KATHMANDU TO KALIMPONG 2014: Friday,14th February 2014. Wow….What a Day

Wow what a day we had today. Firstly I slept fitfully waking at 4.00am, then dozed till 7.30am. Lovely and cozy in bed as I had blankets, not used to the weight of blankets anymore, felt strange. After a huge breakfast of fruit, omelette and Nepalese bits and pieces I headed out with the group for a guided tour of Kathmandu. Loved it, full of colour, temples and history. We saw Kasthamandah Temple, from which Kathmandu takes it's name. It is made of wood, no iron nails or supports and supposedly made from the timber of one tree. We visited the Kumari Ghar, a royal palace in the centre of the city where the Royal Kumari Devi lives. The Kumari is a young girl, from about 4 years to puberty chosen to live, during those years, as a living goddess. She is selected from the Nepalese Newari community and has to be in excellent health without blemish or disease. She is examined for 32 perfections e.g. eyelashes like a cow, thighs like a deer. She never leaves the palace but is educated and receives family and friends there. It is a great honour to be chosen. We saw her at a viewing window but were forbidden to take photos, a young fidgeting girl, beautifully made up and dressed, but leading a hidden life. We witnessed cremations taking place on the banks of Bagmati River a tributory to the Ganges. Hordes of people just milling about watching, here they willing share their funerals with strangers not keeping them private as we do. Fascinating but disturbing. We had a lunch of 'momos' overlooking the Boudhanath Stupa Temple which is the holiest Buddist site in Nepal. Thousands of prayer flags are hoisted up from the top of the Stupa downwards and dot the perimeter.. It was late afternoon by the time I returned to the hotel and assembled Spike. No problems, in good shape. We dined tonight at the house of our support leader's parents. Binod's mother prepared a beautiful meal of water buffalo curry, chicken curry, vegetables, pakora and much more. So welcoming, so friendly. She trains the cooks in all Binod's support teams so that sounds promising. It has been a fascinating hectic day with so much to see and take in. Now have to get to bed as another early start. Love the vibrancy, noise, colour, history of Kathmandu. All good.