After a fabulous time to relax in the cool damp of Kathmandu, it was decided to visit a little town. Incidentally, booking a package of three days to go to Chitwan National Park - the organization, it is reassuring, I discovered it. This will be an elephant safari, walking in the jungle, tracking birds from a boat on the river, but we're not there yet. We decide to walk in the city, despite the stresses and very noisy permanent taxi drivers. Incidentally, I tried to buy a packet of tissues that the seller toothless wanted me to pay 500 rupees, so I gave up: the bad news is that prices are higher than in India, especially when we are tourists. The good news is that many Nepalis speak (good) English, and often I can even get by Hindi, Nepali is a language quite broadly similar, although his pronunciation and much more retroflex lip makes her look like the Chinese. And I find it funny.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Bathtub Caulk Alternatives
Chitwan National Park Nepal (1) Kathmandu Nepal काठमांडौ
The walk takes us, virtually ignored by the Nepalese who have the extreme good taste not to stare or follow us or harass us or ask us (yes!), To the high hills of Kathmandu. Camera screwed on the nose, Lonely Planet in hand, started trotting to first visit Indrani Temple, a small Hindu temple on the banks of the river, where the atmosphere is intimate rocked by the cries of children playing among the goats and dogs. Below you can guess the ghats rituals bordered by the river the color well ... chocolate.
Hill as we continue to climb as is sprinkled with temples (did you put too much sugar baby!) Follows Bijeshwari Temple in the courtyard littered with statues of dark rock. A basket wanders back alone, until the feet of children eventually overcome. Red flames of candles against other bronze statues. A goat licks the face of a statue of Shiva as a gesture of devotion ...
But the real purpose of the climb is the famous (at least by the standards of Piyush) Swayambhunath Temple, where we have a good idea to arrive when everyone fate. But Marine said it better. The first gantry is in the city itself, but escaped by running the stairs into the hillside, leading off on an architecture with three domes lighted in some futuristic seen from below. The ascent begins, made more difficult by an evil idea, that of making markets increasingly narrow and steep, as the dark canopy of trees inhabited by monkeys, among the many religious statues, Buddhas first, then lingams lingams lingams and then horses, peacocks, elephants. The rise - of course spiritual - is rewarded with a splendid night view of Kathmandu, a few sparkling white lights that give a silvery halo shines across the plains and hills to the sides of mountains, while the temple is immersed in a fascinating chiaroscuro, the three domes gathering alone all the light, the rest being immersed in an atmosphere dedicated to the divine. Candles and tiny oil lamps flickering in the wind and with the songs of prayer accompanied by a harmonium. Buddhist monks glide along the "garden" of divine statues and representations of the four elements. When, a moment worthy of a length of the prestige of the place, we go down the huge staircase dark and deserted, only with caution, clinging to the railing and lit by the torch of my laptop India. The statues are revealed by turns quiet and disquieting as the torch beam hesitant ...
After that we go beyond the last portico, crossing the city to the hotel takes another hour in the streets without electricity. But life goes on in the shops are grouped around a single candle, laughed fuse, the "namaste" are always so enthusiastic. I arrived completely exhausted, Marine asleep fully dressed lying across his camera. I write a little and then I fall asleep without eating, enjoying the comfort of a real bed, not experienced for five months, and the softness of sheets on my skin, not experienced for two months.
Smelly Drains Outside From Toilet
I time to do everything I hate Chinese
A beautiful trip where the tops of mountains lost in clouds of the monsoon, we had to conclude that at least the year of great complicity with Navy. And despite the Chinese. Without the Chinese. To Nepal. Nepal alone, without Tibet, Ladakh and not even for budgetary reasons, for two weeks out of time, even though time is running at top speed to return to France. It became vitally necessary to leave Delhi - the sweltering heat to keep you from sleeping, it is leaking. However, I thought we should never get to leave the city to pack, empty apartment, preparing packages of 20 kgs to send to France, sell some furniture (and negotiate for 100 rupees as we would defend his life), negotiate the repayment of the bond, see my favorite Indians, expats my favorite too. We even almost missed our plane - a mystery unsolved, no navy or Piyush nor I have heard many screaming alarm at 5am. Suddenly, another farewell sloppy with Piyush (remember, 5 December). But the plane was not even missed, there was not even too much trouble at customs, and only an hour and half drive. On arrival, it becomes obvious that my body at least appreciate the country - It's like a huge weight, a cope of lead that falls without warning from my shoulders, breathing the fresh air and deliciously moist these atoms in Kathmandu. What strange vision that this city without buildings, spread over hills crisscrossed by rivers, surrounded by mountains. If I look away, many things remind me of India: Signs written in Devanagari, small and crowded échoppent aligned almost identical merchandise from one store to another, the traditional costumes. But if I look even more closely I realize that the faces are different, often with features more typical of Asia Central. And if I change my perspective, I realize that the framework is completely different, the houses are made of stained floors haphazardly piled, the roofs are slanted (or curved in the style of Japanese pagodas) and not flat. Hinduism and Buddhism mix is evident in architectural forms, the faces in the atmosphere.
's go for a two week trip, far from being complete or accurate, but certainly adventurous, and not just two.
's go for a two week trip, far from being complete or accurate, but certainly adventurous, and not just two.
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