 

Go Time!

As we sat with our coffees and cookies, Bryan headed to the bathroom. Suddenly, after only about 15 minutes, we were called to board. I ran through the airport towards the men’s bathroom.  Thankfully, I saw him exiting on the other side of the big room, screamed his name, and he came running.

We showed our tickets, boarded a bus, and were transported out across the tarmac at dawn. It was foggy, hazy, pink. We stopped at a small, pointy-nosed, green and white, two-propellor plane, and began exiting, only to be turned back to the bus. The plane was not ready? The airport wasn’t ready? The fog? It was unclear. But we sat for only five minutes, and then were signaled to exit the bus and board the Yeti plane.

Without further ado, we belted ourselves in–window seats for all!–and the plane began taxiing. The Yeti stewardesses walked the aisle with baskets, offering us cotton balls and hard candy before take-off.

Hello Himalayas!

Within minutes, we were high above Kathmandu, and rising above the fog. We could see snow-capped mountains in the distance. Soon, mountains were all around, oh-so-close to the plane windows. The stewardesses began pointing out the windows on the port side of the plane. We would each be signaled to go for our turn in the cockpit!

In the cockpit, I was blinded by the field of mountains ahead, glistening in the morning sun. The Himalayas! Majestic. Massive. Mysterious. Mind-blowing. Snow-covered peaks, broken by sheer rock sides, dark crevices, deep valleys, and ridges as sharp as knives. I was mesmerized. Already, the stewardess was tapping me on the back, my cockpit time was nearly up. Oh no! I hadn’t even taken a photograph yet! I leaned down between the pilots. “There are many mountains! Which one is Everest?!” I wanted to be sure. The pilot made a V, pointed to the left finger, and said in English, “On right, with trail.” Of course! Instantly I saw Everest, toying with the jet stream like a kid sticking a finger in a water hose. A trail of blowing snow smokes off the top almost continuously. I took three shots from the cockpit before my turn was over.

Mt. Everest in the distance. Flight over the Himalayas. Nepal.
From the cockpit. Mt. Everest in the distance, with the banner cloud. Flight over the Himalayas. Nepal.
Mt. Everest--with the wind trail of blowing snow--in the distance. Flight over the Himalayas. Nepal.
After we turned back towards Kathmandu, I got my closest view of Mt. Everest from my seat. The summit sticks into the jet stream, making a near continuous trail of blowing snow. Flight over the Himalayas. Nepal.
Flying over the top of the world, Himalayas, Nepal.
Flying over the top of the world. The Himalayas, Nepal.

The 75-minute flight included a champagne toast as we headed back to Kathmandu.  We were on top of the world!

Walk in Kathmandu’s Durbar Square

Rachel, Marion, and Khush had left early that day for home (without going to see Everest). The remaining ten of us ate brunch together at Gaia and walked into Durbar Square in the late morning.

This is another thing I enjoy with a good group of travelers, wandering together, but separate. We followed one another in a long strand through the crowded Kathmandu streets. The instigator led us, following a map to Durbar Square. Naturally, the photographers brought up the rear. But we were in visual contact with each other, smiling, nodding, indicating things to see, turns to make. I love this. This independent but shared experience, the camaraderie.

Carrying parcels on the streets of Kathmandu. Nepal.
Head down, leaning into a headband to carry a load of vegetables through the streets of Kathmandu. Nepal.
Red iron work temple door in Durbar Square, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Red iron work temple door in Durbar Square, Kathmandu, Nepal.
A temple / stupa near Kathmandu's Durbar Square. Nepal.
A temple / stupa near Kathmandu’s Durbar Square. Nepal.
Bicycle rickshaws wait for patrons. Kathmandu, Nepal.
Bicycle rickshaws wait for patrons. Kathmandu, Nepal.
Marionettes in Kathmandu, Nepal.
Marionettes in Kathmandu, Nepal.
The 4-way test of the things we think, say, or do. Kathmandu, Nepal.
The 4-way test of the things we think, say, or do. Kathmandu, Nepal.
Sarees displayed for sale. Kathmandu, Nepal.
Sarees displayed for sale, among wires. Kathmandu, Nepal.

 

The Living Goddess

The 3-year-old Living Goddess of Nepal lives behind that door. Kathmandu.
The 3-year-old Living Goddess of Nepal lives behind that door. Kathmandu.

We found the Royal Palace of the Living Goddess, and entered the small courtyard. The Living Goddess, or Kumari, is a young girl picked from obscurity to be worshipped until she reaches puberty.

Eligible girls are from a select caste. She must be in excellent health and must not have lost any teeth. Next, she must exhibit the 32 perfections of a goddess, including “Eyelashes like a cow, very black hair and eyes, a voice clear like a duck’s, and tiny feet and hands.” Her horoscope is considered. Next, her fearlessness and serenity is tested by placing her alone overnight in a room with the severed heads of sacrificed animals. Once a girl meets the criteria and passes the tests, they deem her the embodiment of the goddess and she walks into the palace. It is the last time her feet will touch the ground until she reaches puberty and leaves the palace. During the time the girl represents the goddess, she is carried everywhere.

It is considered very good luck to even glimpse the Kumari looking from the palace windows. At meetings with her, it is auspicious if she is “silent and impassive”. Once the girl reaches puberty, she is retired and the process begins to find a new Kumari. The current Living Goddess was only three-years-old when she was installed in 2017.

 

A singing bowl

I’ve always loved the singing bowls used in yoga and meditation classes. And I decided to find one while in Nepal.

I stepped into a shop looking for the perfect bowl–a deep tone, not shiny, and a hearty size. The shopkeeper demonstrated how to get sound with a pestle pressed against the outside rim of the bowl, and brought bowl after bowl to sing for me. At last, a rather plain and dark one resonated low and smooth. The sound vibration continued for more than two minutes as we stood silent, listening, smiling.

This bowl was made from nine metals, copper and tin (the bell metals), plus gold, silver, mercury, iron, nickel, zinc, and lead. It had been hand-hammered for its distinct sound, said to be the echoed chants of the monk who made the bowl. The shopkeeper placed the bowl on my palm and handed me the wooden pestle. He demonstrated a flat palm (like safely offering an apple to a horse), pushed my jacket sleeve up my wrist, and motioned for me to give it sound. With his patient instruction, on the third try the bowl came to life. A powerful vibration began on my palm; I felt it before I heard the deep, clear sound growing stronger.

Singing bowls Om Supreme Bud Handicrafts, Kathmandu, Nepal.
I found my 9-metal singing bowl here. This gentleman is a kind, helpful, and incredibly patient shopkeeper. Om Supreme Bud Handicrafts, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Hindu prayer beads, made from the Bodhi tree. Kathmandu, Nepal.
Hindu prayer beads, made from the Bodhi tree. Kathmandu, Nepal.

 

The plane crash

In the afternoon, the remaining four of us returned to the hotel to find out that a plane had crashed at Kathmandu’s airport. Forty-nine people were dead. BS-211 had been approaching from Bangladesh and turned the wrong way. Air traffic cleared the runways as the pilot seemed disoriented, nearly flying into the Nepal Airlines hanger and the air traffic control tower. But in a few moments, the plane crashed on open land near the runways, immediately catching on fire from spilled fuel. Miraculously 22 of the 71 passengers survived.

Six of our group were at the airport at the time, waiting for flights home. Thankfully, no one on the ground was injured. Our group only had to deal with was the long delay to reopen the runways, and the small airport ran out of food.

 

Bhaktapur and the Earthquake Damage

One more of our group left for home, and the final three of us took a taxi to Bhaktapur, a World Heritage Site with a Golden Gate and the 55-Window Palace. The site was badly damaged in an April 2015 7.9 earthquake.

The town of Bhaktapur sits on what once was the main caravan trade route between Tibet and India. In ancient times it was a rich and prosperous town. Known for the palaces, intricate wood windows and carvings, yogurt, and pottery, the town is a fascinating place to wander.

The Golden Gate opens to the Royal Palace’s inner courtyard, a once vast compound until a 1934 earthquake leveled all but a few of its 99 courtyards. Even more walls fell in the 2015 quake. We walked around the complex, admiring the intricate buildings and the diligent re-construction going on. The alleyways and plazas offer many things to see. I think I could have sat around all day, just watching the world go by.

Bhaktapur Square. Kathmandu, Nepal.
Bhaktapur Square. Kathmandu, Nepal.
A traditional temple in Bhaktapur, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Intricate wooden doors in Bhaktapur, Kathmandu, Nepal.
In Courtyard pool in Bhaktapur. Nepal, Kathmandu.
In a courtyard pool in Bhaktapur. Nepal, Kathmandu.
Streets of Bhaktapur. Kathmandu, Nepal.
Streets of Bhaktapur. Kathmandu, Nepal.
Friends. Bhaktapur Square. Kathmandu, Nepal.
Friends. Bhaktapur Square. Kathmandu, Nepal.
Holding back the walls. Bhaktapur, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Holding back the walls. Bhaktapur, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Broomstick and doorway. Bhaktapur. Nepal.
Broomstick and doorway. Bhaktapur. Nepal.
Reconstructing a temple after the April 2015 earthquake. Bhaktapur. Kathmandu, Nepal.
Reconstructing a temple after the April 2015 earthquake. Bhaktapur. Kathmandu, Nepal.
Reconstruction in Bhaktapur. Kathmandu, Nepal.
Reconstruction in Bhaktapur. Kathmandu, Nepal.
The Golden Gate. Bhaktapur, Kathmandu, Nepal.
The Golden Gate. Bhaktapur, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Bhaktapur Temple, bottom. Kathmandu, Nepal.
Bhaktapur Temple, steps. Kathmandu, Nepal.
Bricks stacked and organized for reconstruction. Bhaktapur, Nepal, Kathmandu.
Bricks stacked and organized for reconstruction. Bhaktapur, Nepal, Kathmandu.
In Bhaktapur's main square. Kathmandu, Nepal.
In Bhaktapur’s main square. Kathmandu, Nepal.

 

A sunny mandala of marigolds and daisies. Kathmandu, Nepal.
A sunny mandala of marigolds and daisies. Kathmandu, Nepal.

And then, there were two

The next day, it was back to just us two. We had a final few days in Kathmandu, before continuing on an around-the-world trip of a lifetime.

Thank you for reading

Select photos are available on Etsy.

Finally, if you liked this post and would like to stay in touch, please…

 

Carol Fletcher is a traveling, dog-loving, coffee-addicted photographer and blogger living in Chicago. To see more photo essays and projects, please visit www.carolfletcher.com.

Nepal: The Road to Kathmandu

Posted by carol.fletcher@rocketmail.com
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The road to Kathmandu

After a couple of days in Pokhara, it was time to move on. Kathmandu was the next and final destination for our G Adventures group tour. Seven in our 12-person group decided to fly from Pokhara to Kathmandu. Traffic is notoriously bad on the road through the valley, and the eight-hour drive would leave them little time to see Kathmandu since they had early flights home the next day.

Our G Adventures Group all together in our Nepal bus for the last time.
Our G Adventures Group all together in our Nepal bus for the last time.
Only five of us, and all of the luggage, on the road to Kathmandu.
Only five of us, and all of the luggage, were on the bus to Kathmandu, so there was room to stretch out. Here, Bryan, Sophie, and Russ make use of the middle jump seats.

In Pokhara, we filled up on the hotel’s breakfast of fried potatoes with curry masala (with…is that coriander?), plus hard-boiled eggs, and coffee. And then we loaded up the bus bound for Kathmandu. We dropped the five Brits, the Canadian, and the New Yorker at the Pokhara airport, and the remaining five of us, plus Khush, got back in the bus with ALL the luggage to make the day-long ride to Kathmandu.

There was enough room now for each of us to lay down across a row of seats for a snooze if we’d wanted to. I chose to sit and watch Nepal go by. We stopped for gasoline at a one-pump station (an unmarked pump that sat nearly in the road), bathroom breaks, a little walk to shake our legs, and to buy some oranges, chips, and coffee. Back in the bus, and onward, upward.

Big Scenery, Little Moments

I don’t know what it is about these bus rides, I love them. I could ride forever, watching the world go by. It’s like a movie. Big scenery and little moments glimpsed, in a never-ending stream. I sat, camera-ready, mesmerized by the view.

Was that a bus stop or a stupa? Laundry or prayer flags? Kids walked to school in uniforms–girls in dark skirts to their knees, knee socks, sweaters, and long braids with the biggest, crispest, most perfectly white ribbons. Two boys threw stones at a flinching cow who continued picking in a trash pile. Four people and a dog all stood with their hands (or front paws) on a balcony railing–all looking in the same direction with curiosity. A seamstress sat high above the road working her sewing machine–her work station open to the breeze, the view and the dust.

The road to Kathmandu was rough. Construction, potholes, crooked, and up, up, up. A reminder that we were close to the top of the world. A reminder that this area is earthquake prone. They were still patching damage from a massive quake in 2015.

Sad Cargo

And then we saw a disturbing sight:  buffalos tied by their tails and noses, and stuffed into a small truck like sardines for travel on these rough, crooked roads. They could barely move without pulling their noses, tails, or stepping on one another as they shifted from the truck’s motion on the switchbacked and potholed road.

Our driver eventually found an opportunity to pass this sad cargo, these suffering oxen. And as we passed, I could see their eyes shift–they couldn’t turn their heads–to look at our purple bus. Because I couldn’t do anything to help them, I was ashamed to meet their eyes. What cruelty humans inflict on others’ lives.

A cargo of oxen tied by their tails and noses. On the road to Kathmandu, Nepal.
A cargo of oxen tied by their tails and noses. On the road to Kathmandu, Nepal.

 

To the Heavens

Seeing the oxen dampened my mood. No matter where one goes in the world, there is cruelty and inhumane treatment of animals. Here we were going up, up, up, seemingly to the heavens. And in those moments, I hoped, wished, and prayed so hard that karma exists, and that hell is real and for the people who destroy the earth, harm the environment, hurt each other, and turn animals into a product to eat, wear, or entertain.

As we got higher and higher on this dusty road, the bus went slower and slower. A combination of the steep elevation and the traffic, as we neared Kathmandu.

Reaching the top of mountain, as we near Kathmandu, Nepal.
Reaching the top of the mountain road, and stopped in traffic, as we near Kathmandu, Nepal. The winding road is visible in the hazy valley, 
Overlooking the valley we've just driven up and out of on the road to Kathmandu, Nepal.
Overlooking the valley we’ve just driven up and out of, on the road to Kathmandu, Nepal.

 

The Road to Kathmandu

We crested the mountain and entered another valley. A storm was gathering, a dark cloud sitting on top of us, light coming around the edges close to the ground. The under-construction roads were dusty, muting the colors. This eerie and beautiful dust-diffused light, the stop-and-start bus, headlights and red taillights, and gusting wind made the entry to Kathmandu seem like we were entering a magical realm.

A school bus on the outskirts of Kathmandu, Nepal.
A school bus on the outskirts of Kathmandu, Nepal.
Traffic dark sky Kathmandu, Nepal.
Traffic under dark clouds as we enter Kathmandu, Nepal.
Traffic and Storm coming. Kathmandu Nepal.
Storm coming. Kathmandu Nepal.
Traffic cop on a pedestal in the middle of the intersection. Kathmandu, Nepal.
Traffic cop on a pedestal in the middle of the intersection. Kathmandu, Nepal.
The road into Kathmandu, Nepal.
The road into Kathmandu, Nepal.

 

The Story of Swayambhunath Stupa

Along the ride, Khush had been telling us the story of the Swayambhunath Stupa (aka the Monkey Temple) in Kathmandu.

Two thousand years ago, a single lotus flower bloomed in the middle of a lake that filled the Kathmandu Valley. The bodhisattva Manjusri wanted the flower. He cut a gorge in the lake with his sword, draining it. But the magic lotus flower came to rest on top of a mountain and became the stupa. He cut the mountain to get the magic lotus. He cut his long hair which became trees, and his lice became the many monkeys that still haunt the site.

It is said that if you go clockwise around the stupa, ringing the bells and spinning the prayer wheels, that your wish will calculate a thousand times more. As we slowly moved into Kathmandu, I weighed what I wanted to wish that needed that kind of wish rocket-booster.

Arriving at the Monkey Temple (Swayambhunath Stupa), Kathmandu, Nepal.
Arriving at the Monkey Temple (Swayambhunath Stupa), Kathmandu, Nepal.

 

The Heavens Open at the Monkey Temple

Our bus brought us to Swayambhunath Stupa, the Monkey Temple, via the back way (we’d learn later that this side had far fewer steps–the main entrance has 365 incredibly steep steps). The sky was dark as we climbed out, grabbing rain jackets and umbrellas just in case. Minutes later standing in front of the nearly empty stupa, monkeys screamed at each other over a bit of food, and nearly knocked us over scrambling onto a stupa. And the first drops of a very hard rain thundered down.

We raced under an alcove with a handful of tourists and watched others–humans, dogs, monkeys–seek cover. There was a smell of rain, incense, and the little oil and candle flames still flickering in the grottos.

Despite the heavy rain, Carina and I made a run for it. We made our clockwise navigation, arms sticking out from beneath useless umbrellas, hands spinning each of the prayer wheels, ringing the bells between, and whisper chanting our wishes like mantras as we splashed all the way around the stupa. Of course, we were soaked. Dripping. And that was one of the best, most vivid, happy times on the entire trip. Isn’t it funny how the imperfect moments become the most perfect memories?

Let’s hope the rain added a little something extra special for our wishes.

Circumnavigating the Swayambhunath Stupa in the pouring rain, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Circumnavigating the Swayambhunath Stupa in the rain, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Spinning the prayer wheels around the Swayambhunath Stupa, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Spinning the prayer wheels around the Swayambhunath Stupa, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Hiding under a ledge in the pouring rain. Monkey Temple, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Carina photographing me, photographing her…Hiding under a ledge in the pouring rain. Monkey Temple, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Dogs scurry to shelter as the rain pours down at the Monkey Temple, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Dogs scurry to shelter as the rain comes down. Monkey Temple, Kathmandu, Nepal.
The Swayambhunath Stupa, aka the Monkey Temple, Kathmandu, Nepal.
The Swayambhunath Stupa, aka the Monkey Temple, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Candles stay lit, despite the buckets of rain at Monkey Temple, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Candles at Monkey Temple, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Dogs clean up inside the stupa as the rain pours down at the Monkey Temple, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Dogs clean up inside the stupa as the rain pours down at the Monkey Temple, Kathmandu, Nepal.

 

Rain, Rain, Rain

After our circumnavigation, we ducked into a grotto, and–small world–met some of the others from our group who’d arrived in Kathmandu this morning. We waited together with the dogs in this little cave-like room that smelled of burning candles, smoke, rain, wet dog, sweat, dankness, and mountain air. But it was dry, and filled with laughing, happy people.

The rain hammered down, showing no signs of stopping anytime soon. We still had to get back to the bus. After about 20 minutes, we gathered our perseverance and ran laughing out into the rain. The steps we’d come up had become a raging river waterfall, gushing against our calves and flooding our shoes as we hustled down. We splished, splashed, and squished dripping into the bus, quickly fogging up the windows. We shed wet outer layers as the driver cranked the heat to dry us off.

First evening in Kathmandu, Last evening as a group

Saying goodbye to Khush at the Fuji Hotel in Kathmandu, Nepal.
Saying goodbye to Khush at the Fuji Hotel in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Not long after, the bus pulled up in Thamel, a tourist neighborhood in Kathmandu. We said goodbye to the two Nepalese bus pilots and dashed through the rain and wet alleys to get to the hotel.

We checked into the Fuji Hotel and changed into warm, dry clothes. Meeting in the lobby about an hour later, we decided to go across the street to Fusion Kitchen for our final dinner as a group. What an amazing group of people! The G Adventures tour was the perfect itinerary. Our guide, Khush, was the perfect host–knowledgeable, kind, attending to our every question/need, and fun to spend time with. And our group–a unique combination of people who shared a sense of adventure–was the icing on the cake. We could not have asked for a better group tour.

Last G Adventures Group Dinner in Kathmandu, Nepal.
Last G Adventures Group Dinner in Kathmandu, Nepal.

 

Thank you for reading

Select photos are available on Etsy.

Finally, if you liked this post and would like to stay in touch, please…

 

Carol Fletcher is a traveling, dog-loving, coffee-addicted photographer and blogger living in Chicago. To see more photo essays and projects, please visit www.carolfletcher.com.

Nepal: Pokhara and Sunrise in the Himalayas

Posted by carol.fletcher@rocketmail.com
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Nepal:  Barauli to Pokhara

We left our Barauli Community Homestay near Chitwan National Park early for a five-hour bus ride to Pokhara, Nepal. It was a perfect day, riding on that bus–watching Nepal wake up, and seeing the beautiful and peaceful landscape pass by. I never wanted to arrive.

As usual, our G Adventures guide, Khush, used the time on the bus to tell us stories, explain local customs, and answer our questions. Today, Khush explained facets of Hinduism, Buddhism and Nepal culture.

Farm fields mountain. Barauli, Nepal.
Farm fields. Leaving Barauli, Nepal.
Early morning silhouette crossing bridge. Near Barauli, Nepal.
Early morning. Near Barauli, Nepal.
Morning rituals along the road. Barauli to Pokhara. Nepal.
Morning rituals along the road. Barauli to Pokhara. Nepal.

 

On the Road to Pokhara

Along the road, we stopped to stretch our legs, for bathroom breaks, and to take a walk across one of the swinging bridges. These types of bridges are high over river gorges, connecting small mountain villages to the main road. In the old days, rivers were crossed via two cherry-picker-sized buckets on self-pulley ropes spanning the gorge. To cross, people would hop in one of the buckets and heave-ho themselves across. Some of these old rope-and-pulley trolleys still exist, but are being replaced by suspension bridges like this one.

Boys crossing a walking bridge. Nepal.
Friends crossing a walking bridge. Nepal.

 

When we continued on, the bus driver played a CD of mantras chanted in English. To this soundtrack, brilliant Nepal passed by. A petite woman in a green sari sipped from a teacup on her porch, looking over the railing at her little garden below. Dogs slept in the sun on piles of rock near the road. Painted ads for cement, paint, fans, and alcohol decorated most concrete buildings. Buddha statues and stupas tucked into the mountains. Prayer flags caught the wind.

We stopped at Santas Restaurant for a buffet lunch. Khush told us that the owner relocated here after an earthquake destroyed his home and property on the road North to Tibet. Earthquakes. Nepal gets a lot of them. In Kathmandu, we would see remnants of the massive 2015 quake. But more on that later. This restaurant was a colorful, friendly place with good food, and better coffee.

Roadside shop selling truck decorations. Nepal.
Roadside shop selling truck decorations. Like India, the cargo trucks were often painted in bright colors and decked out with tassels and ornaments. Nepal.
Liver box, slow drive, long life, nepal truck bumper
Advice on a truck bumper. But what’s in that “Liver Box”?!? Nepal.
Roadside view. Barauli to Pokhara, Nepal.
Roadside view. Barauli to Pokhara, Nepal.
Prayer flags, mountain and river. Nepal.
Prayer flags, mountain and river. Nepal.
Shepherd with a blue umbrella. Nepal.
Shepherd with a blue umbrella. Nepal.

 

Pokhara

At last, we arrived in Pokhara under a darkening sky. As we checked into Hotel Bougainvillea, it got dark as night and with that silence of waiting for imminent weather. We walked into our room overlooking the street just as a thunderstorm unleashed. What peaceful, lovely light as the storm rained down. I sat on our balcony, scrunched into a dry corner, sniffing at the mountain rain like a dog. I don’t think there is any better smell on earth than the rain.

SASANE: Combatting human trafficking in Nepal

That night, we went to SASANE, a non-profit supporting and empowering women survivors of human trafficking and gender-based violence. SASANE counsels and provides paralegal job training to survivors and those at risk of trafficking. G Adventures supports SASANE financially, and by bringing tour groups to raise awareness for the cause. SASANE also offers momo-making classes and dinner at their restaurant.

After a rainy ride over, we left our shoes at their door, and they welcomed us with creamy silk scarves and smiles. First, there was a brief presentation explaining SASANE, and the problem of human trafficking among poverty-stricken families. It is estimated that more than 7,000 women and girls are trafficked out of Nepal each year, often bound for brothels in India. We had an opportunity to purchase books about the topic, and crafts made by the survivors.

It was here at SASANE that I bought the book Sold, by Patricia McCormick, the story of a 13-year-old Nepalese girl sold into slavery by her stepfather. This book is a quick and devastating read. I highly recommend it, and Little Princes, by Conor Grennan, to learn about the heartbreaking and tragic outcomes for the trafficked children of Nepal. To learn more about trafficked children of Nepal, read this article from World Political Review.

Making Momo Dumplings

Next, we washed up and gathered around a table to learn how to make dumplings, the ubiquitous momos of Nepal. Momos are steamed goodness, dumplings filled with meat and/or veggies and an array of savory spices. First, we used little rolling pins to roll the dough paper thin on tiny wood cutting boards. Then we laid the dough across our palms, dropped in a dollop of veggie filling, carefully folded in the edges, and pinched it closed like a little cinched bag. The momos were whisked away for steaming and we helped tidy up. When at last it was time to eat, a SASANE participant sat with us and showed us how to eat our Thali set meal without utensils. A remedial student at best, my food mostly missed my mouth, and I resorted to using a spoon to get every last bite.

At the end of the night, we said goodbye. Not understanding that our scarves were a gift to keep, I folded mine to give back as I waited to put my shoes on. “No, no, it’s a gift. You must tie it to a tree one day for our peace and happiness.”

Up into the Himalayas

We got up very early the next morning to see the sun rise over the Himalayas’ Annapurna Range. In the pitch-black morning, our bus went up, up, up a twisting, turning road. We could see a few lights twinkling between trees far down in the valley below. Eventually, we reached the top, and stumbled out of the bus into the long beams and shadows of the headlights. Still without coffee, we ghost walked up, up, up steep steps in the cold morning to wait for the sun.

Pre-dawn at the Annapurna mountain range. Sarangkot, Nepal.
Beginning to see the mountain shapes. Pre-dawn at the Annapurna mountain range. Sarangkot, Nepal. 

 

Sunrise in the Himalayas

The place we came to was quiet, though not empty. Stalls were still covered. A few people huddled around in hoods, talking softly. Over the next 20 minutes, the area became quite crowded as more people arrived for sunrise.

At last, we started to see the outlines of the mountains materialize from the darkness. Then it was light enough to see the white snow on top of the mountain shapes. We shivered and waited. Finally, the highest mountain tops caught the first rays of the sun, and we watched the glowing light move down, down, down the mountains. And then, like magic, the sun peeked over a mountain–rays of sunlight exploded into our eyes. Monks chanted a welcome. Smiles and sleepy eyes, clicking cameras, whispers and sighs, and the warmth of the sun. The mountains resplendent now in the light. The valley visible.

Annapurna range The sun kisses the highest mountains first. Sarangkot, Nepal.
The sun kisses the highest mountains first. Sarangkot, Nepal.
Annapurna range sunrise Sarangkot, Nepal.
Good morning Nepal.
A plane heads to Annapurna base camp. Sarangkot, Nepal sunrise.
A plane heads to Annapurna base camp just after sunrise. Sarangkot, Nepal.
Bryan and Carol at Sarangkot Nepal for an Annapurna sunrise.
Bryan and Carol at Sarangkot Nepal for an Annapurna sunrise.
A local pup nodded off just after sunrise. Sarangkot, Nepal.
As we turned to walk back down the hill to our waiting bus, we were pleased to buy tiny paper cups of coffee at a stall with a dog who could have been sleep-walking. Sarangkot, Nepal.

 

Walking down from Sarangkot

The bus waited for us down the hill. But, some of us decided to walk down. “Down” sounded easy, and it was a beautiful morning to be outside. I decided to take the hike. Bryan opted for the bus and a bit more sleep.

Walking down to the bus. Sarangkot, Nepal.
Rachel and Marion walking down to the bus. Sarangkot, Nepal.
Bryan left in the bus to go catch some more zzzzs. Sarangkot, Nepal. G Adventures purple bus.
Bryan leaving to go catch some more zzzzs. Sarangkot, Nepal. G Adventures purple bus.

 

Turns out, the two-hour walk down the mountain was a highlight of my time in Nepal. We navigated down narrow, slippery stone steps and terraced lands of coffee trees and farms. From this viewpoint high above Pokhara, we could see the lake, and the World Peace Pagoda on the far shore. It was still early and cool. The light was soft and dewey. Sleepy guard dogs huffed and puffed at us, curious goats stared, and we walked on, stepping down, down, down the steep mountainside.

We tried to walk without falling, look and photograph without slipping or stumbling. It was so very steep, and such beautiful light on the terraces. My knees and calves began to sing about halfway down, and we shed clothes with the exertion and the warmth of sunlight. It was such an amazing two hours. For the next week, I crept along like a granny suffering from the aches and pains in my legs from that hike down a mountain in Nepal…and, I’d do it again in a heartbeat!

A dog and the distant Peace Pagoda. Walking down Sarangkot. Nepal.
A dog nodding off in the morning sun, and on the other side of the lake, the World Peace Pagoda. Walking down Sarangkot. Nepal.
Terraces in the morning. On the walk down Sarangkot, Nepal.
Terraces in the morning. On the walk down Sarangkot, Nepal.
The distant World Peace Pagoda and Pokhara as seen walking down from Sarangkot, Nepal.
The distant World Peace Pagoda and Pokhara. Sarangkot, Nepal.
Early morning. Walking down from Sarangkot, Nepal.
Terraces on the walk down from Sarangkot, Nepal.
Steps down from Sarangkot, Nepal.
Steps down from Sarangkot, Nepal.

 

The World Peace Pagoda

After rejoining Bryan and having a well-deserved hearty brunch and more coffee, we poked around the town, exploring the shops and the restaurants for snacks. Later, Carina and I took a taxi to the Shanti Stupa World Peace Pagoda–the building we’d seen across the lake on our morning hike.

It was a quiet and breezy afternoon up on the mountain. As custom dictates, we took off our shoes and walked clockwise around the stupa, admiring the golden Buddha carvings and the view. From here, we could see across the lake to the mountain we had hiked down this same morning. An afternoon storm was coming, the sky getting darker by the minute, the prayer flags snapping in the breeze.

On our way down, we stopped at a temple where monks gathered and pounded drums in a rhythm to match a chant. Vendors sold prayer beads, prayer flags, and incense while dogs wandered among the stalls. Despite the brewing storm, it was peaceful here on the mountain, near the very top of the world, in sweet Nepal.

No Jumping. Respect the Silence. World Peace Pagoda. Pokhara, Nepal.
No Jumping. Respect the Silence. World Peace Pagoda. Pokhara, Nepal.
At the World Peace Pagoda, looking back at Sarangkot and Pokhara, Nepal.
At the World Peace Pagoda, looking back at Sarangkot and Pokhara, Nepal.
Buddha at the World Peace Pagoda. Pokhara, Nepal.
Buddha at the World Peace Pagoda. Pokhara, Nepal.
Buddha and the Bodhi Tree. World Peace Pagoda. Pokhara, Nepal.
Buddha and the Bodhi Tree. World Peace Pagoda. Pokhara, Nepal.
The World Peace Pagoda. Pokhara, Nepal.
Silence and barefeet. The World Peace Pagoda. Pokhara, Nepal.
Butter lamps for sale at the World Peace Pagoda. Pokhara, Nepal.
Butter lamps for sale at the World Peace Pagoda. Pokhara, Nepal.

 

Thank you for reading

Select photos are available on Etsy.

Finally, if you liked this post and would like to stay in touch, please…

 

Carol Fletcher is a traveling, dog-loving, coffee-addicted photographer and blogger living in Chicago. To see more photo essays and projects, please visit www.carolfletcher.com.

Nepal: Barauli Homestay and Chitwan National Park

Posted by carol.fletcher@rocketmail.com
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Bryan and I were on our way around the world, and for the India and Nepal portion of our trip, we traveled with G Adventures. Part of the G Adventures Nepal itinerary was a Barauli Community Homestay, near the Chitwan National Park. We’d read some reviews of other homestays, and weren’t excited about this type of accommodation. While staying with locals would be lovely if you knew them, we’d read reviews of some homestays that were not great:  one guy telling of a crying grandmother sleeping on a corner cot while he was given a bedroom, and another tale of a couple split up to stay with different families. We headed into this location with a bit of reluctance and a mantra of “it’s only two nights”.

So what is a Homestay and why does G Adventures do them?

Barauli is home to the Tharu people, a small indigenous group near the Chitwan National Park. While the park is popular for its wildlife, the Tharu people never enjoyed the benefits of tourism. Limited opportunities for the community led to poaching and deforestation in the park as a means of income. G Adventures and their non-profit arm, Planeterra, worked with the community to build cabins and host tourists, giving the Tharu people a piece of the tourism economy. The homestay program provides job opportunities in the region, and gives travelers a place to stay.

Arriving in Barauli

After about five hours on the road from Lumbini, we pulled into the Barauli Community.

The village women greeted us, standing in rows, beautiful in their traditional white dresses over velvet tops, and carrying pots of flowers on their heads. They welcomed us with smiles, flowers, and vermilion-colored blessing dots thumbed gently on our foreheads. Inside the community room, they served us fresh juice drinks while sorting out our room assignments.

We were surprised to learn that we were not staying with families in their homes. The village has 14 mud cottages for the homestay program. Our cottage, named “Tika”, was clean, spacious, and had a western-style toilet and a great shower. Mosquito nets hung from the ceilings over both of the queen-sized beds, beds which sat about a foot away from the wall. Ah…that was because there were spiders in the loo. We definitely would be using the net!

Our cabin, "Tika", at the Barauli Homestay near Chitwan National Park.
Our cabin, “Tika”, at the Barauli Community Homestay near Chitwan National Park, Nepal.
Our room, "Tika", at the Barauli Homestay in Nepal.
Our room, “Tika”, at the Barauli Community Homestay in Nepal.
Mosquito netting hanging over our beds in our Barauli Homestay, Nepal.
Hand painting, colorful curtains, and mosquito netting hanging over our beds in our Barauli Community Homestay, Nepal.

 

Walking Tour

After getting situated, we went on a little tour of the area. Bryan joined the bike ride group, and the photographers among us walked. We walked for over an hour down dirt roads, accompanied by a few curious and friendly dogs. We passed farms, cows (or “buffs” as Khush said), fields of crops, mud houses, and so many smiling people.

As we neared the river and sunset, we smelled marijuana. A large patch grew along the side of the road. And yes, we stopped and picked a little.  🙂

Both the biking and walking groups ended up at the river in time for sunset. Our escort dogs chased hundreds of tiny frogs out of ponds on the beach. Women from the village brought us hot masala tea and cookies. We shared tea biscuit cookie bites with the dogs, posed for a few photos with some locals, and enjoyed the sunset.

Afternoon, walking the cows home. Barauli, Nepal.
Afternoon, walking the cows home. Barauli Community Homestay, Nepal.
Kids running to see us. Barauli, Nepal.
Kids running to see us. Near Barauli Community Homestay, Nepal.
Ox taking a dip while his shepherd boy waits. Barauli, Nepal.
Ox taking a dip while his shepherd waits. Near the Barauli Community Homestay, Nepal.
Cow tethered through the nose. Barauli, Nepal.
Poor cow, tethered through the nose. Barauli Community Homestay, Nepal.
A dog on the Gandaki-Narayani-Rapti river system, Chitwan National Park, Nepal.
A dog on the Gandaki-Narayani-Rapti river system, Near the Barauli Community Homestay in Chitwan National Park, Nepal.
Sunset on the Gandaki-Narayani-Rapti river system, Chitwan National Park, Nepal.
Sunset on the Gandaki-Narayani-Rapti river system, Chitwan National Park, Nepal.
Cows converse. Riding back to our homestay at dusk. Barauli, Nepal.
Cows converse. Riding back to the Barauli Community Homestay at dusk, Nepal.
Fields at sunset. Barauli, Nepal.
Fields at sunset. Barauli Community Homestay, Nepal.
Panorama sunset on a pond. Barauli, Nepal.
Panorama sunset on a pond. Barauli Community Homestay, Nepal.

 

Village Dance

In the evening, the village women demonstrated three traditional dances. Popcorn sat in decorative baskets between chairs arranged in a semi-circle. The Tharu ladies jingled from bells on their ankles and jewelry in their hair. They wore velvet tops under pristinely white dresses and had little purses tied to their hips. The women gathered in a line while someone explained the dances they would do–one dance included long sticks and the whacking and shielding represented defense. Dance number two used two short sticks and celebrated the harvest. The final dance was one we were pulled into, joining a big circle and trying not to look like fools imitating the ladies’ graceful movements.

Little Tharu man. Baby at Barauli, Nepal.
Little Tharu man. Barauli Community Homestay, Nepal.
The Tharu women dance for us. Barauli Community Homestay, Nepal.
The Tharu women dance for us. Barauli Community Homestay, Nepal.
Drummers and Clappers. Barauli Homestay, Nepal.
The musicians. Barauli Community Homestay, Nepal.

 

After the performance and dancing, we ate dinner together in the community room–another delicious Nepalese Thali set, yum!  And in this quiet rural place, we played cards until bedtime. We slept like babies that night under our mosquito net—exhausted and dusty, somewhere in the middle of Nepal.
 

A morning walk

I woke up before dawn and went out on our porch. A rooster tried to rally in the distance. I heard nothing else. A grand silence. It was a painful hour or so for this early riser waiting for coffee. But my, what peace. Later, after coffee, breakfast, and wifi in the main building, we took another walk through the village. Highlights this time: four-day-old baby goats, not much bigger than our hands. A silent parakeet in a tiny cage stared at me from a farmhouse porch, surely asking me to open his cage. I hate seeing any animal in a cage, but find it particularly cruel to cage a bird. I will see that bird’s eyes forever.

Khush had been suggesting we hold our laundry until we got to the homestay, as they could use the income. When we came back from the walk, all of our laundry hung on the dusty road to our room.

Khush telling us about Nepal on a morning walk in Barauli.
Khush telling us about Nepal on a morning walk in Barauli Community Homestay.
Green house and door. Rural Barauli, Nepal.
Typical house and door. Rural Barauli Community Homestay, Nepal.
Goats and sheets. Barauli, Nepal.
Goats and laundry. Barauli Community Homestay, Nepal.
Our laundry hanging to dry in the Barauli Community Homestay, Nepal.
Our tour group’s laundry hanging to dry in the Barauli Community Homestay, Nepal.

 

Safari in Chitwan National Park

Later in the day, we went for a safari ride in Chitwan National Park. The park is known for rhinos, a variety of birds, and Bengal tigers (!).  We loaded into a very high truck, open on top with seats and roll-bars. In this hummer-jeep safari truck, we went off the main road, crashing through a creek, before following a bumpy trail through grasslands. A local wildlife expert accompanied us, and he whacked a stick on the truck to signal the driver to stop when he spotted something. Because of his sharp eyes, we saw colorful birds high in the trees, peacocks showing off on the ground, a giant white crocodile across the river, monkeys screaming at us from above. We stopped several times to climb out and walk, first at a ghat and later at a watch tower. After a few hours, we headed back to the homestay.

Looking for wildlife on the Gandaki-Narayani-Rapti river system. Chitwan National Park, Nepal.
Looking for wildlife on the Gandaki-Narayani-Rapti river system. Chitwan National Park, Nepal.
Bird crossing a long road in the Chitwan National Park. Nepal.
Bird crossing a long road in the Chitwan National Park. Nepal.

 

Serendipity

But Emily realized she’d lost her watch. First, we searched the truck. Nothing. The watch was important to her and expensive, so we turned the truck around to go back to the river for a look. Luckily, she spotted her watch glinting in the tall grass not far from where we turned around. Khush hopped out to get it. Only then did we see big safari action…an elephant was coming our way!

An Elephant and a Rhinoceros

This elephant carried three adults and a child, and crossed the trail right in front of us. They were on the trail of a one-horned rhinoceros, who was close by. Our truck driver stopped and cut the engine. We could hear the rhino chewing in the high grass next to us…just the sounds of the rhino chewing, a distant bird calling, our fidgety movements, and an elephant breathing. The “driver” led the elephant into the grass, to flush out the rhino, getting dangerously close. The rhino ran from the grass, and we saw him across the trail ahead of us–still chewing, and now breathing heavily.

As the rhino moved on, the elephant stopped close to the truck. His trunk busily picked stems, rolling them up into his mouth. Another eye I’ll remember forever–his giant golden-brown eye was the size of my hand. His skin like leather, wrinkled and creased, faded all shades of gray with a peep of delicate baby pink in some places. And I felt sorry for him. Elephants are social, they need their families, their matriarchs. They remember. And here atop him sat three pasty-white tourists and a driver, urging him to chase a rhino. Animals are not here for our amusement. Please don’t ride the animals. Just don’t.

Grassland plains in the Chitwan National Park. Nepal.
Grassland plains in the Chitwan National Park. Nepal.
Tourists on an elephant. Chitwan National Park. Nepal.
Please don’t ride elephants. Tourists hang on as the driver runs the elephant into the tall grass to flush out a one-horned rhinoceros. Chitwan National Park. Nepal.
A one-horned rhino in Chitwan National Park, Nepal.
A one-horned rhinoceros in Chitwan National Park, Nepal.

 

The Smiling Nepalese

When we left Chitwan National Park that night, riding high-up in an open-air jeep, kids ran to the road from fields and houses, waving and screaming “BYE!!!” at the tops of their lungs. Our group vigorously waved and screamed “Bye!!!” back. This went on for miles and miles. Such beautiful, friendly people. What great fun!

"BYE!" Children scream and wave, near Chitwan National Park, Nepal.
“BYE!” Children scream and wave, near Chitwan National Park, Nepal.
Soccer field, kids yelling "bye!". Near Barauli Community Homestay, Nepal.
Soccer field, kids yelling “bye!” Near Barauli Community Homestay, Nepal.
Boy and mom on bike red coat Barauli Community Homestay, Nepal.
Sharing the bike and the road to the Barauli Community Homestay, Nepal.
Sunset and a motorcycle in the dust of the Barauli Community Homestay, Nepal.
Sunset and a motorcycle in the dust of the Barauli Community Homestay, Nepal.
Boys saying goodbye at the Barauli Community Homestay, Nepal.
Boys saying goodbye at the Barauli Community Homestay, Nepal.

 

Thank you for reading

Select photos are available on Etsy.

Finally, if you liked this post and would like to stay in touch, please…

 

Carol Fletcher is a traveling, dog-loving, coffee-addicted photographer and blogger living in Chicago. To see more photo essays and projects, please visit www.carolfletcher.com.

 

Gatherer. Barauli, Nepal.
Gatherer. Barauli Community Homestay, Nepal.

Hello Nepal! Lumbini and Buddha

Posted by carol.fletcher@rocketmail.com
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Walking into Nepal

I love going as much as arriving. Getting to Nepal from India was a lot of going, and it was a lovely day for it. By sunset, we’d be in the birthplace of Buddha, Lumbini, Nepal.

In the still-dark early morning, we left Varanasi. First, a tuk-tuk ride to the train station, followed by a six-hour train ride, before a switch to a bus for a couple of hours hurtling north. After nearly nine hours of going, we landed in the border town of Sonauli, India. We passed a hustling, bustling market area, then stopped at a tiny building for Indian departure stamps.

Thirty minutes later, we walked out of India and into a no-man’s land between two countries. Amused and thrilled to be on our feet, we dallied for photographs of the arches announcing India on one end zone, and Nepal on the other. Checked out of India, but not yet checked in to Nepal. Technically, where were we if something were to go wrong in this gap, in the cusp between this and that? Buddha eyes watched us from atop the Nepal goal post. As we walked into Nepal, the town became Belhiya.

I love walking across a border! It’s active, physical. It’s both casual and more formal. They stamp passports. Overland border crossings feel like a border crossing, a little Wild West, a bit 1800s Grand Tour. Definitely old school with a little extra zap of drama that we just don’t get anymore in airports. And here, where would one go if refused entry? Camp in the cusp?

Goodbye India. In the between. No man's land at the border crossing India to Nepal.
Goodbye India. In the in-between. The border crossing India to Nepal.
Hello Nepal. No-man's land at the border crossing India to Nepal.
Hello Nepal! We walked through a no-man’s land, and under the “Welcome to Nepal” stupa with Buddha eyes, the town became Belhiya, Nepal.

 

First Impression of Nepal

Listen! Nepal was QUIET! India’s honking madness was not even a football field away. But here, the streets were blessedly quiet.

Our luggage had already crossed the border on rickshaws and was now packed high atop our new pastel purple G Adventures bus with two Nepalese pilots. Time to go!

Immigration at Border Crossing into Nepal.
Crossing into Nepal.

 

The Story of Buddha

Baby Buddha statue at Lumbini, Nepal.
Baby Buddha statue at Lumbini, Nepal.

Our first stop in Nepal was Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha. During the two-hour bus ride from the border, Khush, our G Adventures Leader Extraordinaire, told us the story of “Lord Buddha”.

The man who became Buddha was born a prince. His mother, Queen Mayadevi, stopped at Lumbini on her way to her mother’s house. At Lumbini, she gave birth to a son she named Siddhartha Gautama. She dreamed he would conquer the world in one of two ways: as a king through war or as a monk.

He was a thinker and empathetic. He married and had a son. At 29, he went outside the palace to see his province. It is said that on his journey, he saw an old man and learned that growing old was part of the cycle of life. He saw a leper and sickness and learned that one can’t escape karma. Finally, he saw a dead body and learned that everyone dies. He went home depressed from all the suffering and pain he had seen.

But then, one day, he saw a poor monk who was begging for food. Despite his poverty, the monk’s face was bright, shining, and wise with enlightenment. Siddhartha decided that to get this kind of peace and knowledge in the face of the human condition, he too needed to be a monk.

Becoming Buddha

He left the palace, his wife, his child, and his possessions. He shaved his head and wandered in the jungle for five years. But nothing came to him. He met five others in pursuit of knowledge and together they meditated. To stimulate the chakras, they didn’t eat and gave pain to their bodies. One day an old lady from the untouchables caste passed by with milk in a terra cotta pot. She offered it and he drank. The five others declared him a fake monk and left him.

He decided to lead a normal life, but with meditation. He studied and lived a life of moderation, a middle way. Unsatisfied, he sat under the shade of a bodhi tree and meditated for 49 days, until he found the truth. And with that, he became Buddha, or self-enlightened. Later he found the five others near Varanasi and gave his first sermon. The five became his disciples and his teachings were passed on by word of mouth for two centuries before being written down.

A Bit about Buddhism

Essentially, the teachings of Buddha say that sufferings are caused by desires and that to overcome sufferings you must control desires. This is done by striving to have the right:

  1. View:  know that our actions and beliefs have consequences after death because death is not the end.
  2. Intention:  practice loving kindness and compassion, and contemplate suffering and our impermanence.
  3. Speech:  don’t lie, or make rude speech, don’t tell one person what another says about him/her.
  4. Action:  don’t kill or injure, don’t take what is not given, no sexual acts, no material desires.
  5. Livelihood:  beg to feed, only possess what is essential to sustain life.
  6. Effort:  generate energy, exert the mind, and strive to prevent and eliminate evil and unwholesome mental states.
  7. Mindfulness:  be present, never be absent minded, be conscious of what one is doing.
  8. Concentration:  give up pleasure and pain, happiness and sadness, in order to enter a place in the mind of pure equanimity and mindfulness.

This is drastically oversimplified, as is the Pancha Sila. But the kindness and good intentions are clear and universal, no matter how deep one gets into religion.

Lumbini, the Birthplace of Buddha

We arrived at Lumbini in the late afternoon, walking into the park that seemed to be growing prayer flags. Here, there are ruins of ancient monasteries, a sacred Bodhi Tree, the Ashokan pillar marking a prince’s birth, and the Mayadevi Temple, where Buddha’s birthplace is located. It is a large park-like complex with many peaceful places to sit and contemplate life. But first, you must remove your shoes.

People and monks from many countries come here to meditate. Chanting pilgrims surround the ancient bodhi tree which is draped in thousands of prayer flags. We briefly walked through the main building where Buddha’s birthplace is marked by excavated stones under bullet-proof glass and offerings. And then spent our own quiet time near the tree and wandering the grounds.

What peace there in the dying light of the sun, prayer flags blowing in the breeze, and the sing-song chants of the monks. I would have liked to spent the day there, watching, listening, and maybe doing a little meditating.

Prayer Flags and the sun. Lumbini Nepal
Prayer Flags and the sun. Lumbini Nepal
Mayadevi Temple--the birthplace of Buddha. Lumbini, Nepal.
Mayadevi Temple–the birthplace of Buddha. Lumbini, Nepal.
The sacred Bodhi tree. Lumbini, Nepal.
The sacred Bodhi tree. Lumbini, Nepal.
Offerings at the foot of the Pillar of Ashoka, Lumbini, Nepal.
Offerings at the foot of the Pillar of Ashoka, Lumbini, Nepal.
Candle wax remnants. Lumbini, Nepal.
Candle wax and incense remnants. Lumbini, Nepal.
Prayer flags and Sunset at Lumbini. Nepal
Sunset at Lumbini. Nepal.
The Pancha Sila -- the 5 precepts of Buddhism. Lumbini, Nepal.
The Pancha Sila — the 5 precepts of Buddhism. Lumbini, Nepal.
Prayer Flags and Laundry. Lumbini, Nepal.
Prayer flags, barbed wire, and laundry. Lumbini, Nepal.
Peaceful breeze and prayer flags, Lumbini Nepal.
Peaceful breeze and prayer flags, Lumbini Nepal.

 

Peaceful Nepal

My first and lasting impression of Nepal was of peace. Calm, repetitive chanting, singing bowls and chimes, cool breezes, flower mandalas, and the surrounding mountains.

Purple flower petal mandala. Hotel Club Denovo, Butwal, Nepal.
Purple flower petals in a floating mandala. Hotel Club Denovo, Butwal, Nepal.
Yellow flower mandala--a universe floating. Hotel Club Denovo, Butwal, Nepal.
Yellow flower mandala–a universe floating. Hotel Club Denovo, Butwal, Nepal.
The mountain view from our Hotel room. Butwal, Nepal.
The mountains as viewed from our Hotel room. Butwal, Nepal.
The lane behind our hotel, Butwal Nepal.
The lane behind our hotel, Butwal Nepal.

 

Butwal, Lumbini to Barauli

Buddha as an enlightened adult. Nepal.
Buddha as an enlightened adult. Nepal.

The next day, we left for a four-hour bus ride to Barauli. Along the way, we were almost hit by a Bob Marley-decorated truck. The truck passed a car while being passed by our bus, and came about one inch from hitting our bus at the exact spot where my elbow was resting against the window. The drivers got out and yelled at each other. Our driver fetched a policeman, but the truck did not stop when the policeman flagged him over. The policeman got on his motorcycle to go get the truck. We saw them pulled over down the road and stopped again so our bus driver could join more debate. Khush said the truck driver would likely be fined on-the-spot, and/or taken to jail.

Near Lumbini, we stopped to see another golden statue of Buddha. Khush explained that statues of a bald short-haired Buddha are of him yet-to-be-enlightened, while curly, long or pony-tailed hair is after he’s enlightened. Despite the fact that Nepal is 81% Hindu and only 9% Buddhist, Buddha seems to be everywhere in Nepal.
 

The Nepalese Thali Set

A Thali Set. A delicious and filling traditional meal in Nepal.
A Thali Set. A delicious and filling traditional meal in Nepal. 

The bus kept rolling. I could ride on that bus forever, watching the mountains pass. I didn’t want to get there, no matter where “there” was.

Nearing our Barauli Homestay in Chitwan National Park, we stopped to eat at a hillside mom-and-pop restaurant. They served us a traditional Nepalese Thali Set, similar to the meal we’d had at the cooking class in Orchha, India.

A “thali set” offers all six flavor profiles—sweet, salty, bitter, sour, astringent, and spicy–served all on one metal plate. This veggie plate had rice, lentil soup, greens, a curry, and several unidentified but dang-spicy fried veggies. Khush said, this meal “Will cost you $3 on your pocket. You will love it.”

And we did!

Anyone have recommendations for where to find an authentic Thali Set in Chicago? Let me know!

Mirror at a rural restaurant in Nepal.
Mirror at a rural restaurant in Nepal.
Curtain and shoes Rural restaurant in Nepal.
Rural restaurant in Nepal.

 

Thank you for reading

Select photos are available on Etsy.

Finally, if you liked this post and would like to stay in touch, please…

 

Carol Fletcher is a traveling, dog-loving, coffee-addicted photographer and blogger living in Chicago. To see more photo essays and projects, please visit www.carolfletcher.com.

 

What is written? Prayer Flags, Lumbini and the Bodhi Tree. Nepal.
What is written? Prayer Flags, Lumbini and the Bodhi Tree. Nepal.