Kathmandu

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KATHMANDU: The flute seller. One morning early I walked the city streets around my hotel and captured this scene of the man selling and demonstrating his flutes.

KATHMANDU: Early morning commercial and tourist activity near the center of town.

KATHMANDU: Close up shot of things offered for sale on the streets of the older parts of the city.

KATHMANDU: Details of the things offered for sale on the streets of the older parts of the city.

KATHMANDU: Hand made puppets offered for sale on the streets of the older parts of the city.

KATHMANDU: There are bells like this one all over the city. Ringing them sends an "automated" prayer to somewhere it will do some good, so it is said.

KATHMANDU: My early morning walks reveal people busy with preparations for the day. The streets are full of shoppers, some arriving on motorcycles.

9-11 March 2004

Hello cyber-travelers,

The flight from Delhi got me into Kathmandu early in the morning, my favorite time for arrivals. With the whole day ahead, walking into town can be leisurely. After arrival I walked the 10 km into town from the airport. Local people at the airport entrance gave me wrong directions and I ended up taking the long way into town. The photo directly below shows one of the first business streets I discovered.

Initially I planned to cross the border with Tibet by bus with a group of at least five arranged by a travel agent, then on to Lhasa by another bus arranged for our group, then desert the group and make a private reservation on an obscure Chinese airline for Chungdu. The land trip from Kathmandu to Lhasa takes 3-4 days under sometimes-primitive conditions and the flights to Lhasa have been discontinued until the first of April. It now looks like my best option will be to go back to Bangkok and make a China connection from there.

One morning early I walked the city streets around my hotel and found all this street market activity as shown in the picture to the right.

As I just broke another tooth, heading back to Bangkok would give me a chance to see the dentist who fixed the other broken tooth back in December. Time is getting short as I my current visa requires entering China by 17 March! Guess I spent too much time in India. So much for serendipity.

Although the travel arrangements for getting into China from here have not worked out, being in Kathmandu again is wonderful. Nothing much has changed since my first visit way back in 1988. There are more tourists, cars and motorcycles of course, but the feel of the place has changed little. The congestion actually adds a dimension of excitement to the place. Between visits to the Chinese consulate and several travel agents I found plenty of time for exploring, little camera always at the ready. Kodakgallery album here.

Bye for now.

Peace,

Fred Bellomy

KATHMANDU: After arrival I walked the 10 km into town from the airport. Local people at the airport entrance gave me wrong directions and I ended up taking the long way into town. This is one of the first business streets I discovered.

KATHMANDU: Stores catering to tourists along the streets of the older parts of the city.

KATHMANDU: Entrance to my $30 lodge, the Hotel Vaishali located in the thick of things.

KATHMANDU: In the courtyard of my $30 lodge, the Hotel Vaishali located in the thick of things. This is the fountain in the court yard.

KATHMANDU: Some of the things offered for sale on the streets of the older parts of the city favored by tourists.

KATHMANDU: One morning early I walked the city streets around my hotel and found delightful street market activity. This lady caught me taking pictures and gladly looked into my camera held out for her "inspection." SNAP! Got her.

KATHMANDU: One morning early I walked the city streets around my hotel and found all this street market activity.

KATHMANDU: By sun up these country folk already have set up their fresh produce for shoppers in the street markets.

KATHMANDU: Shoppers, some arriving on bicycles mingle with sellers in this street market.

KATHMANDU: One morning early I walked the city streets around my hotel and captured typical scenes like this one.

KATHMANDU: More of the things offered for sale on the streets of the older parts of the city.

KATHMANDU: Things offered for sale on the streets of the older parts of the city. Here we see prayer wheels and prayer flags.

KATHMANDU: Hand made fabrics offered for sale on the streets of the older parts of the city.

KATHMANDU: On the streets of the older parts of the city I found these are packages of prayer flags for those planning to string up a bunch of them.

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Reference photo August 2002

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