Dubai Post 45: The City of Kathmandu

Hotel Shanker, where we stayed for the weekend.
It is a well known hotel in Kathmandu. 

Kathmandu is the capital of Nepal and was our host city over the weekend.  It is located in the center of Kathmandu Valley which is surrounded by the Himalayan Mountains.  Kathmandu has a rich history as there have been inhabitants for over 2,000 years.

Upon arriving, it was quite evident Kathmandu is a third world city.  Trash is littered all over and dirt and dust fill the air and the street.  In America, you wonder sometimes why people might wear masks over their mouths.  Being in Kathmandu, I could see why it would make perfect sense.  Then, of course, there was the smell.  For the most part, the smell throughout the city was not unbearable.  However, when you were by a waterway, it smelled like a toilet.

The streets were empty at 5AM but within one hour
they were buzzing with people. 

Seeing piles of trash and run down buildings was very common. 

Everything is quite cheap in Kathmandu which makes sense for how poor it is.  It is no wonder hippies flock to Nepal and spend months here.  It would be very easy to live off little money and still be able to eat decently and have a few beers.  

Streent vendors were very popular, but you had to be careful
when choosing what to eat. 

While driving along the streets, shacks like this were the most common.
People typically sold water, beer, tobacco, candy and soda. 

We usually took rickshaws at night, and at times drove them. 

It would be even cheaper to eat as locals.  Most people are cooking right on the side of the street which is known as “street meat”.  This is a big no-no for tourists. You do not eat anything off the street or drink any water that is not in a bottle.  That being said, at a normal restaurant I was able to dine on a blend of Indian, Chinese and Nepali cuisine which was quite good.  

Overlooking part of Kathmandu.  

Fruit stands here might be a little different when compared to NY or Chicago. 

Thamel was the area of town that is filled with restaurants
and shops for tourists. 

Our driver for the day we went touring around Kathmandu Valley. 

The filth and the chaos is what I would expect of third world countries.  Once I was able to look past that, I was truly able to embrace the Nepali culture and enjoy everything Kathmandu had to offer.  Kathmandu is a great city to visit and there is so much to see and do.  However, it is not the type of place I would want to live in for a few months. 

The Indian food we had at the casino.  The casino was located at the hotel
next to us, but it was no MGM Grand. 

The same type of dessert I had in the Pakistan restaurant.  I
could not resist myself. 

One of the many dishes of dim sum we ate this weekend.  It was the
best I have ever had. 

Spicy Nepali chicken dish.  I think we ended up ordering four of these plates.