Foremans' Travel: Day 23 - Back to Kathmandu

Day 23 - Thursday, March 14 - From Fishtail back to Kathmandu - Highlight: 2500 year old Stupa

Another fantastic sunrise and the view from our Fishtail Lodge is almost as good as from the mountain we traveled to yesterday. Today we go back to Kathmandu with the highlight to be the oldest Buddhist Stupa in the world… over 500 years before Christ.

We say goodbye to the Annapurna Mountain Range and fly Buddha Air back to KTM with a bunch of Yak Attack Mountain Bike racers… some talk about air sickness, snow blindness, and horrible sunburns. Sorry we missed all that fun.

We heard a legend about the Kathmandu Valley once being a lake that some mystic caused to drain from the place where this ancient Stupa was then built in the 6th century BC. Also heard the sad story of the royal family's long dynasty that ended with assassination of the family in 2001. We will visit their old palace and see the throne. The slain king's brother is still alive and served as king for a couple years after the tragedy before the PM and government requested that he leave the palace. He left in 2008 and now lives in the city without office.

My throat has totally given in to the air and I can't even speak. Smart Steve saves the day because he has brought a Z-Pack with him. I start day one and feel some relief right away.

I have 6 pages of notes on Kathmandu and the Nepalese history, energy crisis, road and sewer construction, and current government transition.

The air is still brown and the lines for gas are as long as they were a couple of days ago. The vendors show beautiful fresh fruit and other food that we know we dare not touch. The power is still scheduled for 12 hours a day but the hotel has a generator for the missing times.

Tried several time to catch a picture of the foot
peddle sewing machines. This is as close as I came. Classic.
Grandma taught me to sew on one of those.

At the base of the Stupa they sell coins to toss into cups.

It's a race to the top!

That dot on this forehead is variously called 'Buddha's 3rd eye'
or just something to remind us that we look inside ourselves for spiritual growth.
or maybe just for decoration.

The prayer wheels

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Each flag has a mantra. People buy them and fly them in this holy place.
When the wind blows them the message comes true for the one who placed it.

View of the city below from the platform of the Stupa

So many things to sell to the tourists

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The cue for water from the spring. Put your jug there
and people honor your place in line

During the dry season the springs are slow, but the government
wells seem to function poorly as well.

This your fellow rang the bell and suck his head in this small
altar for a blessing from this god.

Students on a field trip

Wood carved temple dedicated to
pleasure.

The monkey at the entrance to the monkey temple.
So many decorations you can't tell he's in there.

Can you even see the temple for the power lines?

Entrance to the royal courtyard currently out of service until
until the government gets a constitution and decides
if they want any royals after all.