Kathmandu – back into the industrialized world

The first feedbacks we read about Kathmandu, Nepal’s capital city, were not really appealing: acting as the entry gate into the Himalayas for most of the foreign tourists visiting Nepal, one might not expect it to be one of the most polluted cities in the world. We check the air quality data online: even car-intense Paris sounds like a child’s play in comparison with the Nepalese city. Mask on!

Our first impression when we arrive to Kathmandu is that we are back under the Western’s influence. Out with traditional clothing and local tiny shops, it is the come back of big stores and styles that you could find in any big city in Europe. That feeling was even not that strong when we reached New Delhi. Our hostel is located outside of Thamel, a neighborhood made for tourists – let’s forget authenticity for now… (We chose this hostel on high criteria: our Chitwan roomie left from this hostel with the keys, he needed to bring them back and he told us that the accommodation was nice. Deal!)

To be fair, Kathmandu is not only traffic, but a cultural hub. The city is one of the oldest continously inhabited cities in the world, dating back to the 2nd century AD (source: Wikipedia). It shows: you can access to several squares filled with architectural wonders at walking distance, such as the Durban square and other UNESCO-recognized landmarks. As contrary to what I thought, the Nepalese are mostly hinduist (~80%), Buddhists only representing ~15% of the population. The divide is not that strong though, as both religions have come to share many common features, over the centuries.

After our first month in India where we prioritized learning about the culture over savings, we try to avoid any extra cost. Let’s say that it is impossible when you are a tall, white woman to blend in… I am stopped at gates where only foreigners have to pay, while Dimitri would have been free to roam around. As a test, he tries his luck: guess who paid half the entrance price because he passed as Indian? 🙃

One place that is fully worth the (minimal) fee is the enormous Buddha stuppa. The white dome, topped with Buddha eyes, carries a serene atmosphere and we dig into a spiritual moment, when we realize that the Buddhist teachings would not too far away from our own beliefs… We follow the crowd of believers and circle the monument clockwise, activating the prayers wheels as we go. Along with the prayer flags, they are to carry our prayers into the wind, so that they can spread everywhere. We consider buying some flags, to put the omnipresent Hamburger wind to good use…

Back to Nepal’s roots – Bhaktapur’s region

3 days walking through Kathmandu seem plenty enough, and we want to end our great Nepalese stay away from traffic and pollution. We head to Bhaktapur, 30min away from Kathmandu. Massive change of settings: the city used to be the capital city of the Newari kingdom, holding power within the Kathmandu region around the XVth century. Funny enough, we are told that old generations here barely speak Nepalese and still communicate in Newari, a langage far different from Nepalese. The city center is closed for cars (scooters do not count, as always in Asia), and we are under the impression that we can finally breath again.

Most of Bhaktapur ancient infrastructure was built out of wood, and the major earthquakes that hit the city around the 1940s and in 2015 damaged it significantly. We were worried about seeing a city in shambles… Not at all! We are utterly impressed by the efficiency of the renovation works, which brought the less stable monuments back up in just one year.

Protected by the UNESCO, Bhaktapur has also been granted the title of one of the cleanest cities in Asia. We had kind of get used to open-air garbage disposal since the beginning of our trip, and it is refreshing to see clean streets, free from it. We navigate through the city center, moving between the main 4 places, each with their own vibe. Special mention for the praised local yoghurt, the curb, served in pots (which you feel so odd to throw away after use – but, hey, way more eco-friendly than the plastic pots I saw my entire life!).

Under a cloudy sky, we go exploring Bhaktapur’s surroundings, taking a local bus to Changu Narayan. Price of the bus ticket: a few cents in euros. Full to the brim, it climbs slowly through the tight roads bordering picturesque landscapes, stopping at every corner. It is raining when we arrive: here we are in the middle of Nepal, part of a local festival, listening to a group of men playing and singing for the entire afternoon, looking at a Hindu temple whose facade is full of colorful figurines depicting the many gods and demons of the Hindu pantheon. It makes me think about what we were told in Chitwan: we are “busy living”.

Last day in Nepal, before making a pit stop in India and flying to Vietnam. Despite the humid and grey weather, we try our luck in Nagarkot, reknown globally for its views on the Everest mountains. We do not see a thing, and the hike that we choose is not really a success – Dimitri, fed up, does not think about it twice when a friendly Nepalese couple offers to drop us back to the bus station.

Wrap up about our time in Nepal

We have only stayed in Nepal for 3 weeks – and we wish we would have stayed more. We loved the friendliness of the Nepalese, the landscapes of the highest country in the world, the calm after staying in the enormous Indian cities. We began by experiencing Nepal with locals, with Niru’s family in Pokhara, and it brought us to enjoy everything from the start, despite a cloudy weather, hiding the mighty mountains most of the day.  If you are lucky enough to have a few weeks to explore South Asia, I would highly recommend starting with India first and then moving to Nepal. India will fill you with culture and food, Nepal will bring you the wonders of nature (with a culture topping, of course 😉).

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We focused the first 2 months of our world trip on South Asia. This article closes the part 1 of this travel diary. Moving on to part 2: South-East Asia! We landed in Hanoi, North Vietnam, on May 10 – a whole different world… I’ll tell you more in the next article! 😉