Himalayan Odyssey(25)

Monday 29th October, 2008

After breakfast we head down to the main road to get a taxi into the city to visit the 'Monkey Temple' (Swoyambhu Hanuman Dokha). This turns out to be an entertaining ride as there is a police blockage diverting traffic to the north when we are a little over half-way into the city. This is probably due to traffic congestion but, as usual, information is hard to come by. Anyway, our driver persuades the police to let him divert into the valley southwards instead. This takes us along narrow roads between rice paddies and through small villages and eventually brings us to the eastern north-south section of the ring road at Patam from where the driver can takes us fairly directly up to the temple. Fairly directly means lost of back streets, through another Durbhar Square and finally up the main road to the temple. As it has taken quite a bit longer to get there than expected (about 1 hour instead of 40 minutes) for the fare we negotiated we are happy to give the driver a bit extra for the scenic tour.

View of the temple dome

The temple is very busy with many tourists. It is quite interesting and another example of the toleration that exists between the Hindus and the Buddhists as both faiths are well represented at the temple. Strangely monkeys seem scarce although there are a few on the lower level before we make our way up to where most of the activity is on the upper level.

Souvenir seller and Hanuman Shrine

Large golden Budhha

The view for the temple could be quite good but it is fairly hazy so visibility is somewhat reduced. Dominic has been looking out for a good quality Tibetan Singing Bowl and manages to find one to his liking - about 18-20cm in diameter and weighing several kilogrammes. It is important to try such a bowl for yourself as its natural resonating frequencies may not be harmonious to you. Fortunately the sellers are always willing to give lessons on how to make the bowl 'sing'.

Looking back down the steps towards the city

After our visit to the temple we head down the steep steps (where I manage to save myself from a nasty fall on the worn treads) and walk back into Thamel for lunch before taking abother taxi back to Bhaktapur.

Himalayan Odyssey(24)

Sunday 28th October, 2007

It promises to be a nice fine day so having studied the local map we head off southwards past the temple to hopefully walk a circular route ending up in Bhaktapur.

The road goes down into a valley past rice paddies and through villages. The rice harvest is in full swing - people cutting, stooking, threshing and carrying all by hand. The villagers are all very friendly and the little kids like to practice their English on us. The rice stooks and the general atmosphere remind me of time spent on a farm with my aunt and uncle in Northern England as a child. The same sort of languid summer days and the women bringing lunch and tea out to the fields as we played while the men worked.

View north-east across rice fields near Bhaktapur

Rice stooks drying near Bhaktapur

Family cooperation in the rice harvest near Bhaktapur

After walking for about 80 minutes we come to a fork but there is no indication that the left hand branch - the most likely one -will lead us back over the hills and around northwards into Bhaktapur. Reluctantly we turn around, not being willing to take the chance that the road would lead us in the right direction.

As we follow the road back down the valley we stop to look at some sort of citrus tree which has enormous fruit. A local girl around 16-17 years old stops to ask what we are looking at. She tells us the fruit is edible and much like an orange. We chat for a while as we walk down the road together and then we get to her turn off. Before leaving she asks us our names which we duly disclose, upon which, and with a sweeping gesture of her right hand, she informs us the "and I am Lolita". We are gobsmacked and have a good chuckle to ourselves as we carry on down the road. From the gesture, and the way she announced here name (possibly a name she has adopted) we are in little doubt that she has read Nabokov's book.

The day has warmed up quite a lot leaving us quite hot and sweaty. I have suffered from some dizziness and blurred vision and a mild angina attack.

After lunch back at the guest house we do some (very necessary) laundry and then I entertain the staff by playing a bit of blues 'harp' outside in the banda.