Kathmandu - Bakthapur

19^th - 23 rd November 2009

I stayed in Kathmandu for four days, just chilling out, going out and enjoying the city. I visited a few places, like Pashupatinath, a holy temple on the banks of Bagmati River, where you can see major Shiva temples, and cremation of people. It’s a bit strange to watch human bodies being burnt, and especially the tourists taking close pictures of those ceremonies…

I also went to Bodnath, one of the wold’s largest stupa of the world. The place is really spiritual, and quite impressive.

The Czech left the 23^rd, and from this time I’m hanging out with Nahm.

We went to Swayambhunath, also called Monkey temple, at night time…

I didn’t know the place, and it’s a bit scary at dark… First, you have to climb a lot of stairs, for finally wondering, half way, «　where are the monkeys　? ». And then, you start hearing them, around you, above you… and then you see them, in a shallow light, sitting, running, fighting… And you have to pass them while you’re still climbing up.

When you reach the temple, you are surrounded by dozens of monkeys, running around, jumping everywhere. As he light is really weak, you can’t see properly.

It was very mystic, like an old lost temple in the jungle. A few monks were singing and playing strange music, scary skinny dogs were running around and monkeys, loads of monkeys.

24^th - 25^th November

I was in Bakthapur, an old medieval city, really nice and relaxing. We took a guide there, Robin, a very nice student that took us around, and tried to teach me a bit about Hinduism.

It’s a quite complicated religion, as it is polytheist, and as the three main gods also have several incarnations, as well as a shakti, their reproductive energy, or more schematically their wife, who also can have several incarnations…

So basically, I saw loads of temples, Thanjka painting schools and tried Bakthapur’s yoghurt, which happens to be the best yoghurt I had in my entire life.

It’s a really nice city to hang out, as the traffic is not bad compared to Kathmandu.

I went back to Kathmandu the 25^th, booked my bus ticket to go to Darjeeling.