It was a long travel day to get from Pokhara to Kathmandu. It took nearly 10 hours on a bus. Once again the ride was bumpy especially since I found myself in the last row again. There was lots of construction as we approached Kathmandu which made the trip even longer.
The tourist bus station in Pokhara. The different bus companies line up around the lot. Plenty of stories to share about my bus rides in Nepal! You will have to ask me about them the next time we see each other!My last look at the Himalayas from the tourist bus station!
I had two full days to explore Kathmandu. I spent Friday doing a tour of Boudhanath and Pashupatinath.
Boudhanath – one of the largest Buddhist stupas in the world. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
View of the shops and buildings that surround the stupa. Visitors aren’t able to go into the stupa but we are able to walk around the perimeter.
After spending some time at Boudhanath I went to Pashupatinath, the holiest Hindu pilgrimage destination in Nepal.
The Bagmati River flows through the complex.Lots of temples, shrines, and statues throughout the complex as well.The Arya Ghat cremation grounds are located here. The Bagmati River is an extremely sacred river for Hindus. Open-air crememations occur here where the ashes can be swept into the river. This was a really powerful and meaningful place to spend some time as it was a place filled with life and death. It’s hard not to be reflective at a scared site like this regardless of religious beliefs and customs.I spent the rest of the afternoon and evening walking around Thamel.Kathmandu, especially Thamel, is filled with shops, restaurants, people, taxis, and motorbikes!I spent my second day walking around Kathmandu Durbar Square. It is a complex filled with temples and shrines, both Hindu and Buddhist. I went on a Saturday, a day of rest for the people of Nepal. It was filled with tourists and locals.
One of my favorite moments was watching a group of women congregate and listening to them sing/chant. I sat for 15 minutes or so off to the side listening to them.
This was another favorite moment of mine. I took some time to just sit and take the world in. I sat on the stairs next to the woman in the pink scarf. She was there with her husband and small little boy.My view from the steps. The local children loved throwing grains to the pigeons and chasing them.
It was a long travel day to get from Pokhara to Kathmandu. It took nearly 10 hours on a bus. Once again the ride was bumpy especially since I found myself in the last row again. There was lots of construction as we approached Kathmandu which made the trip even longer.
Kelly Jo Travels 