Durbar Square, Patan, Nepal
Saturday 21st January 2006.
After breakfast I checked my email and replied to one from Corinne. Again the connection was very dodgy so I didn’t worry about sending out a general email to everyone. It is very frustrating to spend 20-30 minutes composing scintillating prose only to have the connection drop out before one gets to send the email. This usually results in a lost message.
Durbar Square, Patan
Again this morning I used a hotel driver to take me to Durbar Square Patan. I had to pay Rs200 to enter this area, and for that I received a tourist guide and map. Some of the temples and buildings in that area are thought to be over 2000 years old while others are only several hundred years old. A large part of the city has been given World Heritage Site status. It is a fascinating area and my camera received a very good workout, capturing over 100 images of this area.
Persistent Guides
As soon as I emerged from the car I was besieged by ‘guides’ offering their services. They are very persistent now that the main tourist time has finished. I managed to convince them that I didn’t need a guide. Sure, engaging a guide I may have learned more and seen more of this amazing place, but I wanted to wander at my own pace. I certainly didn’t want to be obliged to enter shops or other establishments at the insistence of the guides. Often these offers go hand in hand with expectations to buy at certain places only. Going at my own pace and where I wanted gave me the freedom to explore out of the way places and see life as it really is in Patan. I wanted to spend time learning of the real Patan and photographing every day life, not just the temples. The highlight of this approach was seeing and photographing four young boys playing marbles.
Washing Day
People were gathered in the square in force. Saturday is a public holiday in Nepal, the equivalent of our Sunday. It also seems to be washing day. Clothes were being hand washed in tubs in many places, and clothing was hanging from every available spot in the sun to dry like so many brightly coloured signs. Hand operated water bowsers were in every street or square and often had a queue of five or six girls or women waiting to fill their copper pots. Gatherings of men talking on street corners and children playing games in groups of three or four were seen often. I followed two little boys, perhaps aged six or seven, who were eagerly staring through shop windows appraising the relative merits of the toys on display. I managed to get several candid shots of these toy experts. They were just as eager and enthusiastic as any Aussie child.
Feral Pigeons
Wherever I went I saw people going about their everyday tasks. Some people, especially near the temples, had set up their food stalls to provide for those who had come to the area. Others had set out their wares on a one metre square groundsheet on the ground. Still others had fruit and vegetables for sale from their bicycles, their old style hand-held scales weighing the amount the customers wanted. Dogs are common in this area and so are pigeons. These pest birds are so common here one could almost come to the conclusion that the temples had been built with the sole purpose of providing the pigeons with perching and nesting facilities. I actually saw one old woman selling seed to feed the pigeons, as if they needed any help.
The Shops of Patan
Even though some shops were closed most were open and their owners trying to eke out a living. Every street has many ground floor shops selling only a few basic lines like groceries, drinks, chips and lollies through to extensive establishments, their wide variety of wares crammed into a tiny space. Many are merely the front room of someone’s home. Some shops included jewellery outlets, tailors, restaurants – including the oddly named “Happy Memorize Restaurant†(sic) – internet cafes, sewing machine shops, more motor bike repair shops and one plant nursery – the only one I saw in the Kathmandu. This nursery sold only large pot plants. Every home with a balcony had at least one pot plant.
Fast Food – Nepalese Style
Just like the Thamel area of Kathmandu, Patan has few butcher shops. I did see one interesting fast food outlet. I didn’t see any McDonalds of KFCs in Nepal, but this tiny establishment was the next best thing. In a small lane off a slightly larger lane I saw a man with a blow torch attached to a gas bottle. He was using the blow torch to cook a chicken! A short distance on I saw a chook market, a line of beautifully woven cane baskets full of chooks for sale.
In several areas I saw groups of treadle sewing machines lined up on one side of the square or on the footpath. The men manning these machines were all idle, patiently waiting for a customer to come and ask them to do some sewing for them.
Taxi Hassles
I caught a taxi back to the Shangri La Hotel for a late but relaxing lunch in the garden. I had walked in Patan for quite a few hours so I was pleased to sit down for a while. The taxis in Kathmandu are required by law to have meters to charge their customers. The one I hailed had an inoperable meter so we haggled over the price of the journey. He wanted Rs300 (A$6) but I knew this was exorbitant for the length of the trip so he accepted my offer of Rs200 (A$4) which was still a little high. To be fair, he took me on a longer and less busy route back to the hotel so I got to see another part of the city.
An Offer I couldn’t accept
After lunch I walked into Thamel yet again to do some final shopping. Large squads of armed police and soldiers were in evidence everywhere. I had yet another new experience this afternoon. I was approached twice by men offering to sell me marijuana. When refused I was then offered a massage. I didn’t hang around to find out what kind of massage!
Shopping in Thamel, Kathmandu
After exploring for over an hour I found two clothing shops where I could bargain the price down to what I was prepared to pay. I bought two pairs of trousers for Rs1200 (A$24) and two t-shirts for Rs800 (A$16). The trousers were similar to those I used for the trek. The t-shirts both had the same design with mountains and the caption of Kathmandu, Nepal. One is grey and the other is navy blue.
Kathmandu in Lockdown
Friday 20th January 2006.
Kathmandu in lockdown mode:
The city here is in lockdown. Overnight the government – really the king – declared a city wide curfew from 8am to 6pm. This was an attempt to thwart the opposition parties, a seven party alliance, from holding a rally and protest today. Since the weekend there has been a curfew from 11pm to 4am. This latest curfew is not directly related to the Maoist attacks of last weekend but an attempt to quell any opposition to the king’s handling of the situation. It means that I have been stuck in the grounds of the hotel all day. Darn. I had to watch the cricket from Melbourne, Australia v. South Africa.
Arrests
Overnight about 150 opposition leaders, student activists and union leaders were arrested or put under house arrest. Many had their mobile phones disconnected. After breakfast I spoke to the manager of the hotel and he was most apologetic. He has especially put on a series of movies in one of the restaurants for the hotel guests.
Dodgy Internet
On a positive note the planes are still flying. I am unsure at this stage if the curfew will be extended beyond today. I shouldn’t have any trouble on Sunday as I would be able to get a special travel pass if the curfew is still active. Either that or leave before 8am for the airport, but that would involve a six hour wait in the airport lounge. Yuck. After breakfast I spent an hour typing some emails. There were short ones to Corinne and Rose that went okay but a much longer one to everyone failed to go. The connection here in the hotel is so dodgy it is very frustrating. This could be a side effect of the curfew; most people are at home using the internet to find out what is happening.
Peace in the midst of Turmoil
Today is a glorious day with a clear sky, about 23C, gentle breeze and no pollution, either air or noise. The roads are almost deserted and so there is no incessant blaring or horns. It is very peaceful here as I write this in the hotel garden. One almost forgets the trouble in this country, until an armed police squad appears through the door to check us out! During lunch here in the garden I observed several domestic flights take off and an international flight took off as I write this. All good signs I feel.
Dinner Conversation
Later: I just came back from dinner. During dinner I sat with and had a long and interesting discussion with a very interesting couple. He comes from New Zealand, and his wife comes from Finland. He has expertise in agriculture and hopes to use his skills here in Nepal to help the local farmers. The main reason they have just today arrived to live in Kathmandu is because she will be working in the Finnish embassy for the next three years. Her last posting over the last three years was in Bosnia so they like living on the edge a little. They were a very interesting couple and insisted we look them up next time we are in Kathmandu, providing it is in the next three years.
Shopping in Patan, Kathmandu
Thursday 19th January 2006.
Shopping in Patan.
My main purpose in revisiting this part of Patan again was in response to an email from Corinne. Rose and I had visited the Dhukuti craft outlet last week before I went to Chitwan. This time I went a little overboard with my purchases. Well, not really. Corinne had by this time seen what Rose had brought home and asked me to get some more, so I bought another 18 pieces of batik featuring scenes around Nepal. I also bought a woollen beanie for her. I didn’t feel too bad about my purchases, seeing they were all on sale this week. Some items were 50% off.
 Great views of the Himalayas
On the way down the hill I had some great views of the surrounding snow capped mountains. Today it was about 25C and the air was the clearest it has been since I’ve been here. There was quite a nice breeze as well, so that probably accounted for the clear air; all the pollution had been blown away. Ironically, I probably could have flown easily to Bhairawa and the driven on to Tansen. (Postscript: the political events of the next few days may have prevented my return to Kathmandu, so in retrospect, I made the right decision.)
 Pleasant evening
After dinner in the hotel restaurant this evening I sat for about an hour in front of the open fire in the lounge next to the bar. I have taken to one of their special non-alcoholic drinks served here. It is called a Mango Dango and consists of mango juice mixed with other fruit juices. This was one of the few occasions while away that I was not able to initiate a conversation with anyone. Instead I enjoyed the lovely fire, the pleasant atmosphere, the delicious drink and the inestimable pleasure of my own thoughts.
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Central Zoo Kathmandu
Thursday 19th January 2006.
 This morning I woke with a headache, the first for the whole trip. After taking a paracetamol and having a good breakfast I was fine. I then had a rumbly tummy for a while but by 10am I was feeling a lot better. I have been surprised that I haven’t had any other headaches along the way and my stomach upsets have been quite mild. With all the different foods I have eaten, some of it very spicy, I though that I may have had more problems.
 Central Zoo, Kathmandu , Nepal
I tried to access my email but all internet access was unavailable. Mid morning I used one of the hotel drivers to take me to Central Zoo. The entry fee was Rs100 (A$2) plus Rs10 for my camera. The zoo in Kathmandu is a sad, run-down affair. It looks tired and few changes seem to have occurred since it was built in the Nineteenth Century. In fact, many of the cages are 19th Century in style with no attempts apparent to bring the exhibits up to modern standards. Despite these criticisms I spent two very pleasant hours wandering around the enclosures. The bars and wire fences made photography a challenge but I managed to get some very good shots.
The main purpose of visiting the zoo was to view the many animals and birds of Nepal I missed seeing in the wild. I was disappointed that they didn’t have any Red Pandas in their collection. This is one of my favourite animals and Nepal is a stronghold of this wonderful animal.
 Patan
After leaving the zoo I walked down the hill from there for about a half hour. This gave me another area of the city to explore as I went along. Being the only foreigner in that part of Patan I was the centre of attention. Many people at the zoo had also stared at me as well as my expensive looking camera. One man even spoke to me in good English and made his son shake my hand and practice speaking English to me. He was delighted to find out that I was an Australian. At least there is one country where Australians are looked up to and respected. As I walked along the street I was acutely aware of the stench of sewage. Sure enough, looking down some broken parts of the path revealed the source of the smell.
Fascinating Kathmandu
Wednesday 18th January 2006.
This fascinating city of Kathmandu:
This morning I walked in Thamel again, this time with my camera. I could have used the cheap local taxis but I preferred to keep walking to keep up the fitness levels. It is also a very good way to see some of the extraordinary sights in this exotic city. I took several photos on the way to Thamel and many more in the Thamel area itself. I tried to capture life in the raw as it is here in Kathmandu. I also tried to get photos of some of the stupa, the temples and other historic buildings.
Good Lunch
I stopped at Kilroy’s for lunch. I ordered a Sprite and a cheese and tomato toasted sandwich, thinking I only needed a light lunch. What a sandwich! Half the plate was covered in chips! It was more than an adequate lunch and at a total cost of Rs180 ($3.60) it was a bargain. It was also very delicious.
Durbar Square Kathmandu
I wandered in a southerly direction through the Thamel area trying to locate Durbar Square (Kathmandu). At one stage I thought that I had become hopelessly lost. The streets and lanes meander in and out and around and are a confusing muddle, something akin to a plate of spaghetti. I had a reasonable map of the area from the travel agent in the hotel. Trouble was, very few streets are labelled with any kind of signage. The few major streets are often named only in Nepali, which is not at all helpful to foreigners who don’t read the language. Oh well, I thought, just keep the sun in front or over my right shoulder and I should eventually find the main road leading back to the hotel. If all else fails, catch a rickshaw or taxi and for less than $2 I’d get back to the hotel. Every second taxi stops to ask if you want a ride anyway.
Shopping in Kathmandu
I went through some very busy lanes where one could buy almost anything, from very expensive jewellery to a pair of cheap socks. The jewellery shops would not have looked out of place in Rundle Mall, Adelaide, and were complete with their own doorman come security guard. The sock sellers seemed to be everywhere that day. It must have been a special sock-sale day or something. A small cardboard box brimming with socks at very cheap prices carried by very insistent young boys seemed to appear in my face every few seconds.
Colourful shops and colourful characters
Old wrinkled men selling tiger balm in tiny tins seemed to be everywhere too. This is supposed to relieve aches and pains and the only connection with tigers is the picture of a tiger on the lid. Vendors with poorly made miniature wooden chess sets or tiny wooden musical instruments were also in evidence everywhere. Whole shops full of copper plates and bowls and every other possible type of copper utensil glowed in the sunlight, the little copper statues of Buddha giving a stark reminder of the dominant faith here. Every third shop was awash with colour; fabrics and pashminas in all the colours of the rainbow. Fashion conscious ladies were well catered for with beautiful gowns and skirts flowing in the breeze as they hung from whatever point the shop keeper could manage to utilise.
Splashes of colour
Fruit and vegetable stalls abound, each adding colourful splashes to overload the visual impact. The sellers varied from large well set out shops like we have in Australia, through to a person sitting on the ground with say, just tomatoes, spread out on a small ground sheet. Selling bananas and mandarins from a basket mounted on a bicycle was another common sight. The Nepali are largely vegetarian but one still comes across the typical Asian style butcher shop, often no more than a rickety wooden table just outside the door and laden with meat and no sign of refrigeration. Mobile pop-corn vendors are common too, with the selection of different coloured corn on trays mounted on a cart made with four bicycle wheels and complete with its own gas cooker. Motor bike repair shops seem to be everywhere. With so many bikes in the city it is not surprising. I also saw several specialist bicycle shops.
Jostling humanity
I went down many very busy shopping lanes seething with jostling humanity. I also discovered some rather poor and seedy looking back lanes with a very low standard of living. Here the pungent aroma of incense and the occasional part open sewer attacks the nasal passages. I wasn’t worried in these areas; I just kept walking steadily knowing there were always taxis nearby. I eventually found my way to the main road leading back to the hotel. By then I was feeling quite tired so I steadily walked back to the hotel. Over four hours on foot was quite enough exploration for one day. On one corner I saw a small gathering of people listening to a speaker. I couldn’t understand him of course, but I assume he was a political speaker. The police were nearby watching but did not interfere.
The hazards of walking in Kathmandu
I didn’t have any trouble with beggars today, only seeing about four of them who were easily shrugged off. The greatest hazard today seemed to be the birds. I received two great deposits from above, one on my cap and shoulder and the other on my thumb. A bit of washing was in order on my return to my hotel room.