15. Around Kathmandu
After spending almost two weeks in Kathmandu attending workshops (last post), I was ready to get out and see some of the sites.
Our hosts at Karkhana did a great job organizing outings to cultural and religious sites for program participants.
Carson used vacation his time to fly into Kathmandu and join me for the last half of my stay. I loved exploring the countryside with him.
After the K_Space program we spent two nights in Nagarkot, a small town on the edge of the valley looking out toward the Himalayas. From here we were able to go on two day hikes across the countryside to different towns and temples.
Even from this distant vantage point, the Himalayas are an epic sight. The earth shoved up to the sky. From the airplane, I could see the impossible drop from the Himalayas to the surrounding plains. Gleaming rivers snaking their ways down from the mountains, bringing water to nations. It felt like a National Geographic Atlas brought to life and not real at all.
Tihar
The end of our visit overlapped with Tihar, a five day Hindu festival. It is celebrated with lights and colorful mandalas. Humans, gods, cows, dogs and crows are all honored during this festival.
Huge bamboo swings are also built during the festival. Everywhere we went there were children swinging (and sometimes adults like our bus driver who stopped the bus to get in a few big swings). I imagine that this is a magical time for a lot of children.
Nepal was bright and peaceful break from work. The K_Space program left me with a lot to think about and the beauty of the towns and countryside have me planning a return for a Himalayan trek next fall.
Next
Off to Shanghai to work on two school programs before returning to Yunnan to help lead a student trip.
