When I got back from Kopila Nepal Orphanage last Wednesday, I came to stay at the RCDP hostel for one night. The bus ride was hell. Never again will I take a local bus at rush hour. It took me close to two hours to get to the hostel, and the entire ride was spent being squished against the window with Nepali men in my face. We were way over capacity and I felt like we were going to flip over when we drove on the very edge of the road. But I made it. And when I got to the hostel I discovered that Nick was staying there! I met him in Pokhara a few weeks ago. Just another example of how small Nepal is. I see people I have met all over the country and usually I never expect to see them again.
The next day, Nick, Adam, and I headed to Patan for some sight-seeing. We tried to find a secret entrance into Durbar Square but were unsuccessful, as were were told to leave multiple times by the security guards. But in the process of trying to get in without paying, we found some pretty sweet backstreets and delicious butterscotch ice cream! We spent quite awhile looking at hand-made paintings at a Thanka painting workshop/gallery. They are some of the most amazing paintings I've ever seen. Most of the Thanka paintings are of mandalas or scriptures and ALL of them are very detailed. It was so interesting to look at them all, and we also got to see how they were made and how the yak skin is stretched to make canvas. Some Nepali painters were in the studio working on their paintings when we got there, as well.
The next few days were spent in Thamel. I had booked a room at Hotel Himalayan Yoga for three nights, and I'm so glad I did. It was a great guesthouse! It is associated with the Himalayan Buddhist Meditation Center that operates under the leadership of Kopan Monastery, so it offered free meditation and yoga classes. I didn't end up participating in either of the classes because I was always busy when they were offered. But the guesthouse had free wifi, HOT SHOWERS, and was set back away from the main street so it wasn't super loud. All around win for me. The first night I was there, Nick, Adam, Anu, Kerstin, and I grabbed some dinner at a great restaurant called OR2K. If you ever travel to Nepal I definitely recommend hitting up OR2K, it's such a chill place with black lights, Jack Johnson music, and cushions for seating.
On Saturday, Anu, Kerstin, and I woke up early to grab some breakfast and head over to Kathmandu's Durbar Square to see the Kumari Goddess. She only shows her face at 10am and 4pm so we decided to see her in the morning and spend the day in Durbar Square. We checked out the museum, as well. It's one of the largest museums I've ever seen! The rest of the day was spent just walking around and taking in all of the sights. There are always new things to see in Kathmandu, no matter how long you stay here. Saturday night we got dinner at a Green Organic Cafe and then went to a local rock bar for some drinks. We asked a local Nepali for a bar he recommended, and he suggested a placed called Purple Haze, so we went there for some live music. And we were the only foreigners!
Sunday was spent finishing up my Christmas shopping for friends and family. It was successful and I'm so glad to be out of Thamel now. It's a bucket of tourist money. That afternoon, I met an interesting Nepali man who asked me how he could dye his hair blonde. I gave him my advice and then we kept walking down the street to a stupa that was hidden behind some buildings. There, we had a conversation for almost an hour about yoga, meditation, reiki, etc. and he so many insightful things to say about life! It was such a good conversation. He also read my palm and told me my destiny is to become spiritual person, as well as many other things. It's really interesting how by talking to a stranger on the street, you can have the best conversations. Granted, you should be cautious about who you talk to. But I'm really glad I ran into him because I spent the rest of the day reflecting on what I had learned from him.
These last few days have been relaxing, except for yesterday's wedding, and now I am preparing to leave for home. I only have a few more hours in Nepal with the friends I've met recently. I'll miss them all, as well as all of the others I have gotten to know during my time here. Who knows, maybe I'll come back to Nepal some day! I think if I did, I would spend more time in the mountains, away from all the hustle and bustle of Kathmandu, Chitwan, Pokhara, etc. When I was in the mountains, that was the only time I felt peace. It was silent, and nature was all around. When I go home, I'm making it a point to hike more because I absolutely love it! Not just day hikes, but backpacking trips. It's so fun.
This is all I have for now! By the time it's Thursday, I'll be back in Maine. We'll see how the transition goes.
-MacKenzie
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