Kathmandu

After a chance to sleep in a bit, we boarded our van and sat through the grid-lock traffic until we reached the "Times Square" of Kathmandu, the palace square. This appeared primarily to be a temple complex, but the royal palace, dating to the 18th century, is the largest feature. 

Built by the dynasty that united the country in 1755, it is roughly half in traditional Nepalese style (a lot of resemblance to a Chinese palace) with the other half, which was added later in the 1800s, in neo-classical style borrowed from the British and the French. Nepal was never under colonial control, but the European influences were strong.

We didn't actually see much of the interior of the palace, just the courtyard, where we got a lesson on the "royal family massacre" of 2004, and an update on the various kings in the royal line. The royal family continues to live in the country (though not in the palace, except for a small apartment where the elderly queen mother continues to reside), and in the current political turmoil, there are royalists who would like them brought back as constitutional monarchs, in hope that they might provide some stability. From what we learned of the surviving patriarch of the family, and his wayward son, stability would be unlikely.

To say that the palace square is a temple complex is not to distinguish it much from the rest of Kathmandu. The city is on temple overload. There is, quite literally, a temple on every street corner -- usually more than one. And there are small shrines and niches along the streets between intersections. 

Our guide, who appears to be quite religious, asked our indulgence to stop briefly at a shrine to Ganesha, where he offered prayer. The grain temple is primary feature of a market square that used to be surrounded by food stores (now, more tourist souvenir shops), etc., etc. If there isn't a Hindu temple, there's a Buddhist temple, and often there are both across the street from one another.

Above, I noted that European influence was strong here. One Buddhist temple had added a bronze, neo-classical sculpture of a Greek goddess to its courtyard, and people were burning incense to her.

In the market square our guide chatted up some people for MOTS interviews. The first was with a widow making leaf plates for the bereaved. These were similar to the little leaf boats we had floated on the Ganges in Varanasi. 

When a close family member dies, the mourners spend two weeks essentially as untouchables, regardless of their caste. Anything they touch during the mourning period must be destroyed and cannot be used again after they have gone through purification. So, they use the disposable plates she makes. We learned how to tell from her dress and her tikka (a holy mark on the forehead that replaces the bindi) that she is a widow, and our guide was generous in tipping her after we had all taken her picture. Apparently widows do not fare well in Nepal, as in India.

Another interview took place when our guide stopped an old man carrying a Nepalese national flag and sign, written in Nepalese (looks like Hindi) with a drawing of the first king in the dynasty we'd learned about. As might happen in China, all sorts of total strangers gathered around to find out what the tourists were talking with this man about. He was a royalist, carrying his sign to drum up support for the monarchy. But another older gentleman chimed in that Kathmandu had been a kingdom unto itself before the usurper had come in 1755. He pointed out that, if there was to be a king, it should be someone from the previous dynasty (no word on whether those folks are still around). Political debate ensued.

School boys in their uniforms

Nepal has had an "interim" government since the king was deposed in 2008. A Maoist regime ruled the country for a time, improving some infrastructure, but at the cost of many human rights abuses. The Maoists, misjudging their own popularity, held an election in which they lost in a big way, and are now only a tiny minority in the parliament. This week is the deadline for parliament to agree on a draft of a new, permanent constitution for Nepal. So the city is alive with demonstrations and debates. Everyone is following the news.

Our guide tried to explain to us the practice of crowning a "living goddess" -- a young female child, chosen according to a long list of criteria, who is dressed in silks and heavy, gaudy face make-up, and worshiped as an incarnation of a particular Hindu deity. She retains this position until reaching puberty, then the role is transferred to a younger girl. This sudden transition back to being a commoner, after being spoiled as a goddess through the developmental years, leaves some heavy psychological issues.

Center window at top is where the living goddess appears.

Nevertheless, our guide took us to see the living goddess in her palace, where she made an ever-so-brief appearance in an upstairs window of the courtyard (no photos permitted). Despite telling us how terrible it is for the girl, our guide called out to her from below and was beckoned to come in. He hurried upstairs (no tourists allowed) to worship her and gain her blessing. He explained that, despite the problems, she is an important part of his religion.

Haircuts -- no chairs, no waiting

After a brief potty stop in one of the filthiest toilets we've seen since China, we had some free time to check out Freak Street. Kathmandu became a mecca for American and European "hippies" in the 1960s and '70s. Partially it was seeking enlightenment, but mostly because the cost of living was very low, and marijuana was legal and inexpensive (no longer the case in Nepal). Freak Street still features several hostels and tattoo parlors, but mostly it's t-shirts and other souvenirs for tourists.

Political rallies are the same in any language.

By the time we returned to the square, there was a large crowd gathered around a political rally featuring people who are apparently big TV and movie stars in Nepal and/or Bollywood. Banners and flags were being held by beautiful girls in elegant traditional costumes, and a rock band was on hand. The speeches code switched repeatedly between Nepalese and English. We watched for awhile (our guide was really getting into it), but then broke off to hire rickshaws for a ride through back streets to a very touristy section known as "the backpacker district."

Nepal seems to have learned electrical wiring from India.

Many shops here were outfitters for "trekkers" (hikers who aren't quite mountain climbers), so featured a lot of hiking boots, quick-dry travel clothing, backpacks, etc. Most of it appeared to be Chinese knock-offs, with North Face being the featured brand. There were also the tourist shops for t-shirts and souvenirs, as well as grocery stores with large selections of trail mix and liquor. Our guide led us up four flights of stairs to pleasant and sunny rooftop restaurant where we were served a pretty bad lunch of breaded chicken and pasta. Hardly the native fare. However, it was nice to sit in the sun and take our jackets off as the temperatures neared 70F.

Our restaurant was on the roof, among the prayer flags.

After some brief free time for shopping in the backpacker district (we bought beer and peanuts for our evening snack) we boarded the van once again to visit a "supermarket." It took us quite a while, through traffic, to reach what was a Chinese-style, multilevel, Nepalese version of Wal-Mart. We found the grocery section interesting, but didn't have time to see much else. Apparently this was the flagship store of a chain of a dozen or so similar stores.

On the van again, we fought grid-lock traffic once again for a considerable time before being dropped at a place that seemed like an ordinary street. But our guide soon turned us up a narrow alley, at the end of which we could see a giant stupa. 

Banddhanath Stupa

This site is particularly revered by Tibetan Buddhists, a large number of whom reside here having fled the Chinese invasion. It appears that most of these supporters of the Dali Lama are now growing quite elderly.

Our guide stopped two Sherpa women, one of whom was 82 and the other 78. They live in the Himalayan foothills during most of the year, but come down to Kathmandu in the winter to escape the cold. They found it amusing that Americans were doing the same thing. They also pointed out a monk, sitting on a bench nearby, who they said was 102 (he didn't look a day over 80), and all of them (and many others) come to the stupa daily to walk around it three times in a clockwise direction, spinning the dozens of prayer wheels as they go. This was a crowded spot, surrounding by tourist shops hawking Buddhas and mandalas. There also appeared to be some sort of Buddhist tent revival meeting going on, with loudspeakers and a bunch of chanting monks.

We returned to the hotel, and though tired from sauntering around at a snail's pace all day (this guide ambles ever so slowly) we took a brisk walk around the forested grounds and got a good look at a beautiful sunset.