Second Day in Nepal (Kathmandu, Wednesday March 18, 2015)

Today is the first ‘real’ day in Kathmandu. Randy and I still need to buy a couple of small things for our tour and we truly hope that Jim - our third trekking mate – will arrive on time, flying in from New York City via Qatar. After breakfast Randy and I start our tour towards Dunbar Square which is the historical center of Kathmandu. The square is an UNESCO world heritage site and is much more than ‘just’ a square  - it is almost a town of itself. The entire area is breathtaking and so different from the rest of chaotic Kathmandu.  Here, cars and motorcycles are not allowed to drive and the area is covered by dozens of temples, pagodas, stupas and Buddhist prayer bells, statutes and clocks.

Some impressions from Durbar Square, Kathmandu:

 

The highlight is the old Royal Palace (old Tibetan wooden architecture) with the coronation platform of the Nepali Kings and the 9 stories high ‘Kathmandu tower’, overlooking the inner part of the city. Of course, Randy and I climb up this 17th century tower and for the first time we are able to see the city from the top. Kathmandu is situated in a lovely valley and the 9 stories represent the 9 former independent kingdoms and cities which used to occupy the Kathmandu valley (and which are pretty much today part of the city).  At that time, the Kathmandu valley was certainly one of the most powerful areas of the entire Indian subcontinent.

Old Royal Palace in Kathmandu, main inner square with Kathmandu Tower: 

 

At the entry gate to the old Royal Palace in Kathmandu: 

View from Kathmandu tower:

Inside Kathmandu Tower - Randy taking notes for his superb blog (our blogging expert...): 

 

After discovering the 16th century ‘erotic art’ decorations than most of the old temples are famous for (no further details here J), Randy and me walk over to Basantapur Square. Time for lunch! So we climb up to one of the rooftop terraces and have our first Momos (Randy’s favorite – after his and Lana’s holiday in Bhutan).

Basantpur Square and eating Momos at a rooftop terrace:  

 

After lunch we continue our walk and discover a wooden solar mobile charging station right at Durbar Square, sponsored by the UNESCO and the World Bank. Not sure if the Nepali have, more basic other priorities right now... We enter "Freak Street" which was a Hippie paradies in the late 60th and during the 70th; but the glory days of Freak Street have definitely passed ...

Solar Mobile Power Charging Station: 

Randy with Nepali Flag in the background: 

The once hip and grungy 'Freak Street' in Kathmandu: 

 

 

The rest of the day is smooth – some shopping, preparing the backpack and finally welcoming Jim. He arrives just on time WITH his luggage. Now nothing can stop us from our Mount Everest / Himalaya trekking tour starting tomorrow!

Durbar Square on our way back to our hotel in Thamel / Kathmandu: 

Welcome Jim - and ready to go!