Monday, November 24
A moment in Kathmandu

We would be heading back to the airport early the next morning to depart for London. So I had the afternoon to finish my shopping. I talked to a very nice Nepali woman at the Hotel Desk about where I might locate a yak bell. And where the Nepalis do their shopping in Kathmandu. Based on her directions, I headed out of the tourist section.

It was a fascinating afternoon, certainly the best I had in Kathmandu. Somehow I felt like I was less of a stranger. I was much more confident of my ability to find my way around. And the streets just seemed friendlier and more familiar, even though they were still crowded and there were taxis and tuktuks (3 wheel motorbike taxis) beeping and weaving through the pedestrians and the air was so dirty that a lot of people wore surgical masks. But it didn't make me feel claustrophobic or rushed.

As I left the tourist section (Thamel) following a street named Asan, I left behind the shops with fake name brand trekking gear and expensive souvenir shops and tourist restaurants and pashmina shops. The street grew even narrower and in some blocks there was rubble instead of pavement.

The streets were crowded with Nepalis of all descriptions shopping or socializing or transporting things or going from place to place. People watching was never better.

And still nobody was talking on a cell phone.

More of this day
The next day

this travelogue is part of the subside travelzine
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