Pashupatinath- a whole new meaning to 'Burning Men'

In our few days back in Kathmandu Rachel and I regrouped for the next big trip (We are going to India!) We also managed to get to another must-see tourist site called Pashupatinath or Pashupati (like Bouddha or Bouddhanath... depends who you ask). Pashupati is a Hindu temple dedicated to one of the manifestations of Shiva (called Pashupati). This is where many nepali funerals take place in the form of cremation on the banks of the Bagmati river. Although non-hindus can't go into the temple itself, there are many open monuments around the temple and near where the cremations take place out in the open for all to see.

Smoke from the cremations obscures the view of the bridge and temple.

View of several cremations occurring at the same time. There are four or five platforms on the river and they dump the ashes in after several hours of burning.

Family members dip the feet of the deceased into the river before the cremation. They say prayers and sprinkle the body with colors and flowers.

Rachel rests in the shade near a shrine to one god or another.

Just chilling with the Sadhus... the enlightened pose was their idea not mine.

Boys swimming in the Bagmati river near the cremations.

Chitwan National Park- or -Elephants Everywhere

From Pokhara Rachel and I took a bus straight to Chitwan National Park (formerly Royal Chitwan National Park). Marc took a different bus from Kathmandu and we all met up at the bus stop at pretty much the same time. We had arranged a package tour so pretty much everything for the whole weekend was pre-planned from start to finish. From the elephant breeding center, to the canoe down the river (where we saw a really big crocodile), to the Elephant bathing, to the Jungle tour on elephant backs, to the stick dancing program, to the not-so-great food... we were pretty much ferried around like the tourists we happen to be.

Rachel and I posing by the park sign.

You may have thought there was a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow... but it turned out there is really an elephant.

Here we are in our super-long canoe, which seemed to be carved all out of one big trunk.

Can you feel the baby-elephant love tonight?

A line of elephants spraying their respective tourists from their trunks... I think we are the 3rd from left.

Rachel, Myself, and Marc, fresh from our elephant bath.

Marc and Rachel boarding our elephant for the incredibly uncomfortable jungle tour... fyi elephant saddles could definitely use some padding.

This elephant train leaves serious tracks...

Our evening program was watching the local 'stick dance'.

Lazy days in Pokhara

After our 6 day trek, Rachel and I decided to take it easy in Pokhara. A nice, but touristy, town where most people start their treks into Annapurna from. Mun introduced us to two Swiss-German guys, named Mark and Sven, who he had met through another trekking guide. We went out for dinner and drinks with them and then spent the whole next day together on the lake in a canoe.

Myself, Mun, and Rachel, celebrating our safe return from the trek.

Rachel, Sven, Mark, and Me.

Mark and Sven came to pick us up at the shore, Rachel is waiting in the shade.

Bistari Bistari (slowly slowly)

We finally made it! The Annapurna mountain range is pretty awesome. After our prolonged journey to actually get to the trail head Marc, Rachel, Mun (our trail guide whose name is pronounced 'Moon'), and I started hiking in Annapurna (rather than Lang Tang like we had planned).
Rachel and I planned about a week of time for this, and Marc was only able to come with us for an extended weekend. Unfortunately he got sick and had to cut his weekend short anyway, so he turned back after the first night we spent on the trail. He came down with cyclospora-something-or-other... not pleasant.
After we parted ways, Rachel and I continued our trek with Mun as our trusty guide.
Usually during monsoon season it is very rare to see the mountains, but luckily on the morning when we woke up to see the sunrise on Poon Hill, the sky was clear and we could see the whole range.
It was a very nice reward since the day before we had gained 1200 meters in elevation which took us 8 hrs and rain had poured down on us for the last hour or so. One nice thing about trekking here also is that at the end of every day we get to sleep in a hotel with a bed, a shower, and occasionally decent food. Most of what we have been seeing is rural/agricultural Nepal rather than the unlivable wilderness.

Mun is showing Marc the view at the first teahouse we stayed at in Hille.

A woman takes her mule train to deliver goods to the many villages inaccessible by roads.


Rachel always takes time to stop and smell the... flowers?

Me on Poon Hill, the morning we woke up early for sunrise and were lucky enough to have clear weather and saw the whole Annapurna range.

Where's Waldo? I mean Rachel...

We were keeping pace with this guy carrying an 87 Kg refrigerator!

This kiva (ladybug) found a nice spot on some well-worn prayer flags at the top of a hill.

Woman in one of many rice paddies.

Rachel and Mun crossing a khola (stream).

Here I am cooling off in a nadi (river). All our Nepali vocab is related to hiking... one of the words we used most was juga (leech).

Dere ramro! (very beautiful/nice/good/awesome! According to Mun there is only one word that says it all...)

The King of Pop lives on...

In a tiny town called Kalisthan in Nepal!!! (This is where we got stuck at the 2nd bandh)

Michael Jackson has replaced Obama as people's American conversation starter.

We got the Bandh Blues

After driving about 5-6 hours yesterday, heading north of Kathmandu to start a trek in the Lang Tang national park, we encountered a political road blockade called a bandh. Apparently the town official had been collecting money for water but not providing any, so as the Nepalis do, they set up a road block and wouldn't let anyone through until they got their water. There have been over 500 bandhs in the last year. A bandh is a kind of strike for any reason (a kidnapping, lack or services etc.) but it always involves the prevention of driving in a given area, they even have them in Kathmandu, and there are occasional attacks on people who break the strike rule. As you can imagine all work stops as well.

In our case, when we encountered the Bandh in a very small village the locals to let us pass since we were tourists and basically they wanted our business (staying in a hotel/eating their food etc.). After getting through that first Bandh we kept driving for about hour when we got to a police road block and we didn't have as good of luck this time. We ended up walking about 10 minutes to the closest town to find a hotel. Our guide and driver led us into probably the most disgusting place I have ever had the privilege to sleep in, but really there weren't any other options available. We woke up really early to finish the drive to the beginning of the trail, but when we got outside and talked with some locals they told us there was another bandh at the end of the town. We tried every which way to convince them to let us pass, but to no avail. Then we found out that even if we did get past the second bandh there was a landslide that made the road impassable. So instead of our first day of hiking, we spent 10 hrs in the car, heading first back to Kathmandu and then here to Pokhara. In addition to losing a day of trekking/sightseeing, the roads here are pretty gross (i.e. way too much exposure to exhaust from huge trucks coming in and out of India). It was kindof interesting to see Nepali politics in all its inconvenient glory. And stay tuned for pics from our trek in Annapurna, which made everything totally worth it!


The beautiful view on our way to Lang Tang... where we didn't end up going.


The beautiful elaborate first roadblock set up by the villagers.

The police blockade... so sad!

This picture doesn't begin to do justice to the nastiness of this so-called 'hotel'.

One of the highlights was when Rachel and I taught a bunch of local kids how to play 'Set'... a great card game that hasn't let us down yet.

Marc and Rachel arguing/bargaining over how much we should pay for our lovely accommadations.

From the Hyatt to the Hill-top Monastery

Rachel and I started the day at the Hyatt. Which sounds kindof random (and it is) but is has a great view of Bouddha, and very fancy architecture. It comes complete with a western pool and western prices. From there we walked over to Bouddha, which I had already visited once, but it is definitely a must-see for any tourist coming to Kathmandu, so I was happy to go again with Rachel. From there we headed to Kopan Monastery. Kopan Monastery is one of only hundreds of monasteries laying about, but I think we picked a good one because it is particularly big with beautiful architecture and artwork, and offers many meditation courses and the like.

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View of Bouddha and Kathmandu from the Hyatt...note the huge fancy pool.


Rachel and I are posing on the roof I discovered the first time I went to Bouddha. This time there was actually a big scary monkey with two different colored eyes that almost attacked my camera. Which is why Rachel and I are exhiled to the corner of the roof.


On our walk to Kopan Monastery (which was a bit longer than we expected) we hung out with these two Nuns who showed us the way to the Monastery, our conversations included a lot of pantomiming.


I liked the sidewalk sign at the Monastery which says, 'Welcome Home'.


That is one big buddha.


I guess a monastery is as good a place as any for Rachel to meditate... Ooooooooohm...


The only other tourists around are checking out the beautiful statues/relics.


My favorite Monk... don't forget, NO KILLING ALLOWED!