Kathmandu, Nepal

This is an area called Thati Square a few blocks from my hotel and on the way to Durbar Square, the main temple area. I would love to get closer photos of the women vending along the square.

No trip to Kathmandu would be complete without a stop at Helena's for their famous apple pie. Note the writing on the Diet Coke can. Canned soda is pricey here as it is imported...usually from Singapore.

The candles are lit in front of the statue in my hotel garden every evening when its not raining.

A statue in the hotel walls

A beautiful flowering three in the garden of the Kaiser Library. There was a whole row of these. Spectacular.... The Kaiser Library is named after Kaiser Shamsher who was interested in collecting books, unique antics, skulls of wild animals, paintings, photographs since his early childhood. He developed this interest in 1908 when he visited libraries and museums in England where he was very impressed with the library systems. After his return from England , he developed Kaiser Library as his personal library. At the time of Kaiser Shamsher, this library was limited to his family members, special people within and abroad the country. After his death in 1964, his wife Rani Krishna Chandra Devi Rana donated this library and Kaiser Palace premises to His Majesty's Government of Nepal for public use in 1968. Since then it has been running under his name as Kaiser Library and opened to the general public. It is full of dusty books and stuffed tigers.

My view of the former Royal Palace as I was waiting to be admitted.

The third day of the bright fortnight of Bhadra is popularly known as Teej or Harikalika or Women's Make a Wish Day. This is the day Parvati, the daughter of the Himalayas, is said to have won the heart of Lord Shiva by dint of her deep devotion and made him accept her as his bride. Women have traditionally set aside this two day celebration to meet their friends and have a happy holiday. They dress up in their best red dresses and meet in groups and sing their festival songs on the way to the major temples, especially Pashupatinath. They fast and pray in the belief that in doing so they will find ideal husbands.

The crush at one of the temples this year was so bad that several women had to be taken away by ambulance after they fainted.

A very neglected temple area near one of the main streets and lots of upscale shops.

Apparently some restoration is in order.

A pizza at Fire and Ice. Pizza is very popular here.

The long walk to the guarded gate at the Kathmandu Guest House. One of the reasons its so quiet and peaceful here is the distance from all the traffic. There is a lovely garden restaurant further in by the hotel entrance.
The street outside before traffic picks up. It is usually a tangle of cars, bicycle rickshaws, people and motorbikes. There are always fruit peddlars on the corner.

Two birds waiting patiently for some crumbs at the Pumpernickel bakery.

Heavily laden fruit tree in the garden. A great spot for a snack if its not raining.