Thamel is... Interesting. I stayed 3 days at the Himalayan Yoga Hotel; during that time I would go out daily and walk around the tourist neighbourhood of Kathmandu. Everywhere you go is reatsaurants, small shops, tables set up with jewelry and statues and all manner of scarves and pashminas. People walk down the street, trying to convince you to come to their spa, buy their wares, or stay at their hotel/guesthouse. And so many hippies! Nepal is a country filled with tourist hippies.
After three days, I moved to the Heritage Hotel and Guest House. Here I was surprised to find a tv in my room, with satellite channels! So even though I don't get Canadian tv, I do get to chill in the hot of the midday and the dark of the evenings with Star World India, Star Movies India, and HBO Asia. I have been watching repeats of Two and a Half Men (what an absurd show) Masterchef Australia (I love cooking competitions!) and so many hollywood movies, both old and new (Jurassic Park, anyone?)
Meanwhile, I have also been to the Garden of Dreams, a beautiful private garden that was restored at the beginning of the 20th century. It was amazing there, so peaceful and removed from the hustle and bustle of the road outside.
When you walk in, through a white stone wall, you buy a ticket ($2) and then turn a corner into some amazing greenery. There is a cafe to the east, and an open air bar to the west. Very near the entrance is a beautiful half circle of terraced ground, with cushioned mats provided for lounging. First I explored, taking pictures (Curious George accompanied me for this trip) checking out the many small nooks and crannies that amorous Nepalese couples love to hide themselves in. I disturbed a few people, apologized, and hurried to the next little spot.
There is a small gallery of before and after pictures, showing the state of the garden before the restoration. There are beautiful statues of elephants at the main entrance of the cafe, and a gorgeous pond with lillies and pads and coy fish.
After walking around I found an empty mat and relaxed in the hot sun, pulling out my iPad to read. (Can I just say how much I love the Kindle reader app on my iPad? I think I have 30 books on it now, available anytime, with no extra weight!) I think I relaxed there for two hours, watching a mother and her two children play and read, numerous couples cuddle and laugh together, and some groups of teenagers in their school uniforms joke around. It was heaven.
After the garden, I made my way back into the heart of Thamel, back to another visit to The Roadhouse restaurant. It was hot and sunny, and I was craving a tall cold glass of iced tea. I also ordered a club sandwich, and was not disappointed. Altho different than at home, this was delicious! It had sliced ham, fried egg, chicken salad, tomato and olives and cheese, as well as MAYO. It has been so long since I had mayonnaise! I ate it and read some more, then made my way back to my hotel. I was so tired.
But Laura, what about your volunteering? Weren't you going to be volunteering this week? Yes, I was. Maybe you remember my last post, when I was depressed about being sick again? Well, the hotel has a doctor on call, and the staff saw me one morning and asked if I was ok, if I wanted to see the doctor. Trutfully, I didn't. I was good at taking care of myself, I had already contacted the shcool to tell them I was sick, and I wasn't pushing myself each day. No 5 hour walkabouts like in Patan or Lakeside, just an hour or two then back to rest, with another hour or two later in the day. The staff here were insistent, maybe to get the doctor some extra bucks, maybe because they really are attentive to their guests, but I am glad I did.
I didn't have food poisoning, I didn't have heat stroke. No, the doctor listened to my complaints, listened to my chest and advised me I had a mild chest infection-something very common for tourists to Kathmandu. During rainy season, the quick changes in temperature and humidity, as well as the large amount of dirt and dust easily cause infections in many visitors. He gave me the name of an antibiotic that would help (I had to explain multiple times I was allergic to penicillan) and told me to tell the staff if things didn't get better.
Luckily, there is a pharmacy around the corner from the hotel. Pharmacies here aren't like at home, they are just small stores (many times just a stall) with all manner of pills, lotions, and medicines to help. In fact, you don't need a prescription for most drugs. I still need to go back and find out if I can buy a bottle of the sleeping pills I am almost out of.
So anyway, I took most of the week easy, until yesterday (Friday). It was yesterday I woke up and decided to visit Swayambhunath, the site of the affectionately named Monkey Temple. I grabbed a taxi there (maybe 3 bucks?) and was met by the most intimidating set of stairs; 365 in total, very steep. The sun was out in full force as well, and unfortunately I hadn't had breakfast that morning. It was a tough climb. I had to stop halfway up to rest, my lungs wheezing in protest, the air getting thinner with every step. Hadn't I learned at the Peace Pagoda in Pokhara to take my time? No, I pushed myself, and halfway up I nearly died. But I didn't. I regained some composure, traded the horrible wheezing for a mild wheeze, and continued up.
I think part of the reason I didn't slow down on the climb was the locals who tried to getyou to buy things on every step. Women with their babies begged for milk money, young teenage boys would offer their services as a tour guide, and tables and tables of jewelry and knicknacks and more with hawkers calling to you. I pushed myself on, smiling but shaking my head that I wasn't interested.
Then at the top you buy your ticket, another 2 buck entry fee, and you have arrived. I walked around, turning prayer wheels and taking pictures. An old lady saw me sitting and catching my breath, and came over. "Picture?" she said, bowing slightly, but I said no. Locals will offer to have their picture taken in gorgeous saris, only to demand payment after for their posing. I wasn't interested, but took pictures of the monkeys, (I think macaques?), the statues, the temples and the view. I walked around in a clockwise direction, according to the guidebooks, and then found a small cafe to have lunch in. I was starving. The climb and the heat was overwhelming.
The cafe was dingy, but the food was clean and delicious. I had originally ordered a cheese sandwich and fries, (most cheese sandwiches here come grilled), but the waiter returned to advise me they were out of bread! I quickly checked the menu again, and ordered some egg fried rice.
I am glad they were out of bread. The rice was basic yet delicious! I stuffed myself full, read a bit more, then continued on around the stupa, and down the back stairs to more stalls and temples and sites. Then I bargained a taxi (he wanted 6, I paid 4) and was on my way through the exciting streets back to my hotel.
At the hotel I found out the internet was down! What was I to do? I decided to relax a while, and then go find lupper. I returned to the Electric Pagoda restaurant, first because there were items on the menu I wanted to try and second because I knew they had wifi. I caught up on emailing, downloaded a few new books to read, and had the most delicious (and spicy) hyderabadi biryani with onion raita. Oh my goodness it was amazing, leaving my mouth sizzling with spicy goodness. I also downed too many gin and tonics, it was happy hour and I hadn'y expected 2 for one; remember, standard serving size here is a double! Luckily, the Electric Pagoda is only around the corner from my hotel, so I didn't need to worry about the (extremely tipsy) walk back. I made it to my room and fell onto the bed, snoozed a bit, watched some Greys Anatomy on satellite, then fell into a deep slumber. I didn't wake up until nearly 8 the next morning! Believe me, that is a very late sleep in for me, now.
The internet was still down so instead of eating breakfast in my room (room service rocks) I went out to the Northfield Cafe and had a large breakfast of sausage patties, homefries, fried eggs with lots of hot sauce (what can I say, I can't get enough!) and coffee. SO MUCH COFFEE. I was chatting via Skype with friends at home and didn't want to leave, so I ordered some iced tea (delicious and refreshing) and forced it into my nearly bursting stomach. Two iced teas later, it was 2 am at home and I needed to empty my bladder. Three coffees and two iced teas will do that to you!
A funny thing happened at the Northfield as well; the manager, a happy looking man, came up to chat to see how I was doing. He made the rounds to all the patrons, and was very charming. However, he sat down and talked to me, ordering an iced mocha for me to try, and complimenting me on my dimpled smile. He learned I was from Canada, and like so many of the native Nepalese I have met here, talked about how much he wanted to move to Toronto. Apparently Canada is well respected arond the world, and many of the locals here have dreams of immigrating. I proudly talked up our country, which I do love so much, and blushed as he came back multiple times to make me laugh so he could see my dimples. Oh these men! Always looking for foreign wives.
I am now relaxing in my hotel room, no plans for today other than to go out later for supper. I will, after everything digests and I feel less bloated, do some in room exercises; I looked up some simple things for me to do on the days I don't go walking in order to prevent all the food I have been fortunate enough to enjoy from fattening me up again. I mean, I'm pretty sure I haven't really lost much weight, but I sure don't want to go home and be heavier than when I left.
Only 8 days until I catch a plane home, and only one more site to visit. Tomorrow I go back to the Hotel Himalaya Yoga, and plan on daily yoga and meditation classes. Then, on Sunday the 21st, I head home. I do miss home, so very much. I love Nepal, I miss my monklets, but I miss home, my family, my cat, my friends even more.
Namaste
After three days, I moved to the Heritage Hotel and Guest House. Here I was surprised to find a tv in my room, with satellite channels! So even though I don't get Canadian tv, I do get to chill in the hot of the midday and the dark of the evenings with Star World India, Star Movies India, and HBO Asia. I have been watching repeats of Two and a Half Men (what an absurd show) Masterchef Australia (I love cooking competitions!) and so many hollywood movies, both old and new (Jurassic Park, anyone?)
Meanwhile, I have also been to the Garden of Dreams, a beautiful private garden that was restored at the beginning of the 20th century. It was amazing there, so peaceful and removed from the hustle and bustle of the road outside.
When you walk in, through a white stone wall, you buy a ticket ($2) and then turn a corner into some amazing greenery. There is a cafe to the east, and an open air bar to the west. Very near the entrance is a beautiful half circle of terraced ground, with cushioned mats provided for lounging. First I explored, taking pictures (Curious George accompanied me for this trip) checking out the many small nooks and crannies that amorous Nepalese couples love to hide themselves in. I disturbed a few people, apologized, and hurried to the next little spot.
There is a small gallery of before and after pictures, showing the state of the garden before the restoration. There are beautiful statues of elephants at the main entrance of the cafe, and a gorgeous pond with lillies and pads and coy fish.
After walking around I found an empty mat and relaxed in the hot sun, pulling out my iPad to read. (Can I just say how much I love the Kindle reader app on my iPad? I think I have 30 books on it now, available anytime, with no extra weight!) I think I relaxed there for two hours, watching a mother and her two children play and read, numerous couples cuddle and laugh together, and some groups of teenagers in their school uniforms joke around. It was heaven.
After the garden, I made my way back into the heart of Thamel, back to another visit to The Roadhouse restaurant. It was hot and sunny, and I was craving a tall cold glass of iced tea. I also ordered a club sandwich, and was not disappointed. Altho different than at home, this was delicious! It had sliced ham, fried egg, chicken salad, tomato and olives and cheese, as well as MAYO. It has been so long since I had mayonnaise! I ate it and read some more, then made my way back to my hotel. I was so tired.
But Laura, what about your volunteering? Weren't you going to be volunteering this week? Yes, I was. Maybe you remember my last post, when I was depressed about being sick again? Well, the hotel has a doctor on call, and the staff saw me one morning and asked if I was ok, if I wanted to see the doctor. Trutfully, I didn't. I was good at taking care of myself, I had already contacted the shcool to tell them I was sick, and I wasn't pushing myself each day. No 5 hour walkabouts like in Patan or Lakeside, just an hour or two then back to rest, with another hour or two later in the day. The staff here were insistent, maybe to get the doctor some extra bucks, maybe because they really are attentive to their guests, but I am glad I did.
I didn't have food poisoning, I didn't have heat stroke. No, the doctor listened to my complaints, listened to my chest and advised me I had a mild chest infection-something very common for tourists to Kathmandu. During rainy season, the quick changes in temperature and humidity, as well as the large amount of dirt and dust easily cause infections in many visitors. He gave me the name of an antibiotic that would help (I had to explain multiple times I was allergic to penicillan) and told me to tell the staff if things didn't get better.
Luckily, there is a pharmacy around the corner from the hotel. Pharmacies here aren't like at home, they are just small stores (many times just a stall) with all manner of pills, lotions, and medicines to help. In fact, you don't need a prescription for most drugs. I still need to go back and find out if I can buy a bottle of the sleeping pills I am almost out of.
So anyway, I took most of the week easy, until yesterday (Friday). It was yesterday I woke up and decided to visit Swayambhunath, the site of the affectionately named Monkey Temple. I grabbed a taxi there (maybe 3 bucks?) and was met by the most intimidating set of stairs; 365 in total, very steep. The sun was out in full force as well, and unfortunately I hadn't had breakfast that morning. It was a tough climb. I had to stop halfway up to rest, my lungs wheezing in protest, the air getting thinner with every step. Hadn't I learned at the Peace Pagoda in Pokhara to take my time? No, I pushed myself, and halfway up I nearly died. But I didn't. I regained some composure, traded the horrible wheezing for a mild wheeze, and continued up.
I think part of the reason I didn't slow down on the climb was the locals who tried to getyou to buy things on every step. Women with their babies begged for milk money, young teenage boys would offer their services as a tour guide, and tables and tables of jewelry and knicknacks and more with hawkers calling to you. I pushed myself on, smiling but shaking my head that I wasn't interested.
Then at the top you buy your ticket, another 2 buck entry fee, and you have arrived. I walked around, turning prayer wheels and taking pictures. An old lady saw me sitting and catching my breath, and came over. "Picture?" she said, bowing slightly, but I said no. Locals will offer to have their picture taken in gorgeous saris, only to demand payment after for their posing. I wasn't interested, but took pictures of the monkeys, (I think macaques?), the statues, the temples and the view. I walked around in a clockwise direction, according to the guidebooks, and then found a small cafe to have lunch in. I was starving. The climb and the heat was overwhelming.
The cafe was dingy, but the food was clean and delicious. I had originally ordered a cheese sandwich and fries, (most cheese sandwiches here come grilled), but the waiter returned to advise me they were out of bread! I quickly checked the menu again, and ordered some egg fried rice.
I am glad they were out of bread. The rice was basic yet delicious! I stuffed myself full, read a bit more, then continued on around the stupa, and down the back stairs to more stalls and temples and sites. Then I bargained a taxi (he wanted 6, I paid 4) and was on my way through the exciting streets back to my hotel.
At the hotel I found out the internet was down! What was I to do? I decided to relax a while, and then go find lupper. I returned to the Electric Pagoda restaurant, first because there were items on the menu I wanted to try and second because I knew they had wifi. I caught up on emailing, downloaded a few new books to read, and had the most delicious (and spicy) hyderabadi biryani with onion raita. Oh my goodness it was amazing, leaving my mouth sizzling with spicy goodness. I also downed too many gin and tonics, it was happy hour and I hadn'y expected 2 for one; remember, standard serving size here is a double! Luckily, the Electric Pagoda is only around the corner from my hotel, so I didn't need to worry about the (extremely tipsy) walk back. I made it to my room and fell onto the bed, snoozed a bit, watched some Greys Anatomy on satellite, then fell into a deep slumber. I didn't wake up until nearly 8 the next morning! Believe me, that is a very late sleep in for me, now.
The internet was still down so instead of eating breakfast in my room (room service rocks) I went out to the Northfield Cafe and had a large breakfast of sausage patties, homefries, fried eggs with lots of hot sauce (what can I say, I can't get enough!) and coffee. SO MUCH COFFEE. I was chatting via Skype with friends at home and didn't want to leave, so I ordered some iced tea (delicious and refreshing) and forced it into my nearly bursting stomach. Two iced teas later, it was 2 am at home and I needed to empty my bladder. Three coffees and two iced teas will do that to you!
A funny thing happened at the Northfield as well; the manager, a happy looking man, came up to chat to see how I was doing. He made the rounds to all the patrons, and was very charming. However, he sat down and talked to me, ordering an iced mocha for me to try, and complimenting me on my dimpled smile. He learned I was from Canada, and like so many of the native Nepalese I have met here, talked about how much he wanted to move to Toronto. Apparently Canada is well respected arond the world, and many of the locals here have dreams of immigrating. I proudly talked up our country, which I do love so much, and blushed as he came back multiple times to make me laugh so he could see my dimples. Oh these men! Always looking for foreign wives.
I am now relaxing in my hotel room, no plans for today other than to go out later for supper. I will, after everything digests and I feel less bloated, do some in room exercises; I looked up some simple things for me to do on the days I don't go walking in order to prevent all the food I have been fortunate enough to enjoy from fattening me up again. I mean, I'm pretty sure I haven't really lost much weight, but I sure don't want to go home and be heavier than when I left.
Only 8 days until I catch a plane home, and only one more site to visit. Tomorrow I go back to the Hotel Himalaya Yoga, and plan on daily yoga and meditation classes. Then, on Sunday the 21st, I head home. I do miss home, so very much. I love Nepal, I miss my monklets, but I miss home, my family, my cat, my friends even more.
Namaste
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