The Longest Way Home | Travel Blog

Food in Nepal: A mutton curry to avoid

2013-06-16T16:30:00-07:00

Mutton Curry from Nepal – maybe not the best

Mutton Curry from Nepal:

I like mutton. Some of the best mutton dishes I’ve had have been in India and certainly the single best roast leg of mutton I ever had was in Pakistan. What then when I see mutton curry on a menu in Nepal? Pakistan, India … Nepal. Surely it would have a hint of the former’s greatness?

Arrival of the mutton curry

My worst expectation of ordering a new meat dish in Nepal is that it will come with bone. As in the meat still attached to the bone. There’s nothing more wasteful for me than to see a plate full of 1mm thick meat under great chunks of white bone for two times the price of a plain vegetable option. So I was really happy to see this mutton curry came with no bone. Well, there were a few little bits but it was mainly meat.

I wasn’t too happy to see it looking a little watery but then again it’s Nepal so one can’t expect greatness with everything. At least I had my plate of mutton.

What did the mutton curry taste like

A little harsh to be honest. More a heavy burnt coriander flavor than anything else. It tasted more like goat than mutton too. It’s certainly not a dish I would want again. Which is surprising as I had in Pokhara which goes the extra mile in tourist fare ( do check out my guide to Pokhara).

The after effects of a mutton curry

Sure enough later that night the gurgling in my stomach kicked in. Then for the next two days it was me and the toilet spending much time together. The villan? The mutton curry of course.

Watery plate of mutton curry – never a good sign

A local friend called over and asked what was up. I explained what had happened. Then, once recovered, I went to visit them. Turns out they knew the restaurant owner where I’d had the curry.

Apparently it was indeed mutton. But it had been frozen. As as you may know in Nepal the electricity is not reliable at all with long periods of defrosting freezers being the norm. The result? Some really unhealthy mutton.

Strangely my friend told me the restaurant owner extended his apologies to me. But as I passed by his restaurant all I got was the usually friendly wave. No personal apology or anything.

Cultural differences in food poisoning

A few weeks later the restaurant owners wife saw me passing by and invited me in for lunch. I simply waved and declined. Then promptly took a right into the cafe next door. They weren’t too happy to see that and soon after the friendly waves stopped.

I asked my friend about this and he shook it off and said there was no problem. I could eat where I wanted to. The thing is if the man or even his wife had apologised in person to me rather than from I took as a third person I’d have gone back. But they didn’t. They just continued on as if nothing had happened. There’s a small chance that if I’d gone in they might have offered a free meal. But I doubt it.

It’s not just tourists who get bad meals

In Nepal there’s a huge effort made to create tourist food for their number one source of income – tourists. Meanwhile the locals eat Dal Bhat and many other types of food not always on display. Truth of the matter is if you’ve stayed in a Nepalese home, especially if your room is near the bathroom, you’ll hear that at least once a week there’s a personal toiletry problem.

While food that causes stomach problems in the “west” is practically illegal hence all the health and safety tests, in Nepal it’s “normal” to have bad stomach every now and then. It’s a shrug-off event. While to me, it’s more of an alarm bell warning.

So in this context the man and his restaurant didn’t quite see it as being a big enough problem to apologize over. While I on the other saw it as being the type of thing one should do.

Moral of the mutton curry

As I wrote earlier I like mutton. When in Pakistan or India do please try it. In Nepal however it’s important to note that sheep farming is not that popular. Even the most popular mutton restaurant in Kathmandu runs out of mutton quite regularly. Hindsight is great.

So if you see mutton on Nepalese menu you might want to keep this in mind before ordering!

This is an additional article featuring food from Nepal. Nepal’s number one industry is tourism. In covering food from Nepal I am including what you will find everyday in Nepal. From traditional Nepalese food to tourist food. Do read my article on what’s the food like in Nepal for more.

What do you think about this? Leave a comment & let me know about Food in Nepal: A mutton curry to avoid

RSS subscribers do you know you're missing out on some things like my newsletter and how to guides? Sign up to my email updates & also get your FREE ebook of 5 Top Places to Travel & Photograph

(Due to the nature of my current travels I'll be sending out the ebook via email during the first week of the month)More information about RSS vs email membership here

If you are a new subscriber, welcome! Please read my about page to learn about this journey.
Or, simply enjoy more on my Travel Blog and my Travel Photography gallery

All content, concepts and design © copyright 2005 - 2013 www.thelongestwayhome.com

Join in and leave a comment here! - Food in Nepal: A mutton curry to avoid

How to bargain and barter in Kathmandu Nepal

2013-06-04T17:01:42-07:00

Souvenir Market in Kathmandu Nepal

Bargaining and bartering is a way of life in Kathmandu and Nepal

If you don’t like to bargain or barter and are planning to visit Nepal then good luck to you. Indeed there are many other places in the world where fixed pricing is not common. Indeed the art of bargaining is a way of life and in Nepal it’s expected.

Walk with a local and watch them shop for vegetables at a market they don’t know. It happens there too. So, no. It’s not just a tourist thing either.

The thing is if you don’t bargain or barter you will lose out. It’s not just about money either. Without bartering you are also losing face as many locals will think you are too rich and arrogant – aka stupid.

Here’s how to bargain and barter in Nepal even for those who don’t like to haggle.

Tourists looking for souvenirs are easy prey in a barter country

Know your role: A tourist who has no idea about bargaining or the barter system is going to lose out whether they know it or not. Many will settle on the first price for something and not go any further. They have no idea the price being said is marked up considerably. They take the price at face value.

Or worse yet a tourist might imagine what the item might cost in a store back home.

Typical souvenir stall in Kathmandu Nepal

Thamel in Kathmandu is a prime example of this. See an incense holder. Ask the price. Be told its 500 rupees – fixed price.

So many people are willing to hand over the 500 rupees without going any further. They don’t want to challenge the set price they’ve just been told the item is worth.

What they don’t understand is that this is merely the opening offer.

A few experienced people might have read in a guide book that they should immediately offer half. Only the common result is this is that the vendor shakes their head and places the item back on a shelf.

The customer is left feeling like they insulted the owner. They think they’ve lost their new found treasure. They think the item is gone and they won’t get it back.

Welcome to bartering in Nepal. The game has only just begun.

Looking to save money on souvenirs? Don’t shop in Thamel

Know your location: Thamel is a tourist haven for souvenir shopping. Everything is for sale and everything is marked up. Even the most savvy of travelers knowledgeable in the art of bartering will struggle here. Why? Because demand is high and there are plenty of tourists around.

Thamel is not a good place to practice your bartering skills

If you don’t buy at the right price, no problem, the next tourist will. If not the next then the one after that. Yes, in an over-saturated market the bargaining tourist is often at a distinct disadvantage.

Where can you get good souvenirs in Kathmandu?

This really depends on what you are looking for? Wholesalers are all along the outskirts of Thamel and on into New Road. They supply large quantities of items to Tibet (yes really), Thailand and other foreign markets. It’s a good place to start if you are looking to bulk order 100 or so singing bowls.

But making a contact first rather than knocking on doors is a better option. In Nepal, it’s all about knowing the right man who knows the right man who knows the right man who won’t screw you out of a deal.

For the average person looking for one or two souvenirs to bring home things can be as complicated or as easy as you make it. Here’s the easy way …

The best places to buy tourist items in Kathmandu

You’re not buying everyday items, you’re buying souvenirs: I’m writing about souvenirs like singing bowls, prayer wheels, paintings, statues, masks, incense holders and jewelry here. These are all purposely made for the tourist market not for everyday Nepalese use.

If you don’t have a lot of time then there really is only one area I would suggest you go on your last day of quick souvenir shopping in Kathmandu.

Unexpectedly it’s the huge tourist attraction of Kathmandu Durbar Square. Here there is mini market of souvenir stalls set up by local people. Most of these are set on low tables and blankets laid out on the ground in front of the main tourist ticket office.

Kukri Knives for sale in Kathmandu Nepal

Go early in the morning as the first sale of the day is meant to bring luck. This is especially true of older sellers.

Now let’s learn what to do there …

How to bargain for the best souvenir price in Kathmandu like a professional (even if you’ve never done it before)

Practice. Practice. Practice.

1) Start by simply walking up and down here and be greeted by many people who will often randomly blurt a verbal price at you while holding up an item or pointing to it.

Knowing what you want helps. In this case lets say a prayer wheel. Now, show some interest in one.

2) Listen for the price. Then do the same for anything else you want to buy. If no one gives you a price then ask. But don’t look interested. Just pick the item up an inch from its stand or just point to it. Wait for a reply.

3) Got the price. Shake your head and move on. Walk to another seller further away or out of sight of this one.

4) Point to another prayer wheel and ask for the price. If it’s higher act shocked and tell them it’s cheaper at another stall. If they ask how much. Don’t tell them! Stick to your guns and keep asking them for their price. They will either tell you or stay silent. If they go the silent route then start to walk away. Don’t worry they’ll then call a price out to you before you’ve gone too far.

You now have two prices for prayer wheel. Hopefully one will be lower than the other. Either way mentally reduce it by 25%.

5) Third time’s a charm with your next vendor. Point to a prayer wheel and ask how much. Ignore their price. Instead quote the lower price offered by the previous vendors minus that 25%.

6) Stick to your guns and mention first sale of the day. If they agree you have them hooked.

7) Now make a counter offer of wanting to buy more things at that stall at a good price. Stick with that stall or go back to the other two and chat happily now that you know the more realistic price.

Congratulations you’ve just bargained like a pro.

Travel Tip:

What are the best things to buy in Nepal? Where can you find them? For all the details on where to find the best bargains and what to buy when visiting Nepal read my article on: The best things to buy in Nepal

Taking things too far

I’ve seen people take what they’ve learned at bartering in the Middle East and apply it in Nepal and fail miserably. Ditto other parts of the world. While bartering is commonplace in many parts of the world each country has subtle differences that are very important.

Likewise I’ve seen tourists take things too far and beleaguer an old seller into a price far below the cost price. Why did the old man sell? He took the loss because he needed the cash in hand that day to eat.

Don’t push things to the point of ridiculousness. If you feel like you got a good bargain, be happy. Just be sure the vendor is reasonably happy too.

Souvenir statue of Buddha in Kathmandu

Bargaining for souvenirs in Nepal can be frustrating but rewarding

All of this can be frustrating to someone not used to it. In truth all of the above will only take about ten minutes. Don’t forget bargaining in Nepal is a good sign of respect. If you don’t, trust me when I say you are being seen as a target.

The pleasure of the above method is that the people you are bargaining with know what you are doing. Simply looking for the best price. They do the same thing themselves.

Bartering like this can reward you with many smiles and lasting memories. Numerous photo opportunities and taken lightly a nice way to leave the country.

Leave at least one day when you travel to Nepal just for souvenir shopping. If you are visiting Bhaktapur they make lot of pottery, carvings, paintings and puppets which will be cheaper than in Kathmandu.

Either way, Nepal is simply one of the best countries in the world for souvenir shopping. Enjoy it!

This is an additional article about how to bargain and barter in Nepal

Planning on booking a hotel room in Nepal?

Looking for the best online rates?

I recommend you try my own hotel search for Nepal. The best online rates guaranteed!

What do you think about this? Leave a comment & let me know about How to bargain and barter in Kathmandu Nepal

All content, concepts and design © copyright 2005 - 2013 www.thelongestwayhome.com

Join in and leave a comment here! - How to bargain and barter in Kathmandu Nepal

Food from Nepal: Chicken Reshami Kabab

2013-05-26T16:37:00-07:00

Chicken Reshami Kabab from Nepal or is it something else?

Chicken Reshami Kabab

I first discovered this incredible dish back in 2008. You can see the original photo below. It amazed me. Tender succulent chicken wrapped in sugar string like candy floss.

Served with a mint sauce and naan bread it’s one of the nicest chicken dishes I’ve ever had.

The problem is I can find nothing out about this dish!! Read on …

My first encounter with Reshami Kabab in Kathmandu

I was randomly picking off new dishes from a popular local Indian/Nepalese restaurant in Kathmandu when I came across Reshami Kebab.

The waiter corrected my pronunciation, “Rash-eeee-me Kebab.”

Okay, fair enough. Let me have one of those without the added vowels.

What arrived at my table looked like small portions of yellow hairy chicken!

The yellowed chicken was in fact covered with a candy floss like ball of sugar string. Not being overly fond of sweet dishes I had my doubts. But the truth was that Reshami kebab is delicious!

Chicken Reshami kebab covered in sugar string from 2008

What does Reshami Kabab taste like

Once you’ve broken through the candyfloss like sugar string the chicken underneath is some of the most tender succulent chicken I’ve ever had in Nepal.

I’ve asked how it was made and am told it’s marinated in butter, yogurt and masala. This explains the softness and subtle flavors.

What’s really unusual is that there are also little sprigs of coriander on the chicken. Normally in Nepal this is dried or already a part of a dishes curry. Something special was going on with this Kabab!

A return to Reshami Kabab

On my return to Nepal one of the first things I wanted to try again was this Chicken Reshami Kabab. The staff had changed though. And so had the decoration on my Reshami Kabab. The wild sugar string was no longer a big thick ball. It was all a lot smaller. I explained to the very nice waiter about the previous kabab and he went off to scowl at the chef. Even showing him the previous photo I had taken.

Three nights later and we came to the conclusion the new chef just couldn’t make the sugar string like the old one. The good news in all this is that the chef still made a really good Reshami Kabab in relation to taste. He really tried hard but just couldn’t make the eye candy work as well!

What is Reshami Kabab?

Full plate of Chicken Reshami kabab but does it have another name?

I know Nepalese kitchens misspell things on the menu. This is spelled precisely ”Chicken Reshami Kabab”. I’ve not seen it anywhere else. An internet search brings up “Reshmi kabab” which is not the same thing.

If you’ve every seen a dish that looks like this please let me know in the comments what you think or know it to be!

Meanwhile if you ever come across a dish like this in person my advice is to eat it! Chicken Reshami Kabab by any name is simply delicious!!

This is an additional article featuring Nepalese food

What do you think about this? Leave a comment & let me know about Food from Nepal: Chicken Reshami Kabab

All content, concepts and design © copyright 2005 - 2013 www.thelongestwayhome.com

Join in and leave a comment here! - Food from Nepal: Chicken Reshami Kabab

The rising cost of entry fees into heritage sites in Nepal

2013-05-14T17:22:00-07:00

Pay up before entering – foreigners to pay 1000% more than anyone else … we don’t know why … but just pay!

Should you pay an inflated entrance fee to a tourist area?

You head down to Kathmandu’s Durbar square. The most famous heritage area among this old city’s long list of cultural charms. Old Newari buildings stand beside red bricked temples, a palace, a goddess’ house, a few places of worship and a giant public courtyard that’s an intersection to many more important areas of the city.

A guard approaches you with the word “ticket?” Without one you are escorted to a little wooden hut whereupon another man starts to tear off a ticket stub before you can even ask how much.

“750 rupees!”

At first you think the guards are trying to cheat you and keep a little cash for themselves. But no this is the official 2013 price to enter or pass through Kathmandu Durbar Square. To me it’s a rip-off price with little to back it up. It’s also going to get worse … unless we start asking questions.

The fast rise of official entry fees to heritage sites in Nepal

In 2007 a foreigner had to pay 200 rupees if they wanted to enter Kathmandu Durbar Square or even to cross over it to the other side. In 2009 – 300 rupees, in 2010 – 400 rupees, in 2011 it was Nepal’s failed year of tourism which suspended prices increases, in 2012/2013 – 750 rupees! SAARC residents are 150 rupees and Nepalese are free.

Locals pay 16 rupees. Sri Lanka/ Pakistan / Bangladesh / Bhutan / Afghanistan pay 100 rupees. Everyone else pays 200 rupees but if you video record pay 750 rupees or if you have a professional video camera pay 37,500 rupees! The list goes on …

Pashupatinath is now a staggering 500 rupees for foreigners and you can’t even officially visit inside the actual Pashupatinath temple. Free for SAARC and Nepalese. While during Shiveratri it’s 1000 rupees for all to enter!
Bhaktapur is whopping great 1100 rupees to foreigners or 100 for SAARC/ Chinese. (rumored to rise very soon)
Patan is 200 rupees for foreigners or 25 rupees for SAARC (again rumored to rise soon).
Chitwan NationalPark is 500 rupees per day. This price is currently undergoing an evaluation and set to rise soon with a new 3 day pricing tier.
Lumbini is 50 rupees but doesn’t include a camera fee or entry into the Maya Devi temple. In other words foreigners bring 200+ rupees. Indians and Nepalese pay token fees. (in fairness to Lumbini they do tell you it’s a flat 200 rupees – rather than adding up all the little add-on’s later)
Swayanbunath is 200 rupees for foreigners and Chinese while SAARC are charged 50 rupees.

If you look closely at the fee structure there’s a trend to always charge “foreigners” a greatly increased fee. With Chinese sometimes getting away with discounted fees. While SAARC get greatly discounted fees and Nepalese nearly always are free.

Strangely whilst recent “western foreigner” tourist numbers are on the decline in Nepal their fees are jumping up. While SAARC tourist numbers are on the increase their fees remain relatively low in comparison.

Do read on later as I’ll let you know how to avoid paying some of these fees repeatedly and avoid them in other cases.

Are foreigners paying for the up keep of Nepal’s national heritage sites?

I’ll go back to Kathmandu’s Durbar Square as a prime example of price hiking gone mad. Back in 2007 Durbar square looks exactly like it does today. The same little white taxis zoom illegally through it along with a bevy of private cars and motorcycles. Small stalls are set up on battered temple steps selling everything from flowers to groceries.

Indeed it would seem on the outside that my 200 rupee 2007 fee & my 2012/2013 750 rupee ticket still pays for … well not much of an upkeep to the area.

Perhaps they painted a temple while I was away? There’s nothing to say they did but maybe they did something …

No, to be fair I have read about the discovery of ancient boxes and safes in Durbar Square. Please note these are not “excavations” but actually involved the unlocking of store rooms. So it’s more about rooting around for keys than digging up ancient artifacts. Still I’m sure it cost a lot to bring in a locksmith.

Perhaps there are one or two less taxis parked in the square in the early morning than in 2007? Maybe not.

Maybe there’s a new cordoned off area for tourists to pass through this main thoroughfare on the way to New Road? Or the southern quarter of the city without having to take a huge detour or pay the entrance fee to get through this public junction? No … you still have to pay.

Now mirror this with say Bhaktapur Durbar square which remains relatively pristine since 2007 with an unchanged albeit high price. You also get a lot more for your entry fee than in Kathmandu. No traffic and a much, much larger area to explore.

I truly do think the Kathmandu Durbar square price hikes are an absolute rip-off of the highest order.

Who is paying for restoration and maintenance of Nepal’s heritage sites?

Kathmandu Durbar square from above – a little unsightly for 750 rupees?

Good question. And one that’s got a hideous amount of answers. Basically the funding is coming from many different areas from government to private sector to overseas development funds. It all depends on the site, its background and who is involved.

A prime example of restoration through tourism funds comes from the Bhaktapur pricing structure whereby 1000 rupees goes towards the heritage sites restoration scheme. (500 rupees is meant to be going from the new Kathmandu Durbar square pricing scheme into its restoration).

I now just have to wonder where the other 500 and 250 rupees per tourist are going if not for restoration? Ah yes, “administration”

The problem is there’s little documentation about these projects. You are simply asked to pay an increased fee with no indication on where the money is going.

Now couple that with independent groups like the Kathmandu Valley Preservation Fund (USA based) who have carried out a lot of restoration work in Patan. Or the recent restoration of Swayambhunath temple which was funded by the Nyingma Trust (USA based).

Now the whole restoration process starts to get a little confused and crowded again. Who’s paying for what, where, when and why?

And if all these “foreign” organisations are paying for the restoration of some of Nepal’s heritage sites then what’s with the entrance fee price hikes? Dare I even mention the excessive “foreigner” entry fees directed at the same people who have helped fund their very restoration!

A lot more explanation is needed by the powers that be in Nepal in regards to where exactly all this money is going?

Tourist prices or plain old rip-off prices for everyone?

Pashupatinath temple on its main Hindu religious celebratory day during Shiveratri costs a staggering 1000 rupees to enter for everyone – otherwise it’s still 500 rupees – the catch? You have to be Hindu to enter the actual temple – which means you have to basically look Nepalese or Indian.

Throughout all this I do however understand the whole “lower prices for Nepalese” pricing structure.

Nepal is an impoverished country with the majority of people simply living day-to-day.

But this does not work by saying locals should not have to pay if you do not stand by this methodology.

During the Shiveratri festival everyone is charged 1000 rupees to enter the Pashupatinath temple.

Now 1000 rupees to enter a religious temple on a religious day of celebration to me is just wrong. It’s kind of like charging Christians extra to go to church on Christmas day.

Moreover what average local can truly pay 1000 rupees? None. It’s the rich Nepalese and well to do that can afford this.

Someone is cashing in on this religious festival.

An official stated in 2011 that the price hike was to discourage so many people from attending Pashupatinath and control numbers. This clearly has not worked with local Hindus still showing up and queuing to worship near the temple instead of inside it.

However the pricing still stands even though its methodology is a failure.

There’s insult to injury here too if you are a Hindu foreigner wanting to visit Pashupatinath temple in which case your skin color alone will dictate whether you are allowed in or not depending on who’s on duty that day. Ah yes, back to good old blatant racist/discriminatory standards again. But let’s not go there today.

Nepal’s slippery slope of trying to cash in on tourists

Bhaktapur Durbar square is at least traffic free and pretty clean … for 1100 rupees I would hope so!

There’s no doubt these price hikes to tourist sites lack substance. They are controlled by local councils rather than a single national heritage or tourism body. While places like Bhaktapur and Swayanbunath have seen maintenance and restoration others like Kathmandu Durbar square clearly have not whilst places like Chitwan are locked in entry fee debates for the past two years.

It all seems to boil down to how much local authorities can squeeze out of tourists, and to a degree locals, alike before noticing a drop in numbers.

Complaints certainly don’t get lodged or are “not found” that easily. Check out various travel forums about prices in Nepal and you will see people discussing how expensive Nepal is becoming. However look closer to the complaints and it’s really more about the rip-off pricing structures than actually how expensive it’s becoming.

After paying 1/3 more on a public bus to travel somewhere in Nepal as a foreigner we must then settle for the indignity of paying more than anyone else to enter a public area that happens to be a heritage site.

Moreover there’s a good chance its restoration money came from overseas in the first place!

A solution to the ever-increasing tiered tourist fees in Nepal

1) Someone’s got to take sole responsibility for all of this. No more local councils dictating and bickering over fees. You have a heritage department – make the officials work for once and have them work out the maintenance costs of these zones and price accordingly.

2) Remove this discriminatory tier pricing. No more separate Foreigner/SAARC/Chinese/ Nepalese terminology or fee structures. A simple Non-National(non-Nepalese) and National(Nepalese) terminology with a local fee structure should suffice.

The discriminatory price selections are based on your nationality not your income. Perhaps a more subtle use of terminology could be used?

3) Explain on the ticket what percentage of the fee is going into the preservation of the heritage site. Likewise put up a plaque beside a restored building saying where the money came from to restore it. You never know, tourists might even want to donate more if they knew exactly where their money was going!

4) Want to get really technical? Charge wealthy Nepalese above a certain income a heritage tax to preserve their own buildings. Use zonal residence or work permits or whatever. But there are wealthy Nepalese who can pay. So when they drive up in their big SUV’s honking people off the road and demanding attention let’s be sure they are at least paying for the privilege of doing so.

A budget tourists solution to avoiding Nepal entry fees

If you really are a budget backpacker or tourist then you already know what to do in order to avoid a lot of these fees. If not then here are some basic hints and tips.

Go early. The ticket offices generally only open at 8am and close at 5pm. Before or after that you should be able to walk on in.

If you are staying in Nepal or want to visit a heritage site more than once than go to the ticket office with your passport and a passport photograph. Your ticket can be stamped to allow you access to these sites for the duration of your visa. Just don’t lose that ticket with your dates stamped onto them!

Most of Nepal’s heritage sites don’t exactly have great patrols.

However the best thing a tourist can do is spend some time trying to contact the Nepalese governments heritage department (under Archaeology Ministry) and ask where exactly your money is going before you go.

There’s also a feedback section on the Nepalese tourism website. I’ve never had a reply – maybe you’ll get lucky.

The future of Nepal’s heritage sites

No matter the price the protection of these buildings and sites is very important to not just Nepal but to the world. Doing something rather than just paying out and not knowing where your money going is something I believe in.

So perhaps the first real step Nepalese officials could take is to tell us exactly where our ever-increasing “foreigner” entry fees go towards protecting and restoring these precious heritage sites?

This is an additional article highlighting tourist entry fees and Nepalese heritage sites

What do you think about this? Leave a comment & let me know about The rising cost of entry fees into heritage sites in Nepal

All content, concepts and design © copyright 2005 - 2013 www.thelongestwayhome.com

Join in and leave a comment here! - The rising cost of entry fees into heritage sites in Nepal

Jobs & working in Kathmandu Nepal

2013-05-01T17:01:00-07:00

You can / have to work from any age in Nepal

How to get a job in Kathmandu Nepal?

Before going any further I should point out that this article is mainly in relation to a “foreigner” seeking employment in Nepal. Though given the mass of Nepalese also seeking employment anywhere in Nepal there are some equally pivotal points of note here too.

To the non-Nepalese I urge you to understand that Nepal is one of poorest economic countries in the world that’s been struggling to form a constitution for a ridiculous number of years now.

Finding a job in Nepal for a foreigner therefore involves more than thinking about income – it involves moral and ethical values – then again, times are changing …

For those looking for just the factual outlines here’s a guide to working & living in Nepal. Meanwhile below there’s a more detailed look at the realities of living and working in Nepal.

An insight into an electricians work day in Nepal

To give you an idea of the working standards in the capital of Kathmandu I’ll recall an electrician call out so you can see what you are dealing with.

A fuse box is broken in a country where power rationing at its worst is for 20 hours. The Nepalese home owner calls an electrician that’s been recommended. A man on a bicycle arrives fairly promptly.

The slender old man sporting a line of white stubble has no tools other than a small screwdriver. He goes to the broken fuse box and flips some heavy switches. A sharp snap sounds. He pushes his screwdriver in at an awkward angle and some blue sparks burst out. He speaks only Nepalese and the rough translation is that a fuse needs to be replaced.

Don’t think for a second there’s no money in Kathmandu – some people have enough to building shiny new buildings with 3D cinemas

When asked the price of the job the electrician writes out a few notes. Included in the notes are prices for tools he will need. Apparently his screwdriver is not the right size to undo a fuse. Yes, tools are included in the price.

Whether this man is a genuine electrician or not is another story again.

The house owner jokes that he is not. If he was a genuine electrician he would own a pliers too!

That is the real scenario for the majority of everyday workers in Nepal today.

21st century Nepalese jobs in Nepal

There is however another side to workers in Nepal today. One that’s been becoming even more commonplace over the past five years. Large companies started by both Nepalese and foreigners are improving on the qualified work being carried out within the country.

Indeed hidden in the quagmire of Nepalese business listings is an electrical company that has “qualified electricians” and equipment as part of their service. One can presume the alternatives on offer are really just a man with a screwdriver showing up.

Many of these qualified workers have gained their qualifications or experience overseas and have returned to reasonably well-paying jobs in Nepal. Secretaries, accounting staff, builders, electricians and many other vocational jobs in Nepal pay more for people who have overseas experience.

Where are the majority of these people getting their skills and education? Mainly India.

If however you come from a wealthy family then Europe or the U.S.A are the real prize destinations for qualifications and / or skills. The Middle East fits in too, but mainly as a destination for earning money and sending it back rather than improving one’s status back home.

A few Nepalese entrepreneurs know that there is a richer class in Nepal who want qualified work done. And will pay top rates for it. The vast majority of Nepalese can’t afford their rates though so they must stick with the electrician with a “screwdriver qualification”.

This is how things are improving in Nepal

The cycle of overseas foreign workers and education in Nepal

A woman leaves her housekeeping job in Kathmandu for a cleaning job in Saudi Arabia. Her son of eleven is left with her sister. She will be gone for three years before her contract allows her to return for one month per year thereafter. Her hope is to afford a better education for her son.

Not an easy task. Aside from above the financial details she must also battle the caste system in Nepal and actually save money to send back to her family.

The problem with shiny new expensive buildings is that very few people can buy anything inside them …

The hope is her son will get a better education that will then allow him to get a better job overseas. From there he can earn money to send back to the family in Nepal. His own children will then be educated overseas, garner and education and return to Nepal and set up their own businesses.

That is prospect for one of many Nepalese families these days.

It will take a few generations but the they’ve seen the results from others. It takes time to accomplish. But if it works the family will one day not have to worry about surviving as they do now.

Travel Tip:

Planning a trip to Nepal and a visit to Kathmandu? For all the details on what to do, places to visit, photos, costs, accommodation and itineraries check out my travel guide to Kathmandu.

Foreigners working in Nepal

The large majority of “western” foreigners earning good wages in Nepal are working in development or diplomatic services.

Nepal is known as a “hardship” country so regular salaries are often compensated with additional local wages to help them cope with day-to-day living. Such additional wages are used to cover things like hiring a driver, cook, cleaner, additional security and for dealing with the additional expense of purchasing expensive imported foodstuffs.

Indeed having an insight into this high-end “expatriate” lifestyle I can tell you that so-called “hardship” countries often have long queues of diplomatic and international aid staff waiting for such placements. The perks are very alluring.

Working in hardship countries offers fringe economic benefits alongside hefty resume accomplishments

Foreigners working within local industries in Nepal

If you can speak a language that locals can’t and you can fill a niche in a market are you doing more harm than good?

Within the “western” expat community in Nepal are several people who have set up small businesses. Some are the spouses of the above segment of workers while others are people who either want to help communities or create their own profits.

Several expats open NGO’s to help developing communities cope with issues such as street children, medical aid, shelter and food houses. Sadly many of these NGO’s are often set up by well-meaning people with little or no experience in these fields and only last for short periods of time.

Other “western” expats have set up for profit businesses within the tourism sector. These include trekking agencies, paragliding, rafting, exports and import businesses.

Some of this is again poorly run. There’s little sustainability in many of these businesses. Should the foreigner leave then the business often falls into a state of poor service due to no one being properly trained on running it without them.

A prime example of this is a rather well to do restaurant in Kathmandu. When one half of the ownership left the restaurant it was left faltering. While this can be true in many types of businesses around the world, when living overseas the process is often magnified.

Backlash against foreigners working with in local industries

As an interesting sub-note to the above I and others have noticed a substantial backlash against foreigners working in Nepal. Diplomats and large aid organisations seem exempt.

Many Nepalese today feel that foreigners have no right to take the jobs that they can do. Good point. However it’s not as simple as that.

As an example there is a French man who brings over French only speakers to go trekking with him every year in Nepal. He hires a local guide and porters. He’s being accused of taking jobs away from local guides.

His reply “Can you speak French to these people?” The answer is no. Though there are a couple of Nepalese guides who do speak French it’s not enough. This man is filling a gap in the market.

Do I agree with the way he is going about it? Actually from a personal level I don’t. The man is obnoxious, egotistical and paying locals minimum wage. But, from a business stand point he is filling a gap that cannot be met locally. If he stops, then about 30 paying French people will not be coming to Nepal for 4-8 weeks every year. The economy as a whole loses out on that money.

Big new UN car in Kathmandu – work for them or pay to volunteer in a Monastery?

This, by the way, is one of the reason TAAN wanted to ban solo trekking in Nepal. Again it’s not as clear-cut as that due to TAAN also profiteering on this industry. However local Nepalese people are seeing people like this French man as those who are taking jobs from them. Even if in fact he is bringing jobs and money to them.

Strangely this goes against other more wealthy Chinese/Korean foreigners investing money behind the scenes in Nepal who are directly taking money straight out of Nepal …

Non-”western” expats working in Nepal

Many new businesses in Nepal are being created by Chinese, Korean and Indians. Many come over, or elect a family member to come over, to marry a local woman.

Now with residence they can set up their own business or buy property in Nepal through their wives. Once legally married companies can be formed and relatives from overseas can come over to work for them.

To the tourist this is most apparent in hotels. However many service industries are popping up with non-Nepalese management and indeed ownership. Yes, technically by way of paperwork the business is owned by a Nepalese person. But the power behind it is certainly not Nepalese.

Last year China bank was given government permission to open in Nepal. Many Nepalese run businesses and economists have said it will open the flood gates for more “hidden” Chinese investment in Nepal whereby the money earned in Nepal will not stay in Nepal.

In this my return to Nepal I have to say I have found this type of foreign investment in Nepal to be the most worrying and evident.

The repercussions are evident even in tourism today. Overseas business owners are hiring “their own” as management and local Nepalese as basic workers on minimal rates with poor working conditions.

Volunteer work in Nepal

Back to grass-roots work in Nepal to help it improve. Though I’m not going into the whole how to get a volunteer job in Nepal in this article or the terrible corruption that’s going on within this “industry” here. I will write about it in a later article. There’s an older article about volunteering and NGO corruption I wrote here.

For now I will only say that is you are coming to Nepal to volunteer then don’t pay for it. Simply do some qualified research on the service you wish to help in. Make sure you are already qualified to help. Book your ticket, fly here, take a walk around Nepal and interview agencies yourself.

Exceptions would be those seeking positions with internationally recognized volunteer organisations – I’m generally only talking about UN, UNHCR, WHO here.

I’ve simply seen far far too many under qualified people pay ridiculous sums of money to “volunteer” in order to help the Nepalese people.

Getting a paid job in Nepal

Firstly be very wary of recruitment agencies that ask for upfront payments prior to interview. There are many out there. I’ve yet to come across a genuine recruitment agency that asks for money other than from the employer.

Print newspapers such as The Kathmandu Post & La Republica often have job listings – though they are usually looking for qualified Nepalese nationals.

Finally check out your own international aid organisations that are established in Nepal. Getting a job from home to work in Nepal is a lot easier this way than applying once in country.

Moral & ethical issues of foreigners working in Nepal

Whenever one looks at working for profit in a developing country one has to look at the moral and ethical side to the equation as well. Is it right to take a job from a local person that could equally do the same job?

Remember the French man who comes to Nepal every year to lead trekking tours. He markets this business in France to French-speaking clientage. He hires locals in Nepal to act as assistants and porters.

The problem here for me is that it’s not sustainable. This particular man pays his workers basic wages and doesn’t particularly treat them very well. He has however found himself a niche market. Some would say he’s exploiting the Nepalese people while others say he’s treating his staff no different from a Nepalese employer of a high caste would often treat them.

Looking at many of the international aid organisation and diplomatic staff deployment packages I see salaries, benefits and perks that put many a western job to shame in terms of salary scale.

I then see a Chinese business man exploiting Nepalese builders only to send all his profits back to China.

At the end of the day is there a difference between any of these jobs?

One can only hope that the political system in Nepal gets resolved soon otherwise there may simply be no Nepal left for anyone to work in.

This is an additional feature article in about jobs in Nepal

Planning on booking a hotel room in Kathmandu?

Looking for the best online rates?

I recommend you try my own hotel search for Kathmandu. The best online rates guaranteed!

What do you think about this? Leave a comment & let me know about Jobs & working in Kathmandu Nepal

All content, concepts and design © copyright 2005 - 2013 www.thelongestwayhome.com

Join in and leave a comment here! - Jobs & working in Kathmandu Nepal

Nepalese bakeries, pastries & cakes

2013-04-28T15:30:00-07:00

A selection of tasty pastries from Nepal

Bakeries, pastries, cakes and sticky buns in Nepal

Anywhere in Nepal where there are tourists you are sure to find a huge range of bakeries. Everything from double chocolate cake with walnuts to fresh buttered croissants are available fresh everyday. And they are really good either first thing in the morning or at a bargain price at night.

Why are bakeries so popular in Nepal?

A chocolate cinnamon opened up to reveal deep layers of sweet goodness including almonds – Nepalese bakeries really can make an effort!

Where there are tourists looking for tasty treats you will find bakeries. Picture yourself coming back from a long trek in the Himalayas, you’d like to treat yourself to something nice. Cakes and pastries generally do the trick!

History of bakeries and cakes in Nepal

This is debatable. But legend has it everything started with a Swiss expat who created the first Swiss bakery selling pastries and buns during the hippie era of Nepalese tourism.

I’ve had this legend challenged by a Dutch bakery in Pokhara and a rather famous one in Kathmandu who tell me it was an English Army camp who first began baking pastries in Nepal.

What are the best pastries and cakes to eat in Nepal

Apple strudel (Apples are plentiful in Nepal), Apple pie and Apple just about everything. After that cinnamon raisin buns are quite good. And lastly chocolate cake but it can be a bit hit and miss.

What pastries to avoid?

Generally speaking bread is a bit of let down in Nepal aside from Tibetan bread. As are cookies. They look great but really don’t taste of much. Pizza breads are okay but not always that safe unless eaten fresh. There are some new flavored cakes like black forest and mocha which are hit and miss. Chocolate croissants are a constant let down no matter how good they look!

Where are the best bakeries to buy pastries and cakes in Nepal?

Fresh apple strudel from Nepal

In all the time I’ve spent in Nepal I have to say there is no one place. Each bakery seems to have its own specialty and there are so many of them opening and closing it’s kind of crazy.

Pumpernickle bakery in Thamel, Kathmandu is perhaps the most famous. Tourists flock to it for breakfast so it’s often crowded. It’s expensive compared to others too.
Roadhouse in Thamel can have a nice pricey selection too where you can usually find a nice seat.
There are a few less pricey options on the corner of Mandala street in Kathmandu.
The Bakery & Weizen Bakery offer some of the widest selections.
Finally just down the street from Sam’s bar is a little bakery beside a DVD store which is about the cheapest and best in terms of pastries.
In Pokhara try out the Swiss bakery along lakeside.

Half price pastries and cakes in Nepal!

Many bakeries offer half price pastries, cakes and breads at night. Generally starting at 8.30pm – 9pm you’ll see signs offering the unsold cakes of the day at half price.

This is a great old school tradition from bakeries of yesteryear. Also a good reason for an evening stroll whilst picking up some bargain goodies along the way!

What do you think about this? Leave a comment & let me know about Nepalese bakeries, pastries & cakes

All content, concepts and design © copyright 2005 - 2013 www.thelongestwayhome.com

Join in and leave a comment here! - Nepalese bakeries, pastries & cakes

Beyond Lumbini: exploring behind a town

2013-04-23T15:30:00-07:00

It’s a different life once you leave the tourism trail: just keep walking and enjoy it!

Sometimes you just need to explore behind a town to see its real beauty

I’ve yet to hear anyone speak nicely of Lumbini itself beyond visiting the temple park area, the main road/street and of course the obvious quasi tourist / pilgrimage hospitality sector. Well, it is really just a one street town. Maybe that’s why.

However behind all that bland concrete is a maze of open fields, broken paths and overwhelmingly friendly local people. Many happy to see someone explore this side of the town. A few also wondering if I was lost! The only thing to spoil it were a couple of western tourists. But anyway …

Urban exploration in Nepal: just keep walking

Leave the road behind Lumbini and take the smaller dirt trails

Lumbini temples over with I was happy with my accommodation and the food here is quite nice. The only real downside for me are the power cuts which seem never-ending.

Everything in Lumbini is pretty basic. Get over that and you’ll be fine.

Lumbini is certainly not a town I’d recommend you’d visit just for being an interesting town itself. Certainly come for the Maya Devi temple and the other Lumbini temples within the park area. But outside that, well … there’s not much to do.

In such cases it’s up to you to find something interesting. And that’s one of the real gems of long-term travel. Going beyond first impressions. Going beyond expectations. Going beyond travel to just simply explore a place.

For this I recommend a packed lunch, lots of water and just keep walking without anything but a mental map and a big smile!

Getting off the beaten path has a new meaning

Immediately after you leave the main road in Lumbini where all the cheap guesthouses are the road crumbles from paved to semi paved to fractured beyond recognition until finally veering off into dozens of little dirt paths.

These little dirt paths will lead you to simple mud huts with thatched roofs to tin roofed schools and the odd little stupa.

Along the way you’ll meet the dark sun weathered faces of older local people sitting in the shade. You’ll have the bright faces of little children popping up from behind windows and running out to greet you.

“Namaste!” will be the word for the day as the toil of tourism leaves you and you are filled with the simple life.

Fields of farmers and everyday life

Soon the road is gone and all that’s there are broken little paths to explore …

Walking along the beaten paths behind Lumbini will soon reveal open fields. This is the Terrai region of Nepal which are also Nepal’s flatlands that border India. Flatlands are easy to walk along yet can can be brutally hot. It’s also not a place little cafes or the like are easy to come across. So again bring your own water or food if you want to spend a day out here.

I’m not alone here though. just as I am leaving a small village I spot for the first time a couple walking along a dirt trail who also look like tourists. I’m photographing a field and then a couple of children as they walk past. I stand up and smiling while about to say hello when they flatly ignore me to walk on by.

The lady shakes her head as they turn around from a distance to look back. I wonder what their problem is? Is it me in “their territory” or something else. Maybe they think I shouldn’t be photographing local children?

I don’t know but it’s a sad time when other travelers don’t say hello anymore. Or have the courage to say what’s on their mind.

Having an evening snack behind Lumbini town

A lady was happy to let me photography her dinner of Lumbini momos – what she didn’t tell me was that sauce is brutally hot!! More on Nepalese momos here

Annoyed by the “foreigners” alone I make a point to spend more time with some of the locals. Not the tourism locals but the people on the streets on my way back.

The ones who are as curious about you as perhaps you are of them.

There’s a momo cart back along where the road starts and I stop. People of all ages start to queue up. I join in to the smiles of some teenagers also queuing.

An old man sitting in the evening sun gives me a thumbs up as I dig into the little dish of dumplings. I walk over and offer to share some with him. He politely declines. His wife pops her head out the door and waves. She’s preparing dinner. The man’s not allowed to spoil his appetite!

We all nod and laugh at the understanding. You don’t need to speak the local language when it comes to things like this.

The wonderful old man who was waiting for his wife’s dinner

Travel Tip:

Planning a trip to Nepal and a visit to Lumbini? For all the details on what to do, places to visit, photos, costs, accommodation and a map around Lumbini’s temples check out my travel guide to Lumbini.

Nothing to do today? Just explore beyond the town

I don’t want to live in Lumbini. There’s really not much to do here aside from farming and possibly getting grants to build yet another temple inside Lumbini park.

As a tourist I mightn’t want to stay longer than a night here to get all this done.

However I do think that if all we do in travel is visit a place because of its famous “sight” then we are missing out. Yes the tourism infrastructure may not be there. But in its place is a touch of reality. A touch of the good life and good people who are simply going about their daily lives.

That to me is worthy of exploring beyond a town.

Nothing to do today? Just keep walking … and don’t forget to say hello!

Coming soon

Back in the big city

Looking for great photo hosting?

I use Zenfolio to host my photos & have done for years.

Protect your travel photographs

Display them with pride

Sell them!

Use my discount code and get 10% off!

Use this discount code when signing up to save 10% >> ” BDV-TGN-A7X ” See more about Zenfolio photo hosting here

What do you think about this? Leave a comment & let me know about Beyond Lumbini: exploring behind a town

All content, concepts and design © copyright 2005 - 2013 www.thelongestwayhome.com

Join in and leave a comment here! - Beyond Lumbini: exploring behind a town

Maya Devi Temple Lumbini – birthplace of buddha

2013-04-16T15:14:00-07:00

Maya Devi Temple in Lumbini Nepal: marking the place where Buddha was born

Visiting the Maya Devi temple Lumbini birthplace of buddha

There’s a separate ticket inspection booth and entrance into the Maya Devi temple area than the rest of Lumbini’s temple complex. Also a small security search but nothing too forceful. This is after all one of the most important religious sites in the world. It’s the location where Siddhārtha Gautama Buddha the most enlightened of Buddhist followers of the current age was born.

Inside the Maya Devi Complex is a small landscaped garden area that consists of the Maya Devi temple, a pool of water, the Ashokan pillar and the sacred Bodhi tree.

Along with my rickshaw driver I walked to the simple side entrance of the Mayan Devi temple to enter.

Inside the Maya Devi temple photographs

There are signs everywhere saying No Camera. I understand this if there are paintings or other works of art that could be damaged by flash. Generally speaking many tourists are not bright enough to ensure flash photography is set to off on their cameras so it’s easier to ban photos altogether in such places. (see my orangutan in Sabah entry for a bit on tourists with flash photography)

Inside Maya Devi Temple Lumbini

However my rickshaw driver accompanied me inside and insisted I could take photographs as I’d purchased a 20 rps camera ticket at the entrance back at the main park. It kind of made sense. And as the surroundings were basically mud bricks I started to take some photos without flash. People paid no attention.

Moving closer to the area where Buddha was born it all kicked off as one man lost the plot and started shouting over in Nepalese. I put my camera down as I knew this must have been the reason. Sadly the man never bothered speaking to me and just continued to berate the rickshaw driver.

Another joy of the Nepalese caste system. Assault the staff and not the master.

As we approached the birthplace area of Buddha this unknown man continued his verbal tirade towards my driver. Getting tired of it I questioned him in English after a Nepalese greeting. That was the end of his tirade … silence.

Everyone was in the wrong in the birthplace of Buddha. Having seen some websites out there from other tourists I take it I was not the first to take photos inside. And still I wonder why I paid 20 rupees for a camera that you can’t use inside any of the temples!

History of Buddhas birth in Lumbini (as per legend)

The sacred pond where Maya Devi is said to have bathed before giving birth and the famous Bodhi tree in Lumbini

In the Buddha’s time( 563 BCE) , Lumbini was a park situated in Kapilavastu Nepal. On a full moon night, Queen Maya who was married to King Suddhodhana (ruler of Kapilavastu) had a dream. She felt herself being carried away by four spirits to Lake Anotatta in the Himalayas.

After taking a cleansing bath in the lake, the spirits dressed her and anointed her with perfumes and flowers. Following this a white elephant holding a white lotus flower in its trunk appeared and went around her three times. Finally it entered into her womb through her right side.

Maya had a ten month pregnancy and returned to her home for the birth. On the way there she stopped by a Sal tree (note: not a Bodhi tree as many mistake it as) in the beautiful flower garden of Lumbini Park. As Maya Devi enjoyed the park she chose to bathe in the puskarini pond in the garden to cleanse herself. After which she gave birth while standing and holding onto a branch from a Sal tree.

Legend says that Maya gave birth to Prince Siddhartha from her right side on the eighth day of April.

Travel Tip:

If you’d like to learn more about Maya Devi, Buddha and the temple complex then check out my guide to the history of Lumbini. Meanwhile here’s a short synopsis.

Maya Devi temple stands over another temple

The Maya Devi temple is said to be the exact place where Shakya Prince Siddharta Gautama, better known as the Lord Buddha was born. There are drawings depicting his birth inside. The current whitewashed temple was built to protect the older temple under it. This is older temple was probably built over a Ashokan stupa.

The Ashokan pillar next to the Maya Devi temple

Inside it’s no more than mud bricks. There’s a small area looking down into dug out area where it’s alleged Buddha was born. There’s a small glass panel with some faded painting.

Outside things get a little more interesting again.

The Ashokan Pillar in Lumbini

The Ashokan pillar has an inscription which is the oldest in Nepal was erected by Emperor Ashoka (249 BC) who visited the park. The inscription however reads that it was erected by the people in charge of the park to commemorate Ashoka’s visit and gifts. It also grants Lumbini as a tax free location due to this fact.

The Ashokan pillar has a fascinating history in it’s own right. Read more about the Ashokan Pillar.

The sacred bathing pool or sacred pond in Lumbini

This is where legend says Maya devi bathed before giving birth. Today it’s been renovated and is filled with turtles. So no bathing allowed. Still at the right time of evening it does give some nice reflections of the Maya Devi temple.

The famous Bodhi Tree – Lumbini

Certainly the most colorful and decorated sight in Lumbini is the famous “Bodhi tree”. Related to an ancient fig tree and characterized by heart shaped leaves this was a term given to a tree where the Buddha was said to have achieve enlightenment in India.

Two monks under the famous Bodhi tree in Lumbini

Today the Bodhi tree beside the Maya Devi temple is highly regarded and decorated with many colorful prayer flags.

Conclusion on visiting the Maya Devi temple in Lumbini

Personally I found this to be the highlight of Lumbini. Not so much the Maya Devi temple itself but the surrounding area which is filled with Bodhi trees and ancient foundations. There’s a very old history here which has been blended well with modern day landscaping.

It’s the sort of place you could easily spend a day sitting under a tree reading. That is except if there’s a religious pilgrimage taking place in which case the place becomes overcrowded and a lot less serene.

If you miss out on all the other temples in Lumbini be sure not to miss out on this one!

Coming soon

Exploring behind the town of Lumbini

What do you think about this? Leave a comment & let me know about Maya Devi Temple Lumbini – birthplace of buddha

All content, concepts and design © copyright 2005 - 2013 www.thelongestwayhome.com

Join in and leave a comment here! - Maya Devi Temple Lumbini – birthplace of buddha

A quick tour around Lumbini’s temples

2013-04-08T15:30:00-07:00

Taiwan temple: one of the many Lumbini temples

Lumbini’s Buddhist temples from around the world

I must firstly admit I am not a huge fan of endless Buddhist temples. From Nepal, to Tibet, China and Thailand I’ve had my fill of the “Buddhist lifestyle.” Expensively ornate temples, cars, gadgets, hidden monk romances and the appearance of more than several monk offspring tends to make one a little less at peace with the lifestyle. It wouldn’t be so bad only most of this happens right next to everyday people in need who don’t often take vows.

That’s just me. I get “templed” and “monked” out quite quickly when it comes to these things nowadays.

None-the-less I approached my visit to Lumbini’s temples with as open a mind as possible. I was going to hire a bicycle but thought an early day’s walk in the hot humid weather to be more insane.

That grand plan didn’t last long!

Entrance to Lumbini temple area

Hiring a rickshaw and saving the best temple until last

The rickshaw touts outside the main gate were fairly okay. I declined. Instead I watched a monk at the entrance get out of a new SUV while talking to a guard. Then take out his shiny mobile phone. Get back in the car and drive on.

I plodded on in the heat behind the plume of monk driven dust. I paid my 200 rupee “foreigner fee”. Grumbled at having to pay another 20 rupees for a camera. Then quietly hoped and was thankful I didn’t get charged another 200 additional rupees for a video fee.

I noted the typical Nepalese separate prices listed on a board. And then noted it wasn’t just Nepalese but “Nepalese and Indian” prices. Hmmm.

Next up a 15 minute walk up a pleasant enough driveway like road in the not too pleasant searing heat. At the top I was lost. Go right or straight? My guidebook map was useless and NCell was not able to load google maps. Lovely.

Travel Tip:

Want a real guide to Lumbini? Check out my travel guide to Lumbini. It’s free and tells you whether to go right or straight at the junction!

A couple of uninterested rickshaw drivers asked if I wanted a tour. Prices started flying. I walked away claiming I knew where I was going.

Five minutes later I was back having just walked straight into a chained off area. Rickshaw around Lumbini’s temples it was then …

When guidebooks and apps fail in Nepal – just take a rickshaw!

Chinese temple in Lumbini

There are a lot of temples in Lumbini

My decision to take a rickshaw rather than walk was an exceptional one. Lumbini, it turns out, is a lot bigger than my not to scale map made out. A lot bigger. Even if I’d hired a bicycle I’d be not have enjoyed it all so much. Well, not unless I knew the area better or had a proper map.

The rickshaw driver was also like a walking tour guide. He knew the names of all the temples and locations. While not so great about the detailed history of each temple we at least shared something in common with being templed out. Later he’d nearly get me kicked out of Lumbini for this expertise, but at least he was likable chap.

Here are some reasons why you might get templed out:

Lumbini is huge. It’s split into an East Monastic Zone dedicated to Theravada monasteries. And a West Monastic Zone dedicated to Mahayana traditional monasteries. There’s also a Lumbini Village Zone dedicated to education, research and residential. Finally there’s a world peace stupa at one end and Maya Devi Temple (Buddha’s birthplace) at another end.

In between all these there seemed to be temples from nearly every country in the world. We started with the French Buddhist temple. It looked nice from the outside. Then at the entrance was a monk and what I took for as a Frenchman. They were collecting shoes for people who wanted to go in.

My pet hate is removing my shoes. That and French man looked as if he was about to launch into a convert to the way of the Buddha spiel as I approached. So I diverted to the Tibetan temple next door. Apologies to the French.

Visiting a Tibetan Buddhist temple in Lumbini

The Tibetan temple was a colorful one. Far more colorful than the Tibetan temples I’d seen in Tibet. Perhaps understandably so. It even passed my test to be suitably impressive enough to remove my shoes and actually go in.

Tibetan Temple in Lumbini

Smooth stone flooring helps with shoe removal. A decorative mini garden and a pond distracted me well. All this in front of the impressively tall temple itself. There were quite a few people visiting this temple compared to many of the others in the area. Temple eye candy counts I guess.

Inside was just as colorful. A roof ceiling emblazoned with highly vibrant greens, reds, blues and vivid designs. Meanwhile the shiny marble floor held the center attraction of a Buddha statue.

A meek “no camera” sign and security guard had me wondering what the camera fee I’d paid for was for. I stepped outside and held my camera up. No good, the door cut off the ceiling. It was then the guard came over and said it was okay to take a photo! Finally some karma payback for being shoe-less perhaps?

If you are curious here’s a big photo from inside the Tibetan Temple in Lumbini.

More Lumbini temples again!

I could write about every temple I visited in Lumbini but even I am not that sadistic. Basically unless you are well into your Buddhism. Have a fascination for Buddhist temples or have a penchant for documenting things (waves) then it can get a little tiresome.

Many of the temples are actually closed. And a staggering amount were still under construction. Indeed that final point is why I chose not to fully document all the temples in Lumbini. Concrete shells and scaffolding don’t quite make a nice photo.

Instead I stuck with the complete temples and saved my socks some wear and tear for another day.

One thing for sure. It really is amazing just how many countries have temples here from around the world.

The eternal flame of Lumbini

On our way to Maya Devi we trundled by the eternal flame. Always curious I jumped out to read the inscription.

Eternal Flame at Lumbini inscription: This Eternal Flame Symbolising Peace was lit by the Chairman of the Lumbini Development Trust, His Royal Highness Prince Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah on the occasion of the international year of peace 1986, on the 1st of November 1986.

Conclusion on spending a day around Lumbini’s temples

Again, there are lots of them. Unfortunately many are not fully completed and are no more than concrete and scaffolding. Others look near abandoned. Others again were closed.

They are spread out into zones. I’m really glad to have taken a rickshaw rather then cycle around or more insanely walk. Especially if visiting in either monsoon or hot seasons. I’d have liked to have brought a packed lunch and very glad I brought extra water. I stopped off at a small eatery with the rickshaw driver and found some soft drinks with ease. Good food was scarce.

The second best thing I did was leave the star attraction to last. The Maya Devi Temple – Birthplace of the Buddha and one of the most revered religious / ways of life places on earth. A place that my loyal rickshaw driver nearly got me kicked out of …

Coming soon

Maha Devi Temple

Looking for great photo hosting?

I use Zenfolio to host my photos & have done for years.

Protect your travel photographs

Display them with pride

Sell them!

Use my discount code and get 10% off!

Use this discount code when signing up to save 10% >> ” BDV-TGN-A7X ” See more about Zenfolio photo hosting here

What do you think about this? Leave a comment & let me know about A quick tour around Lumbini’s temples

All content, concepts and design © copyright 2005 - 2013 www.thelongestwayhome.com

Join in and leave a comment here! - A quick tour around Lumbini’s temples

Arriving into Lumbini to find a guesthouse

2013-03-31T15:30:00-07:00

Arriving into Lumbini on the Bhairahawa-Lumbini bus

Getting to Lumbini the local way to find a cheap guesthouse

What would Lumbini be like? It’s the birthplace of Buddha - one of the most important “religious” figures in history. Though everyone told me it was not touristy it did seem like a lot of people go there. However once there everyone pretty much leaves straight away.

My own worst fear was that all the guesthouses would all be booked out due to a random festival!

Would Lumbini be a tourist nightmare? An empty shell of a town? Be packed full of Buddhist pilgrims? Or would it be a place I find enlightenment?

The basics of getting to Lumbini

From Kathmandu you can “sometimes” get a direct tourist bus during peak season. It’s not peak season. So you take a morning local direct bus from Kathmandu to Lumbini which takes about 8 hours. Or you can go to Bhairahawa and transfer there to Lumbini.

Finally from Chitwan you can for to Bhairahawa and transfer then to Lumbini.

If taking any of the Bhairahawa options make sure to tell the bus driver and his assistant where you are going so they know when and where to let you off. You should also ask them in what direction the next bus you need is as there’s no real bus station. It’s all a lot easier than it seems. Do check out my travel guide to Lumbini for more, including bus times and prices.

The road between Bhairahawa & Lumbini where the bus drops you

Conversation with a local about the Lumbini’s battle ground between India and China

This is why I like to take local buses. I get to meet the real people who will tell me about what’s happening on the ground. Between Bhairahawa and Lumbini a local man struck up a conversation with me.

The man, in his fifties, was interested to know if I was going on to India after Lumbini. I replied that I would probably be going back to Kathmandu after this. Then from out of nowhere he told me that India was building its own version of Lumbini on the other side of the nearby border.

“They wanted buy exclusive rights to out Lumbini,” he said. “We said no. Lumbini was ours. So they now claim they’ve found somewhere nearby on their side which is the new birthplace of Buddha.”

Almost like rewriting history.

The strange thing is the man shook out a sigh and then told me that the Chinese had just agreed to invest USD$3 billion rupee into renovating Lumbini.

The power struggle to get as much between the two giant economic neighbors on either side of Nepal continues on. Trade rights, transport rights and mineral rights are being won over through cultural bribery it seems.

Arriving into Lumbini

The near empty bus dropped me off on the side of dusty road shortly after lunch. To my right a black fence with a long row of green trees. To my left across the road a single empty street with shops on either side. No signs. I turned to a local.

“Namaste, Lumbini?”

“Namaste, yes,” then he was gone.

If this was it I could just visit Buddha’s temple and take a night bus out of here. It was tempting.

I crossed the main road down the little dusty street in search of a few landmark hotels. Yep and yep.

The one main road in Lumbini – guesthouses are on eitherside

It seemed Lumbini was indeed a one street town.

Getting a cheap guesthouse in Lumbini

Taking out my two torn up guidebook photocopied pages I went to the most recommended hotel on the left. The place was deserted. I could have just snuck upstairs and no one would have even noticed. I called out. There was a shuffle behind the reception desk.

Ah yes, the afternoon sleeping receptionist behind the desk on the floor routine.

“Namaste, how much is your single room?”

“Namaste,” replied a sleepy lady standing up. “Just for you?”

I said nothing and just nodded.

“900 rupees.”

“Okay, thank you. Bye!”

I nearly felt sorry for waking up the girl. Still they are a “guidebook mentioned guesthouse” a good starting point to get a baseline of hotel prices and attitude.

If they were all this price it might really be worth hiring a rickshaw, going to the temple and then getting that night bus to Kathmandu.

Looking at my crumpled up map page I read my scrawl. Yellow guesthouse, good, wifi, cheap -opposite. I’d asked someone who’d been here recently to recommend a place. Sure enough right opposite me was a shiny bright yellow guesthouse.

Bargain basement price lodging in Lumbini

Again the place was deserted. Lot’s of Namaste’s later and a sleepy young man appeared. I asked a price.

“500 rupees.”

Cheap guesthouses in Lumbini include the Siddhatha Lodge and its

neighbors“My friend, it’s off season and your hotel is empty. How much?”

“300 rupees”

“Let’s go see the room.”

The room was typical Nepalese. Large, full of dark furniture, spotless and had an ensuite.

“Do you have better price?” I asked out of sheer boldness.

“How long your stay?”

“Does you wifi work?”

“Yes.”

An exchange of passwords and yes indeed it did work. “3 nights, maybe more.”

“Okay sir, 250 rupees.”

We shook on it and I ordered a late lunch on my balcony overlooking the expensive guidebook guesthouse opposite.

I was paying less at three nights than if I’d spent one night in the guide book guesthouse. What’s more I’d be eating here which would make up for the low price for a room. I’d also just gained some extra time to explore Lumbini at my own leisure. If that’s not a good thing, I don’t know what is!

Guesthouse name: Siddharta Lodge/Lotus Restaurant. The guesthouse next to it is similar in price.

I should note that if you visit Lumbini during any Buddhist festival expect prices to skyrocket and accommodation will be hard to find so book ahead.

Again lot’s more details on my travel guide to Lumbini page.

Coming soon

Lumbini Temples and visiting Buddha’s birthplace

Planning on booking a hotel room in Lumbini?

Looking for the best online rates?

I recommend you try my own hotel search for Lumbini. The best online rates guaranteed!

What do you think about this? Leave a comment & let me know about Arriving into Lumbini to find a guesthouse

Mandala Street Kathmandu, rebuilding an ancient city the right way …

2013-03-26T01:50:44-07:00

The new(ish) Mandala Street in Thamel Kathmandu, Nepal

Rebuilding the old world city of Kathmandu

Nobody I know likes Thamel if they live in Kathmandu. It’s a clustered tourist zone. Filled with travel agents, trekking stores and over-priced souvenir shops. And it is a traffic nightmare. We all avoid it. The local government has been gridlocked in a debate about pedestrianizing the main streets here for years. I imagine it will not happen for many more years. Nepal is a country of protests. If it’s not the students complaining they can’t get to school by closing off Thamel then it’s the local businesses complaining about not being able to get deliveries. In Nepal riots and protests rule. But here, like in many places, money talks faster than councils and governments. And so far, money has done alright to preserve this section of Kathmandu.

Old buildings in Kathmandu endangered by profit

Kathmandu is truly an ancient city. As such many of the buildings here are falling apart. Red sandstone and carved timbers decorate so much of the old sections of the city it gives the impression of living in a different time.

Kathmandu has a soul and personality like no other city I’ve been too

Old street in Kathmandu vs ….

… vs new Mandala street

But time itself along with pollution and a gross lack of maintenance is beating down these old buildings. Rumors has it that some large Korean and Chinese investors want to knock most of Thamel down and rebuild it into modern-day apartment blocks and shopping centers. A travesty if it becomes a reality. Where’s UNESCO when you really need them to preserve a place? I guess they don’t do that. They only seem to kick off the nightmare. It’s already a tourist nightmare so making the whole old Newari area of Thamel a “protected/designated” historical site would make no difference in that regard.

Mandala street may hold the answer

Mandala street is a side street in Thamel linking two of the main roads that form Thamel. When I was first here I avoided it due to the crowds, rampant motorbikes, cars, cows and the odd stoned hippie. The old red stoned buildings were falling apart and the street was like the rest of Kathmandu’s Thamel area. Ancient but in need of restoration. That was then. About two years ago it was completely rebuilt and pedestrianized by a group of private investors. Unlike the rumored Korean / Chinese mass demolition. Someone here has invested a lot of time and money into recreating the old look of Kathmandu. And quite frankly it’s quite nice.

New Mandala Street

The bricks are new. There are newly recreated Newari carvings and stone designs that match the old world feel of Kathmandu. The stores are bright and there’s even a public toilet here! What’s more, no traffic! Well, nearly.

Only in Nepal can you have a pedestrianized zone with an underground car park built at its center.

Come closing time the odd “big man’s” car is also seen picking him up too. But it’s as close to pedestrianized as you can get in Nepal. The result? It’s a milestone in the development of Kathmandu city.

Mandala streets biggest hurdle

New wall, new statues, well maintained, is this the right way to rebuild Kathmandu?

The stores on Mandala street are not bargain basement trekking stores and the like. They are a mix of expensive restaurants, cafes, beauty salons and bars. This is not the place to come looking for a bargain. The people I see frequenting the stores are surprisingly not tourists. They are the rich up and coming Nepalese. Yes, there’s a tourist crowd too. But the more affluent students, moms and business types that like to be seen are here en-masse. Whether this is enough to sustain the guards on duty and 24/7 backup generators I don’t know. But, I think it just might.

Private investment vs Government vs Overseas influence

I don’t know the dealings behind Mandala street. Indeed, I don’t think I want to know. What I do know is that for a city grid locked on developing itself in haphazard baksheesh way. The previous idea of letting property buying overseas investors buy up all the land and then destroy truly ancient and characteristic buildings is to me a nightmare of soul-destroying proportions. We are talking Asian foreign developers here too. The type that can’t officially own land.

So they have a son or two marry locals. Have a baby. And bingo you have a Nepalese family that can own land.

Mandala Street: the start of something good or …

What’s happened on Mandala street is that people took the time to rebuild these old building in line with the surrounding Nepalese architecture and design.

Welcome to Mandala street, apart of the new Kathmandu old world style

Sure the upper crust architects and historian’s are getting up in arms over it not being “exactly” like the old building. But it’s sure a lot better to look at than yet another protest, waiting for the city politicians to wake up, or a mass demolition of history to make way for giant Chinese apartments and malls. The question remains: is this an example of trying to preserve historic buildings? Or was it built purely to get a foot in the door for complete expansion of the aforementioned apartments and malls?

The battle for the soul of Kathmandu city

It’s not often I give credit to profiteering business types. But for the sake of preserving the old world feel of Kathmandu what’s happened to Mandala street is a lot better than leaving it the way it is. Or knocking it all down. I only wonder if this style of restoration will be able to save the rest of this Thamel or if it’s already too late. Dare I mention the rest of the cities areas. There’s a battle for Kathmandu going on between stagnant government types, profit seeking property buyers, overseas property investors, local business people and those that rebuilt Mandala street. At stake is the heart and soul of this ancient city …

Planning on booking a hotel room in Kathmandu?

Looking for the best online rates?

I recommend you try my own hotel search for Kathmandu . The best online rates guaranteed!

Coming Soon: Finding Buddha

What do you think about this? Leave a comment & let me know about Mandala Street Kathmandu, rebuilding an ancient city the right way …

Food from Nepal: Momos (local version)

2013-03-20T15:30:00-07:00

Serving up a plate of locally made fresh momos

Momos made the local Nepali way

Is there a difference between local momos and momos made for tourists? Yes, quite a big one too! Hence when I first wrote about what’s the food like in Nepal I mentioned about giving examples between different versions of the same dish. Be it local food, tourist food or even trekking food.

In this case its local momos compared to what I wrote here about momos made for tourists. As you can see there’s quite a big difference. Let’s move on to some taste testing of local momos and a comparison.

Nepali woman making momos from inside cafe

What’s a local Nepalese momo?

A momo is a Nepalese steamed dumpling. Made with a flour casing a local momo is usually buff (buffalo) or chicken filled along with some veg or potato. Momos often come with a small side dish which contains a dip – though not all local momos come with this.

Though available vegetarian locally made momos are harder to come by. I have however seen and eaten some locally made yak cheese momos along the Annapurna Circuit.

What’s the difference between a tourist momo and a local momo?

Well as you can see they look a little different. Tourist momos are usually made into little crescent shapes while local momos are in round little parcels. The flour is a different color too. Tourist momos are slightly yellow while local momo pastry is near pure white.

The meat parcel inside is quite different too. A local momo is a lot heavier than a tourist momo. In the case of a buff momo I found the filling to be a serious meal. It’s also very high in oil. My plate below when finished had a pool of grease at the bottom. Tourist momos are a lot lighter.

Inside a momo cafe in Nepal

Serving momos the local way

The photographs of local momos here feature a mother and son in Bhaktapur which is an ancient Newari town to the east of Kathmandu. In the evenings the side streets that frame heavy wooden doors see them swing open to reveal local kitchens serving food. It’s the kind of place I enjoy visiting.

Seeing a huge metal steamer outside one of these little roadside eateries I thought the idea of eating fresh momos was a great temptation. The lady outside finished adding some new momos to her steamer before welcoming me inside the tiny little momo cafe.

In a local momo cafe eating local momos

The seats were hard flat benches and the tables took on a similar basic approach. It was quite dark as my little bowl of eight steaming momos were put down in front of me. They were buff momos. No choice. Only buff on the menu so buff it was.

No little dipping sauce either. Instead I was offered a plastic ketchup bottle filled with a thick dark paste which evidently had a powerful chili infusion. Not so nice.

But then the lady’s son came over with a large plastic jug of watery masala like sauce as an alternative. Unfortunately it was not much better so I stuck with plain.

A bowl of local momos

The momos didn’t need much help though. Compared to touristy momos these were very heavy. The meat inside was also thick and heavy with the taste of buffalo meat. Moreover there was that huge amount of oil oozing out from these little steamed dumplings. No wonder they were filling.

Watching the momo take-away service

I finally force-fed myself the last momo as the gathering crowd smiled on in appreciation of my double thumbs up at their local staple. Then after the mandatory photos of select members I went back outside.

The young boy was filling up a large metal take-away plate. His job for the evening was to deliver momos around the neighboring streets.

Local boy taking away a tray of momos to sell door to door

Which is better, a plate of local momos or tourist momos?

I’m going to be very honest here and say that tourist momos are better. Local momos are simply too oily for me. I had several millimeters of oil left in my dish and needed no dinner later that night.

Tourist momos are much lighter and just that little bit more flavorsome. Though many do skimp on the meat.

There’s a reason for this though. Local momos are made for local people. Generally speaking people in Nepal need to eat something that’s very filling. The local momo is a much better choice in this case. And indeed if I was on a trek and had the choice between a dish of tourist momos or local momos I would choose the local momos.

Better yet would be a dish of homemade Nepalese momos!

This is an additional article highlighting food from Nepal

What do you think about this? Leave a comment & let me know about Food from Nepal: Momos (local version)

What makes Bhaktapur such a great and charming place

2013-03-17T17:33:00-07:00

Old man smiling in Bhaktapur

Bhaktapur is one of those rare places that still lives in an ancient world

It’s very rare that I come across a place that’s been given a UNESCO world heritage site status and still find it a nice place to visit. Bhaktapur does more than scrape by in winning my approval.

Yes in the middle of peak tourist season it can get crowed. And yes, unfortunately I’m starting to see Chinese group tours complete with placards and name tags appearing. But Bhaktapur still retains its charm and beauty.

I’ve been wondering why? So far I can only put it down to some good and bad points that seem to neutralize each other. Maybe someone reading this can look more objectively at these points and come up with another reason?

Replica of the ancient Pashupatinath Temple in Bhaktapur

Bhaktapur a living museum of ancient temples and smiling people

There are more temples in Bhaktapur than any other city in Nepal. They are wonderfully preserved too. Bhaktapur’s Durbar Square is simply the most charming of squares I’ve been to anywhere in the world. It’s a living breathing square that people use everyday that’s surrounded by some of the most wonderful looking temples in all Nepal.

It’s relatively easy to get “templed out” in China, or “churched” out in Europe or “mosqued out” in the middle east. But in Bhaktapur, and to be fair Nepal in general, no two temples are quite alike. There’s always something new. They rarely get tiring to see or visit.

Moreover the everyday people in Bhaktapur have not become tired of the endless queues of tourists streaming into their living museum of a city.

Is this the calm before the storm?

The curse of a UNESCO heritage site listing

Collecting water on the back streets of Bhaktapur

It’s a fantastic notion, listing unique, historic places of cultural importance. However what follows is usually a shot in the foot. Now with a UNESCO status many local communities see both an influx of notoriety and tourists that can lead to an increase in local revenue. Some completely cash in and open the flood gates to selling out their status.

That once peaceful little place now becomes a torrid mess of tourist overcrowding, higher prices and locals with tired eyes at seeing yet another tourist invade their personal space.

Bhaktapur has not reached that point, yet.

Does a higher entry price make a difference?

It costs USD$15 to buy an entrance ticket into Bhaktapur. It’s been that high for a number of years. Read my travel guide to Bhaktapur to see how you can get this ticket extended for free. The idea is that a higher price means more tourist cash to help with the upkeep of the city.

For once this seems to actually be working. My congratulations to the city council of Bhaktapur because the place is pretty spotless compared to other sites in Nepal.

This leads me to wonder, and shudder, if higher prices to a tourist site do actually work better than mass budget tourism?

At $200 a day Bhutan is the premier country promoting higher fees to keep numbers down and promote the original beauty of a place. Is there a similar effect going on in Bhaktapur?

Woman dyeing pottery in Bhaktapur

Surely $15 is not that much? Well, considering up until this year Kathmandu’s durbar square was only $3.50 there’s a big difference. A difference that Kathmandu is following with its new Durbar Square ticket price of $8.50 fee in 2013.

Why have the highest entry price in all of Nepal?

What does it accomplish? Well, aside from an increase in fees. It also means keeping out lower-income tourists. Nepal was once a hippie hashish loving tourist destination. That’s all changed with a greater push away from low spending “free loaders” to higher income trekkers and culture lovers.

There’s a visible difference between Kathmandu’s culture and Bhaktapurs. Bhaktapur kicked the people happy to lounge away all day on the squares corners for higher income tourists who will eat in restaurants and buy handicrafts from the region. And then leave, quickly, so the next batch can come in.

So yes, there is something to this charge a higher price and cleaning up of an area. Like it or not.

Bhaktapur keeps its traditional ways

Bhaktapur has a great background in Nepalese handicrafts, artistry and a growing reputation in reviving traditional Newari foods. From paper mache string puppets to, hand-made dolls, musical instruments and thanka paintings Bhaktapurs handicraft trade continues to grow. Bhaktapurs pottery has long been established as the best in Nepal.

Handmade Paper Mache puppet in Bhaktapur

Walk the side streets of Bhaktapur and you’ll very easily find people sewing, painting, carving and sculpting in their chosen art form.

In a way Bhaktapur is becoming the art and cultural capital of Nepal.

The people of Bhaktapur keep smiling

There’s a uniqueness to the people of Bhaktapur compared to other cities in Nepal too. I think it has to do with the strong traditional roots mentioned above. There’s a pride about the place and the people genuinely seem happy to show you their work without a hard sell. Something you simply can’t find in the likes of Kathmandu anymore.

That’s not to say touts don’t exist. They do. And you do have to be careful if you are not used to them. But again compared to Kathmandu they are easy to deal with.

More to the point the everyday person you meet in Bhaktapur seems genuinely happy to talk with you. Again, randomly walking up to a stranger is not the way to accomplish this. But try talking with a shop keeper or sitting down next to a group of people in one of the many squares. The hardest thing about it is the language barrier. Learn a sentence or two of Nepali and you’ll open up a whole new world to your sight-seeing.

Smiling man of Bhaktapur

A building can impress and stay with you, but it’s always that smiling face and conversation that will sit next to your hearts memories

Conclusions on what makes Bhaktapur such a special place

The people, the temples, the old world ancient aura. The high price and the incoming tours. There are no doubt good and bad points to Bhaktapur. The combination of which I think creates the difference and makes Bhaktapur stand out from all other cities in Nepal.

Nyatapola Temple Statue of Jaya mal Pata – famous wrestler in Nepal

Bhaktapur is a living museum of ancient temples and traditional culture

Over the years I’ve seen big changes in Nepal and its premier locales such as Kathmandu, Chitwan and Pokhara. In comparison Bhaktapur has remained pretty much unchanged in all that time. Subtle differences are improved restaurants, more handicraft stores, better maps and internet access. So yes there’s a growth there too. But it’s been strategically merged with old world tradition so as to not spoil it in the least.

Can there be improvements? Yes, for sure. But given the current status of Nepal, Bhaktapur does seem to be a head above everywhere else. So I say keep going as you are.

I’m not sure if there are other places like this left in the world. If you’ve been to one, do let me know. I think it would be interesting to compare them?

Meanwhile if you visiting Nepal on a short stay, do please consider adding a full day trip to Bhaktapur. It’s well worth it!

Coming soon:

Getting Momo-tastic

Travel Tip:

Planning a trip to Nepal and a visit to Bhaktapur? For all the details on what to do, places to visit, photos, costs, accommodation and a map to pottery square check out my travel guide to Bhaktapur.

Planning on booking a hotel room in Bhaktapur?

Looking for the best online rates?

I recommend you try my own hotel search for Bhaktapur . The best online rates guaranteed!

What do you think about this? Leave a comment & let me know about What makes Bhaktapur such a great and charming place

Food from Nepal: Aloo Chop & Puri

2013-03-13T16:00:00-07:00

Chop from Nepal

Potato and bean Aloo Chop from Nepal

Think Nepalese potato cake and you have the basics for Aloo Chop. Chop itself comes from India with I imagine routes going back well into the history of the potato. The Nepalese version of Chop is however very different to your average potato cake. As for puri? Well that’s a simple unleavened bread. But more on that later.

What’s Aloo Chop made from?

Potato is the main ingredient. Mixed with egg it’s covered with breadcrumbs and deep-fried. Ingredients are typically added to the potato mix and in this instance beans have been added to the aloo chop. Beans and I have to say a lot of chili. The aloo chop photograph above was very spicy to the point of being too hot to really enjoy.

So if you really like your hot spicy food give aloo chop in Nepal a try!

Puri the Nepalese flat bread

Puri unleavened flat bread found in India and Nepal

My mouth burning form Nepalese chop I went for the nearest form of plain bread I could find. In this case it was Puri. A plain unleavened bread from Nepal with roots in India. Made with coarse wheat flour it’s good for dealing with hot and spicy foods like chop. Or any other curry for that matter.

I wouldn’t just eat puri alone though. It can be a little greasy and it’s a simple blend of course flour and salt so there’s not much flavor there.

Aloo chop and Puri for traveling in Nepal

You’ll find both of these snacks in most roadside cafes in Nepal. They are especially popular in the late afternoon and often bought for overnight bus trips. As a traveler I’d stay away from Aloo Chop unless you have a stomach that can handle spice and greasy food.

To get the best of both aloo chop and puri I recommend trying them fresh from a local cafe after you watch them being made!

This is an additional article featuring Nepalese food

What do you think about this? Leave a comment & let me know about Food from Nepal: Aloo Chop & Puri

Pottery Square in Bhaktapur: where a traditional way of life still exists

2013-03-10T17:11:00-07:00

Turning pots in the sun in Bhaktapur’s Pottery Square

Making pots the old fashioned way in Bhaktapur’s pottery square

It’s like a step back in time to visit Bhaktapur. Handicrafts are still made by hand here and not imported from China with a label stuck onto them. Traditionally spun and fired clay pots are a fine example of Bhaktapur’s thriving craft trades. It’s a fascinating process to watch. More perhaps because of the people than the actual pot making.

Where to find pottery square in Bhaktapur

Woman in Bhaktapur Pottery square

First things first. There are actually two pottery squares in Bhaktapur. More if you go further out from the town, but they are smaller and less popular. The first pottery square is, Suryamadhi, located to the East of Dattatreya temple and square. This one is said to be the oldest pottery square, but it’s also a little commercial. Good for bulk buying of standard pots, bad for enjoyability. It’s also not always that active.

A better choice is to visit Talako’s Potter’s Square which is just south of Bhaktapur Durbar Square along some very nice side streets. At peak times it can get a little touristy, but nothing too much.

Visiting Bhaktapur Pottery Square

If the sun is shining life in Baktapur’s pottery square is running at full blaze. The wide open brick courtyard will be awash with a mix of small grey and brownish red clay pots, all sectioned off depending on design or purpose. In among this maze of clay ware you’ll see a person tending to each pot much like a dedicated gardener might tend to their plants. Every pot is examined by hand before being turned to face the sun at new angle or dipped into a bucket of colored water.

Large woven baskets are regularly brought out to gather freshly baked pots while another person weaves their way along behind them with a wooden tray of newly fired pots to replace the finished ones. It’s a finely tuned system of human pottery rotation from this centuries old tradition.

Covering a clay pot in coloring

Traditional pottery being made right in front of you

I had the full intention of getting up close and photographing a pot being made from start to finish. But on observation that seemed to tip the boat on being too touristy. I watched as other tourists meandered into the square. Camera’s in tow they’d eventually end up in at a potter’s wheel snapping away. From the distance one could see the irritation in the locals faces.

It wouldn’t take long before a relative would jump to the potters rescue and accost the tourist with either a request for payment or deeper offering of letting them make a bowl at another potters wheel. I think the choice would be given depending on the look of the tourist. If they were cheap looking then a photo payment. If they looked wealthy then they’d be offered to make a pot and then pay quite a bit more for it.

I don’t blame the locals at all. Though it could certainly be set up better to profit more. Some have already started by offering pottery lessons over the course of a week.

For me the real enjoyment came from sitting back and watching life in potters square go about its business.

Watching the potters at work

Carrying pots new clay pots in and out from the sun

Everyone has a role in Pottery square. The young men are occasionally seen lifting heavy bags of clay from the back streets up closer to the square while also firing up the wood fueled kilns.

Middle aged men and women beat clay as equals while both also use the potter’s wheel. Young children seem to fleet from spinning pots to watching the stores. Older women seem to have the role of tending to pots as they bake in the sun.

Meanwhile those who have surpassed an indecipherable age sit around the square enjoying the sun, engaging in quite chats while occasionally nodding off to sleep.

It’s an amazing process to witness so many generations of a family at work together. Everyone has a role and a part to play in seeing a pot being created.

Sometimes it’s better not to know how things are made

In my travels I’ve found the whole process of potters at work interesting. In West Africa I joined in with some pot making and created a tiny jug with an artistic sag to the right.

It’s that whole spin the potter’s wheel thing with your feet while cupping your hands around wet clay trying to shape it and keep it in the center of the wheel that’s the tricky bit.

Here I see experts at work. I see old lady’s picking up candle stick holders and dosing them in milky red water. I don’t know why. Something to do with coloring the clay or keeping it from cracking under the sun.

Truth of the matter is I didn’t want to know the in’s and out’s of pottery. It seems to be a little different everywhere in the world I go. What satisfied me the most was simply watching these potters at work while enjoying the suns warm glow.

Clay dishes being made

There was no need to join in. Simply being there and watching the world go by was enough. Perhaps that’s what makes Bhaktapur such a charming place. You don’t have to do anything other than enjoy this old world charm.

Coming Soon:

Finding “that” rare place in the world

Travel Tip:

Planning a trip to Nepal and a visit to Bhaktapur? For all the details on what to do, places to visit, photos, costs, accommodation and a map to pottery square check out my travel guide to Bhaktapur.

Planning on booking a hotel room in Bhaktapur?

Looking for the best online rates?

I recommend you try my own hotel search for Bhaktapur . The best online rates guaranteed!

What do you think about this? Leave a comment & let me know about Pottery Square in Bhaktapur: where a traditional way of life still exists

King Curd from Bhaktapur: food in Nepal

2013-03-06T15:30:00-08:00

King Curd from Bhaktapur (Juju Dhau)

King curd or Juju Dhau from Bhaktapur Nepal

In my search for the Kumari legend in Nepal I spent quite some time in Bhaktapur Nepal. A huge old city that’s a protected heritage zone and has one of the largest entrance fees in all Nepal. One of the cities oldest yet latest promotions is its legendary King Curd which translates to Juhu Dhau.

What is King Curd or Juju Dhau

It’s a Newari curd(yogurt) made from buffalo milk and traditionally made by heating the curd cultures in rice husks. Today the curd is also flavored with Nepalese honey. It gets its name “royal curd” due to its exquisite taste that was said to once please the king.

Thick and creamy bowl of King Curd

Today the curd is available in Bhaktapur and is exported to some stores in Kathmandu. It still maintains an important role in ceremonial feasts.

My tasting of Royal King Curd

When searching for a living goddess one tends to meet all sorts of people in all sorts of places. On this occasion I was treated to a bowl of king curd in Bhaktapur’s durbar square.

It certainly has a more cheesy flavor than regular curd and therefore richer. The color is also a little more yellow. The honey had a very mild taste in comparison. Either way it is certainly different from regular curd.

If you are visiting Bhaktapur it’s certainly worth trying as it holds a certain claim to fame to have eaten it!

Travel Tip:

Planning a trip to Nepal and a visit to Bhaktapur? For all the details on what to do, places to visit, photos, costs, maps and accommodation check out my travel guide to Bhaktapur.

Planning on booking a hotel room in Bhaktapur?

Looking for the best online rates?

I recommend you try my own hotel search for Bhaktapur . The best online rates guaranteed!

What do you think about this? Leave a comment & let me know about King Curd from Bhaktapur: food in Nepal