What a mess in Kathmandu

Kathmandu is not the cleanest city in the world. That is one fact that hits you immediately upon leaving the airport. In fact, even as you are landing and as the plane taxis to the terminal. Crashed helicopters and broken down planes line the runway and nearby hangars.

In central Kathmandu one is faced with a great variety of building styles. Some are ancient, many hundreds of years old and quite magnificent. Others are broken down wrecks that deserve to be bull dozed. Some are modern, spacious and beautiful.

One of the older buildings in Thamel caught my eye for another reason. The telephone and electricity supplies in Kathmandu are obviously struggling to keep up with the demands of a city trying to emerge into the modern world. In the photo above you can see that the cabling for electricity and telephone supplies can be a little chaotic at times. (Click on the image to enlarge – you will then see what I mean.)

Despite the chaos, life does go on. Phone calls can be made reasonably easily. Electricity is supplied where it is needed – most of the time. Internet connections, though slow and erratic, can be used.

It just demonstrates the pains of an ancient city struggling to emerge into the modern world.