Kathmandu, Nepal

Not sure why Bob Seger was so excited about getting here.   Nepal certainly must have some peaceful and beautiful natural settings, but Kathmandu could give Madagascar some competition if they gave out prizes for filth, squalor, and apparent waste of human life.

But our stay was only a single day, the initial impression is no doubt an unfair judgement, so we will concentrate instead on the colorful and spiritual side of things.

A street scene shows a city that looks like many others…..

A visit to an historic area brought out “entrepreneurs” and beggars, who singled Henry out as an easy touch right away…

This young woman claimed to need money for a school book, but her eyes kept cutting away, a clue that someone else was directing her activity.   Too bad, as she was articulate, engaging and spoke excellent English.  Could have been a great tour guide, but something else was clearly going on.

Another lucky vendor got some of our business.

Most national flags are rectangular, but Nepal’s consists of two separate triangular pieces, which makes for a unique style.

A group of spiritual characters greeted us at the hotel.

The one on the right looks like he’s having a cup of Joe, but he is actually blowing a shell horn of some sort.

The main temple along the river is the spot where families bring the corpses of loved ones for cremation.  First they bathe the bodies in river water, then incinerate them on the platform, and finally sweep the ashes into the aforementioned river.

Cremation sets the soul free from the body so it may be reborn.  It is a sacred and loving rite – in the Hindu form a little too elemental for Western sensitivity – but truly hands-on and intimate.

A few more vivid impressions from the street…

A lot to see in a single day!  From here we make a short hop to Paro, Bhutan.