Kathmandu-Throwing Ourselves Into the Sea of Humanity

Part 2 of Kathmandu started with…a nap. We were so tired! 45 minutes was about what I got, but that carried me through dinner, so…good enough. 

Before dinner, we went on a somewhat lengthy bus ride to the world’s largest Stupa (a UNESCO World Heritage Site). You just have to put all your trust in the driver (and the drivers of the other vehicles). It seems to be a dance that they all know. 

Cars and motorcycles going every which way. 

One of the crazy intersections

This was our bus. 

At the Stupa, we all piled out of the bus. Jeff purchased the entrance tickets, and wemade our way inside. 

The Stupa



Prayer wheels surround the outer edge. 

There are shops and restaurants that form an outer ring around the Stupa. 

Pigeons 

Shops are crammed full of all sorts of things. 

At one spot, we could walk in to a small room within the wall of the Stupa. There was a monk offering us a powdery incense to throw on the fire for a good life. It was very smokey and fragrant. 



Off to the side was another smaller room with two giant prayer wheels. 

We continued our clockwise loop. Everyone travels clockwise. Many, including numerous monks, are saying a specific prayer as they walk, working their way through a strand of prayer beads. 

If you want to pass someone, you only pass to the outside (left).

We made our way to a rooftop restaurant called the Roadhouse Cafe. 

Good pizza

Pretty nice view from the restaurant. 

Here’s a view of my dessert. A brownie on a sizzling wood fired plate. It was smoking hot (literally)!

Group photo (left to right-Jeff, Makaela, John, Heather, me Jenny, and Sean).

As we were walking back to where we had come in, there were these dogs playing with some string. 

They seem to mostly ignore the people. 

Then there was this little fella. He just sat there…observing.

One final photo of the Stupa, and then we were headed back to the bus. Bhola had found us and led us to where the bus was waiting. It was on the other side of the very busy road. When we got to where we were going to cross, Jeff told us to all stay close together (critical mass). It was like “Frogger Extreme” as we made our way across the street. There are no traffic lights or crosswalks or anything. There is the occasional police directing traffic at some of the more complicated intersections. 

It was a bit faster drive back to the hotel, with slightly less traffic. We all said our good nights, and headed to bed. Tomorrow would be a long day driving in a jeep to a village on the way to Langtang.