Choque brutal
Trip Start
Jan 14, 2008
1
86
105
Trip End
Dec 19, 2008
Kathmandu,
Nepal
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Al dia siguiente nos enseņo el lugar: la escuela, el orfanato y nos presento a Gelu, un amigo y colaborador que nos propuso algunos tours para hacer en el pais. Bajamos al centro de Kathmandu y nos instalamos en un hotel. De nuevo en hoteles, nada de hostels y quiza no tan estupendos como desearamos, pero no nos quejamos. En el Florid estuvimos tan agusto y la gente del hotel fue encantadora. Eso si, nada mas salir, fuimos victimas del ataque de dos sadhus ("hombres sagrados"), que se avalanzaron sobre nosotras a ponernos un tikka (punto rojo) sobre la frente a cambio, por supuesto, de algunas rupias... de ahi deducimos que a partir de ese momento debiamos ser un poquito mas avispadas. De nuevo, en un pais de acoso y regateo... aunque sera un buen entrenamiento para la India!
Y no es para menos, porque aqui tienes que estar bien atento en la calle para no ser arrollado por alguna bici, moto, coche o vaca. Los peatones, que compartimos camino con todo lo demas, somos los ultimos... asi que yo andaba mas despistada que un pulpo en un garaje.
Durbar Sq., la locura, pero un rincon de lo mas especial en la ciudad.
Al dia siguiente, Gelu nos guio amablemente por Pashupatinath, el templo hindu mas importante del pais, donde tuvimos nuestras primeras impresiones de cremaciones y funerales. Sin comentarios.
Despues, y para quitarnos el mal rollo, nos fuimos a Boudhanath, la estupa mas grande y una preciosidad, rodeada de templos budistas y monjes con sus tunicas burdeos, en oracion y canto.
Ya, por la tarde, y apara despedirnos de la ciudad por unos dias, fuimos al templo de los monos, Swoyambhunath, para disfrutar de las vistas desde lo alto al atardecer.
Y a dormir temprano, que nos vamos!
By Pato
After the skyscrapers, we arrivedto the poorest country in Asia... we already noticed it in the airport. Fortunately, Tej, from the NGO that Sandra contacted, was there waiting for us and offered a bed in his place. Nice people.
The following day he showed us the school and orphanage and introduced us Gelu, a friend and part of the NGO team who proposed us some tour to do within the country. Then, we were droven to the city center to a hotel. Again hotels and not hostels. Not as we expected but ok. Anyway in Florid hotel we were confortable and people there were very nice (as most of Nepali as we will discover later). Juts when we went out we had our first attack by a couple of sadhus ("holy men"), rununig to us and putting a tikka (red point) on our forehead. Of course, they asked us for some money... then we realized that we had to be smarter and faster in this country...
again the world of hassling and bargaing...
And we had really to be because the streets are full of chaos and we had to ve carefull to not being run over by a bike, motorbike, car or even a cow!Pedestrians are the last thing here. So, after the strict order in Japan, I felt stupid and lost.
Durbar Sq. was crazy but funny. Good to see the city from the upper stais of the temple.
The following day Gelu gided us to some interesting places. We went to Pashupatinath which is the most important hindu temple and we had our first impressions from the cremations and funeral ceremonies. No comment.
Then we went to Boudhanath, the main stupa and so beautiful, sourounded by music, boudhist temples and monks praying. I felt so good!
In the aftternoon we went up to the monkey temple (full of steps) to see the amazing views during the sunset.
And early to bed because we leave!
Comments
G'day
Hi Patricia and Sandra!
Nepal sounds like an amazing experience, enjoy India.
Padraig