Nepal and Tibet

We walk a long way and finally reach a Buddhist temple a little to the north of Durbar Square. This is known as the Golden Temple. It is quite magnificent although grimy. It has had a grand past and could have a grand present too with a little bit of spit and polish. Actually this place is not short on "spit" just the "polish". We are learning to become quite adept at quickly side stepping phlegmy missiles.

The Golden Temple is said to date back to the twelfth century. Its doorway is guarded by two painted lion figures. The inner courtyard houses a very ornate, guilt, three-storey temple. Locals are visiting, lighting butter candles and burning incense. Here we also see more prayer wheels, which spin prayers off towards heaven. In a creative, Kodak moment, I slow down my shutter speed to capture the "spinning". I then climb the stairs to the second floor from where I look down into the courtyard for a different perspective.

Before long, we are back in the crowded, hot streets making our way back to the bus but not without succumbing to a young man who sells us "our Nepalese elephant" which will, I suppose, join the ever growing herd in our family room at home. This one is made of bronze and certainly looks Nepalese so he will be wrapped and added to our already growing luggage.

Swayumbanuth or the Monkey Temple
Before we left home, we were not aware of the next inclusion in our trip - Swayumbanuth or the Monkey Temple. This is a Buddhist stupa and temple complex which is set on a hill overlooking Kathmandu. Our bus winds up and up towards the temple and our guide gives us the option of going up the back way in the bus as she will be or climbing the 28 steps up the front way which she says, is the best way to approach the temple so we all opt for this. Imagine how annoyed most of us feel, to find that she is fooling and that there are, in fact, 350+ stairs. I didn't even relish the 28 steps I expected so this is ridiculous. I struggle forever upwards stopping often, from exhaustion, more than from the need to see the dozens of monkeys, which are playing on the rocks with the cutest little babies hanging on tightly. It is very hot and muggy. We have run out of water. The day has been long and we are not happy! Admittedly the 350 steps were mentioned in the handout our guide gave us last night but we are on holidays and did not do our "homework".

The view from the temple complex is spectacular especially so because there is a thunderstorm approaching and the clouds are low and menacing. Kathmandu from here is beautiful. The wind whips up and it begins to rain so we do not stay long. Even our umbrellas threaten to turn inside out so we set off for the bus and are soon on the way back to our hotel.

We have not gone far when the driver suddenly stops and there in front of the bus is a lady lying in the middle of the road. I expect the driver to get out to see to her but I am shocked that he just backs up so traffic coming from the other direction can squeeze between her and the edge of the road. Some of our crowd are suggesting that someone helps her but the locals say, "No! Just leave her. Someone in authority will see to her."
I have an uneasy feeling that she is dead though I will never know for sure. I do not much feel like a Good Samaritan when the bus finally takes its turn squeezing past her and continues on its way.

We set out immediately to find somewhere for lunch albeit a very late one again. We order a Coke, not only to quench our thirst but also to give us a caffeine boost, which we feel we need to pep us up. We go to K.C.'s again - "better the devil you know..." The food is good but it is too hot to really enjoy eating. We do a little more shopping on the way back to the hotel. How can we resist the bargains that are to be found in every shop?