Where the heck are we now?: Kathmandu, Nepal....Part 1

We flew from Jodphur to Kathmandu with a long layover in Dehli so didn’t arrive until almost midnight. We got our 15 day Visa and then found our driver who dropped us off at our hotel right in the middle of the tourist district. It was only 18 dollars with breakfast included so we weren’t expecting much and as we got there we both looked at each other and said, “ We can’t stay here!”

There were prostitites on the corner, police trying to pick up a drunk and it was dark and dirty!

But as the morning broke and we went for breakfast on the roof our mood lifted and we stayed put...

Kathmandu is the capital city of Nepal with approximately 1.5 million people. It suffered severe earthquake damage in 2015 which is still evident. The city is located in a valley surrounded by hills and it is probably the dirtiest city we have ever visited and I was expecting a green city.

Typical street in centre of city, lots of reconstruction...

In the tourist section it is a bit cleaner and pedestrian only streets...

Kathmandu is one of the most polluted cities in the world and the air quality while we were there was off the chart, many people wear masks as I did on a few occasions...

The air quality index when we were there, we are still coughing up dust!

As in most cities we visited we took to walking and explored the tourist center called Thamel which was nearby. It is full of tourists and shops...

Lots of trekking shops as Kathmandu is a jumping off point for trekkers to the Himalayas. We hoped to do a day trek but couldn’t find one as the mountains were too far away...

Luckily there were lovely, quiet spots for coffee and a beer, many of them are old houses converted to boutique hotels...

Even a candlelight supper in a beautiful courtyard, one of the positives about Kathmandu was the delicious food available everywhere...

One day we walked to Dunbar Square which is one of the central points in the old city and where as we walked we could experience the local neighbourhoods...

The red temples are everywhere.

The fruit sellars all have their wares on bikes that they wheel around...

Try to fiqure out which wire goes where?

Lots of these everywhere as well...

Blankets for sale....

Some evidence of the earthquake damage...

Durbar Square is the generic name used to describe plazas and areas opposite the old royal palaces in Nepal. It consists of temples, idols, open courts and more. Before the Unification of Nepal, the country consisted of small kingdoms and everyone had a Durbar Square. They all all Unesco World Heritage Sites and this one in Kathmandu sadly has sustained a lot of earthquake damage.

Here are some images from the square...