Another weekend

Now is early Monday morning and another work week begins, week #4 of my project with READ.
The weekend was very relaxing...

As it has become my routine, I took long walks through the streets of Kathmandu. I can't get enough! Even when I am taking familiar routes I still see new things and enjoy it from a new perspective... this is Kathmandu, a city full of surprises...

On Saturday, my main mission was to go to Indra Chowk to pick up my new Saree ( yes, it is true, I bought one! Not sure how to dress it or how I would look in it... but I definitely could not pass this opportunity...they are so beautiful!!!). I decided to take a different route and check the famous Durbar Marg.

Durbar Marg is the street (or avenue.. I never know here...) that leads from Ratna Park towards the south entry of Narayanhiti Palace. This is known as a fancy shopping and dinning area, where some of the more traditional hotels are also located.

On my way, I could once more see the HUGE lines to enter the Narayanhiti Palace. This palace was until last year the residence of the Royal family of Nepal ( and the place or the infamous massacre happened in 2001 when the crown prince of Nepal, Dipendra Shah, killed the entire royal family and then took his own life. This event created a serious succession problem and the a lot of intrigue, giving a big blow to legitimacy and strength of the Royal system in Nepal.

One of the side entries to the Palace

Long lines to visit the Museum

Main gate to the Narayanhiti Palace Museum

Since the end of the monarchy on May 2008, the royal family had to leave the palace and the government transformed it into a National Museum. Since its inauguration in, February 27th 2009, huge lines, of mostly Nepalese people, form in front of its gates every day.

No one that I have asked so far had yet visited the Museum, all want to go but think the lines are too big right now. Some people tell me that the issue is that only ten people are allowed in at a time!! That is not a recipe for shorter lines...

I would love to go, but I am not sure if I would stand for hours, in the heat, to see this palace... I will keep monitoring the line and try to find out the best time to try...

Durbar Marg is interesting... very different from other areas I had been in Kathmandu so far. A lot of western brands, nice restaurants, airline offices and hotels. It seems to represent the western dream of consumption and luxury...I will have to expand on that in some future post...


Back to my walk, I left Durbar Marg back to KTM, passing thru Jamal towards Asan Tole. Along the way, lots of traffics and noise, regular KTM lovely chaos and a very nice view of Rani Pokhari.

Rani Pokhari

Rani means Queen and Pokhari means small lake. This lake was built by King Pratap Malla, in 1667 to console his queen over the death of their son. According to my dear friend Chetan, this Shiva Temple only opens once a year, during the festival of Tihar, when all sisters offer puja in honor of their brothers.

Beautiful and peaceful place in the middle of all the chaos!! So interesting!!

From there to Indra Chowk passing through Asan Tole and enjoying the unique smell of spices... I wish I could describe it, but I think it is impossible... I can't help but think about all the spice caravans that always filled my imagination. I love the smell!! The big sacs full of seeds and the vendors in their colorful clothes and with their beautiful features just gives the finishing touch to the scene!

Got my Saree - beautiful!!!, bought some pashminas and scarves along the way (most of you probably already noticed that I love a scarves.. :-) I am having a hard time controlling my shopping impulses, and I think I am doing a fairly good job, after one month, it was my first scarf purchase... Are you proud, Flavio?...)

Happy with my new acquisitions, I wandered some more on the narrow streets between Durbar Square and Thamel and finally stopped at one of my favorite places to eat OR2K (again, more on favourite places to eat in a future post...) A nice and relaxing brunch, reading a good book and listening to very good music!

On my way back, I chose the route that crosses through Lamzipat, the area where most embassies and consulates are located. It is fascinating to walk and feel the different personalities and pace of each neighborhood.

Back home I took a nice cold shower and relaxed for the rest of the day, reading my classmates blogs (so funny and interesting!), news from around the world and doing some research and brainstorming for my project.

It was almost a perfect day... unfortunately Flavio and Raquel were in a farm with no Internet connection so I could not have my "daily Skype bliss" ( I am not sure what I would do here without Skype...)...

Well! I am looking forward to Monday when they will be back to the virtual world and only a Skype call away...