[RD] The Everest Basecamp Trek

And that was in November, right? Looks like summertime!
 
And that was in November, right? Looks like summertime!

Yep, November 11th to be more specific. Here's what the temperature is like in Kathmandu year-round:



If celsius is not intuitive to you, the lowest minimum on this graph is about 30 F (0 C) and the highest maximum is about 86 F (30 C).

July is right in the middle of the rainy monsoon season, which I believe explains that tiny dip in the max temperature that month.
 
Exploring the streets of Kathmandu

Up until now we had more or less stuck to two neighbourhoods in Kathmandu: Thamel, the backpacker friendly nightlife part of town.. and the nearby area to the north-east that houses many embassies and hotels. All of the photos of the city you've seen so far are from either of these neighbourhoods. The Garden of Dreams is technically not in thamel.. It's just to the east in a sort of extension of that district, with many tourist friendly services available, such as a (pretty damn good) pizzeria, a cafe, other restaurants, souvenir shops, etc.

Today it was time to venture out somewhere else. After we left the Garden of Dreams we began to walk to the main part of Thamel.. but after reaching Thamel Marg road we took turned left (south). This took us away from those two touristy districts and towards more interesting parts of Kathmandu.



 
I'm glad to see they understand the importance of wired connections.
 
Jana Bahal Temple

Janabaha Dyo is the deity worshipped at this temple by both Hindus and Buddhists. There isn't really much to it, but I liked the sign.



A Bahal is a form of Nepali Newar type of courtyard. This one happens to have a temple right in the centre.

I am guessing, but I believe that the religious practice of walking around objects known as circumambulation might be related to the design of this walkway surrounding the temple:

 
Assorted shots of the city

Kathmandu is a sort of chaotic urban jungle. At this time there was still plenty of visible damage from the 2015 earthquake, even over two years later. It seems that building codes aren't really followed here (or they are very lax) and things are made to work as best as possible at any given moment. Some buildings are connected, there's narrow walkways, some aren't finished, there's occasional random trees and it's just an interesting mix of new and old. It was fun to explore the city by walking through these streets, even though it got a bit crazy at times, especially when we had to cross busier roads..



We found an interesting small entrance to a courtyard of some sort containing a Beauty Parlour. Did not go inside.





Cricket is the national sport here. I don't know anything about it really, but these kids seemed decent.
 
Buddha Bar

Initially we were walking towards the royal Durbar square, which there are 3 of in the city. However, when we got to the edge of the square we learned that there is an entrance fee involved. It wasn't that much, but it was almost dinnertime and so we decided to instead head back to more familiar territory and find some food. We would return to Durbar square on another day and give ourselves more time to properly explore it.

I did some research and a certain Buddha Bar came up as an option for some food and drink. It is located in Thamel, which was on our way back to our hotel.

We weren't really sure what to expect when we walked in, but the reviews told me that this was a "chill" place with good service and decent food.





This ended up being a very chill hangout indeed! Every table had couches on both sides you could basically lie down on and it was a bit dark in here, as you can see. The ambiance was excellent! Most booths had a hookah set up that patrons were casually partaking from while relaxing yet happening music played in the background.


After spending so many hours walking through the chaotic and dusty streets of Kathmandu this was the perfect place for us! We spent about an hour here reading, drinking, eating, and relaxing. For food I ordered several types of momos. They weren't as good here as they were back at the palace hotel, but they were pretty good.
 
Another Day, Another Stupa

On our second full day back in Kathmandu we got ready to head out quite a bit earlier. Our hotel had an included breakfast, which wasn't really that great or filling.. We mainly showed up for the coffee though.. and the views of the city from the dining area. Not that the food was bad, but it was nothing to go out of your way for. And coffee was almost always incredible wherever we went in Nepal, so sitting up high with a view of the city in the morning, with a cup of coffee in your hand.. that starts off the day on the right kind of note.

We also found a nice and cozy cafe near the garden of dreams. That place had good coffee and pretty good pastries and other baked items, so we'd occasionally head there after breakfast to fill up. The large amount of comfy seats and couches was the main draw though. I bet we stopped there this morning, because we were headed back to Durbar Square and this cafe is right on the way.

On our walk there we came across a stupa.



If you are curious about the star of david, it is actually also a Hindu symbol. I was curious myself so I did some research. --> It represents the emergence of the male and female, with the upward triangle representing Shiva (the masculine side of God) and the downward triangle representing Shakti (its feminine side).
 
Kathmandu Durbar Square

Durbar is a generic term which describes a plaza adjoining a palace. There are three such Durbar squares in the Kathmandu valley; they form sort of focal points in the city, containing other structures that draw visitors, such as temples, other religious structures, and museums.

The palace adjoining this plaza was built about 1,000 years ago, although there is evidence that this site was used for similar purposes as far back as the 3rd century. When the Shah dynasty ruled the Kathmandu valley in the 1800s they used this as their royal palace. It was also used as the royal palace in the 1400s under the independent Malla kings.

There is a fee for westeners to enter the plaza itself, even if you just need to walk through the intersection. There are no barricades or anything like that, but workers flag down tourists and sell tickets. The ticket gives you access to the plaza as well as several adjoining buildings.



 
Lots of pigeons!
 
Lots of pigeons!

Oh yeah, the pigeons always congregated at these public squares, as well as anywhere there was a stupa. That's where people fed them, so that's where they went. Plus I suppose these open spaces give the pigeons many spots up above where they can sit and wait until they see food. If you look at any stupa photo I've posted, there's almost always birds in it.
 
Great pictures!
 
Nasal Chowk

Nasal Chowk is the square where the last Nepali King was crowned in 1976. It's adjacent and connected to Kathmandu Durbar square.





Durbar Square has a lot of interesting structures and courtyards to explore and look at. Nasal Chowk is one of the highlights, but there is a lot more to see. Here's a couple more highlights:



 
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