Nepal - visits begin and Bhaktapur

With a full on day ahead of us we got up early and started our work session. We were given beautiful bracelets as a welcome to the team. The bracelets commemorated the 5^th anniversary and the stones were picked out specially for their meanings of positivity,communication, self discipline, reflection, prosperity, clarity, vitality, leadership and life.

“Yes We Can!” ― Barack Obama

We did some getting to know you things and talked about our strengths and challenges and got to know the team a little better, which is great especially as we work at a distance.

Later in the morning we headed out to Bhaktapur and got our first real view of the Himalayas from the road.

 “It’s always further than it looks. It’s always taller than it looks. And it’s always harder than it looks.” (the three rules of mountaineering)

Soon we were at Bhatapur and had a quick hour to explore this ancient city. The complex very badly damaged by the earthquake sadly, more so than the other places that I saw. We managed a $5 half hour 'express tour' and a spot of lunch here....

Kali Ma

'Kali Ma - I am the night, the eternal darkness withing. I generate, venerate, and destroy. I am that which burns away your ego and false sense of self. I am fierce - crashing through barriers and breaking stereotypes.  am ruthless and relentless. I am full of an inexplicable love, an everlasting fire, a blade cutting away all that is not needed for you to embody your fullest self. I see red. Capitalize on my strength and veracity, dear one - I shall not forsake you' - Wild Soul Wellness

Quick shot of the three of us.

 

 

 

...soon we were on the road again and heading a little further out to a lovely school set up and managed by a thoughtful and inspiring man. The school was a great model and we had a lovely and interesting visit.

We headed back into town with another promise of a half hour ride into town - if the traffic was quiet, and just had time to freshen up before we were picked up by a friend who lived in Nepal. We headed out for dinner to a lovely roof terrace, great company and food, but baltic temperatures, definitely turning Cambodian!

“So when you're cold
From the inside out
And don't know what to do,
Remember love and friendship, 
And warmth will come to you.” 
― Stephen Cosgrove

Nepal - Patan Durbar Sq and the Boudhanath

Up, breakfast and a little work before heading to Patan Durbar Square. I managed to find a taxi at the end of the road, the reception said the fare should be around 500-600R and I negotiated 550r, by the time we got to Patan it was a hectic journey so I did give him 600R. He spent the first 10 mins of the ride insisting he would take me and wait for me and then wanted to take me to other sites, this seems to be the trend here to drum up more business and I really didn’t want to be tied to one particular taxi if I wandered a long way away and this seemed really hard to explain, eventually, and begrudgingly he allowed me just to be taken to Patan. Though the one driver we kept for a few hours really wished he hadn't (to come later)!!

The surrounding are, like much of Kathmandu, had small temples, beautiful door ways, some interesting street art and small alleyways of mystery on every street.

“Graffiti is one of the few tools you have if you have almost nothing. And even if you don't come up with a picture to cure world poverty you can make someone smile while they're having a piss.” ― Banksy

The square was lovely.... 

.....and also had an architecture gallery and a museum with many artifacts.

The buildings and courtyards of this ancient palace of the Malla Kings of Lalitpur were beautiful...

 

  

 

One of my favorite spots of this palace is the superbly carved sunken water tank known as the Tusha Hiti. Built in 1647, it has 72 carved stone plaques depicting Tantric deities and was used by the king for ritual ablutions. 

'Ritual is necessary for us to know anything.' - Ken Kesey



A very peaceful place to view and relax.





Inside the palace is an art and artefact gallery, with some detailed carvings and depictions of gods and deities....

                   

                  

The below piece I founds really interesting as it depicts the body, all its charkras, and the realms below and above us on our path to enlightenment... 

'To enjoy good health, to bring true happiness to one's family, to bring peace to all, one must first discipline and control one's own mind. If a man can control his mind he can find the way to Enlightenment, and all wisdom and virtue will naturally come to him.'- Buddha

The final exhibition was from a local photographer, most of which depicted  local celebration where a tall tree like tower / chariot is made and the God Machchhendranath is carried around in it - more info here http://www.insidehimalayas.com/major-festivals-of-nepal-2017/

  

 I also had lunch in the gardens of the museum before a final wander around the square and a visit to the Golden Temple 

                        

                           

  

 There was a small monastery above which we were allowed into....

                  

 

I needed to be back for 4pm when we were all meeting up, so I jumped in a taxi for the ride back. Everywhere in Kathamndu is 'only half an hour away, unless there is traffic, them, um an hour, an hour and a half, maybe two' (there is always traffic!). I had left just in time and  and walked through the door bang on. After a quick freshen up and some water we jumped in another taxi and headed to the Boudenath. A very special and spiritual place. It had been closed for renovations just after the earthquake, but there were some ceremonies to bless and reopen it when we were there. We had dinner and drinks at a Tapas bar overlooking the dome, which gave us a spectacular view and then we walked around it with everyone a couple of times and even managed to get into a small temple inside.

In a gift from Korea the top section is made from 25kgs of gold.

There are so many ways to express your spirituality and prayers....

Yak butter candles, being lit with prayers. 

Prayer flags.

Prayer wheels to spin

 

Bells to ring 

 Temples to worship at.

I wouldn't describe myself as religious, more spiritual. I have been lucky enough to visit some sites of real religious importance and its amazing how you can feel peoples wishes, dreams and prayers floating in the air at these places. Such powerful places of hope. Something the world needs more of at the moment.

'Infuse your life with action. Don't wait for it to happen. Make it happen. Make your own future. Make your own hope. Make your own love. And whatever your beliefs, honor your creator, not by passively waiting for grace to come down from upon high, but by doing what you can to make grace happen... yourself, right now, right down here on Earth.' - Bradley Whitford

"Learn to enjoy every minute of your life. Be happy now. Don't wait for something outside of yourself to make you happy in the future. Think how really precious is the time you have to spend, whether it's at work or with your family. Every minute should be enjoyed and savored." - Earl Nightingale