Inside Kathmandu

Incredible Drone Video of Kathmandu

2015-01-16T17:36:00.000-08:00

Thanks to the rise of drone photography, it's never been easier to get a glimpse of some incredible aerial views. Here is an incredible views of Kathmandu as seen from a drone...

Kathmandu aerial video shot with a DJI Phantom 2 and a GoPro Hero3+ mounted on gimbal Zenmuse H3-3D.

More Info About the Author of the Video:

http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdTtV...

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Nepal: Standing at the gates of heaven

2014-08-28T04:22:00.001-07:00

The air is different. You notice it immediately. It's rarefied, finer, invigorating; it has a sense of the divine about it. Breathe and your chakras give a blissful little shudder. It's Nepal home of the legendary Gurkhas, Everest and Annapurna, and birthplace of Buddha.

The 6km journey from Tribhuvan International to the Soaltee Crowne Plaza gives a first glimpse into daily life. Rutted, potholed roads are flanked with masses of dangling wires, strung from skewed poles buckling under the weight of the cables they endeavour to support. Power outages are frequent; without warning, the entire Kathmandu valley can be pitched into blackness. The traffic is chaotic, with buses, cars, cows and motorbikes all vying for road space. The law requires only motorbike drivers to wear a helmet, so it's common to see bareheaded women and children riding pillion, sometimes five deep, amid the lunatic traffic.
The Soaltee is an oasis of calm amid the craziness of Kathmandu. It has an outdoor swimming pool from which you can gaze up at the majestic Himalayas, and four restaurants, along with a bar and lounge. Once settled, our first stop was the Garden Terrace restaurant to sample some authentic Nepali cuisine and down a few Gorkhas. Daal bhat tarkari is a traditional dish - daal being a lentil soup; bhat, boiled grains and tarkari is essentially a vegetable curry. Momo, a type of stuffed dumpling, is synonymous with Nepal, and very moreish indeed! Desserts are also a delight, from gajar ko halwa (carrot pudding) to kheer (rice pudding) and, my favourite, sel roti (crispy rice doughnuts).
Next morning, first stop was Swayambhunath, or Monkey Temple. The magnificent stupa (Buddhist shrine), venerated by Hindus and Buddihsts, is set high on a hill that is reputed to have 'self-arisen' (swayambhu) from the waters of a lake that once covered the area. As you climb the 365 steps to the stupa, inquisitive monkeys clamber alongside, their babies clinging on for dear life. The sweet chanting of 'Om Mani Padme Hum' a Tibetan Buddhist mantra that echoes throughout Nepal, drifts down the hilltop, getting louder with the ascent, as we finally come face to face with the massive, white-painted stupa that bears the all-seeing eyes of Buddha. Lines of multi-coloured prayer flags spoke out from the gilded pinnacle, and at the circular base are little prayer wheels, also bearing the these - in a clockwise direction only, mind; counterclockwise is reserved for advanced practitioners - bestows a benefit to the spinner. There are little shops and shrines circling the stupa, and butter lamps and flower offerings everywhere. Despite the proliferation of tourists, an atmosphere of reverence pervades what is one of the oldest and most enigmatic holy shrines in Nepal.
Next, it's on to Kathmandu's Durbar Square, also a Unesco World Heritage site. It's a complex of temples and shrines, both Buddhist and Hindu. Until the early 20th Century, this area was home to the King - Nepal, home to 27m people, was a monarchy until 1990, when it became a constitutional monarchy. In 2001, a bizarre series of events occurred that caused a sensation - and riots. Crown Prince Dipendra, aka 'Dippy', enraged at his parents who had refused his request to marry a local aristocrat, and drunk on The Famous Grouse scotch, shot them and seven other royals using a sub-machine gun, then used a Glock pistol to unsuccessfully kill himself. Dippy apparently kicked his father, the King, after he had shot him, an act that arguably caused more shock in Nepalese society than the killing itself. Dippy was proclaimed King while in a coma but he died after a three-day reign. His uncle became King, but in 2008 the monarchy was abolished and a Federal Democratic Republic was declared.
In Durbar Square, we get our tikkas (the red dot on the forehead; a blessing) at Mahendreswor Temple, which was built in 1562 and is dedicated to Shiva. You could spend days wandering around the innumerable beautiful pagoda-like temples, palaces and shrines. A maze of little streets and squares, the Durbar Square area was built between the 12th and 18th Centuries.
Perhaps one of the most extraordinary things you are ever likely to encounter is here, in the Kumari-ghar: a living goddess. From the ancient quadrangle, a latticed, intricately carved window is visible a few stories up. You can feel the crowd mentally willing Matina Shakya, the current Kumari (virgin) to appear. There's a sudden hush, and there she is: a child in ornate red robes, her dark, kohl-rimmed eyes looking haughtily down. Her feet are never allowed touch the ground; if she goes outside, she is carried.
To become a living goddess, she must fulfil a number of criteria, including having eyelashes like a cow, thighs like a deer and a voice as soft and clear as a duck. She also must undergo tests, including a night surrounded by ritually severed animal heads, without showing any fear. Once crowned, if she sheds any blood or once her period starts, it is thought that the goddess deity leaves her body and she becomes a commoner again. The transition is difficult, but as our guide explains, goddesses these days are allowed to watch cartoons and are given an education, so find it somewhat easier to return to their village and normal life.
It's difficult to top a living goddess, but Nepal is abundant in singular experiences. Pashupathinath Temple on the banks of the Bagmati, 3km north of Kathmandu, is dedicated to Pashupathi, Lord of the Animals. The temple, which contains the sacred phallic symbols of Shiva, dates back to 400AD, is an important Hindu pilgrimage site. Entry is barred to non-Hindus, but the view from the far side of the river is sufficiently fascinating.
Outlandishly dressed saddhus (holy men) sit along the bank. One beckons as we walk past; holy he may be, but it's money he's after. Avoiding him and the ubiquitous cows and monkeys, we walk along the bank, eyeing the ghats (steps) lining the far side.
The Bagmati is a sacred river, and many who cannot afford to travel to the Ganges in Varanasi to cremate their dead, come here. There are now controversial plans to build an electric crematorium to stem the pollution that results from the daily cremations.
The aroma of sandalwood and ash hang thick in the air as we come to a crowd gathering on the bridge. Down below, no more than ten feet away, is a man busily preparing a body, perhaps his father, for cremation. He pulls and drags it, the effort clearly visible on his face as he struggles to remove a plastic sheet, and then winds the white cloth around the corpse, leaving the head visible, tucking in butter lamps here and there so that the cremation fire will take hold once lit. I feel I'm intruding on this man's private grief, and as the clicking of cameras mixes with the first crackles of the cremation fire, I walk away, a bit raw from the realness of it all.
The next day, it's up early for a flight over Everest, for anyone who wants to go. Despite two attempts, Sagarmatha (Head of the Sky) does not deign to show herself. The disappointment is tempered a little by the fact that there's no charge for a no-show.
It's on to Bodhnath, the site of the largest stupa in Nepal. The stupa here is colossal; built in 600AD, it's said to house bones from Buddha's skeleton, and its physical structure is symbolic of Buddha's path to enlightenment. The plinth is the earth, the dome is water, the tower is fire, the spire is air and the top represents the void. The dome of the structure is so big that it's possible to climb up and walk around on it, underneath the multitude of fluttering prayer flags.
Lunch is a tasty affair in the Boudha Kitchen, under the watchful eyes of the stupa. Fed and watered - we try raksi, a traditional alcoholic drink make from rice that tastes a little like saki - we head to a tanka painting school. Tankas are exquisitely detailed paintings that usually depict a Buddhist deity, scene or mandala. They are traditionally painted with very fine brushes made from three hairs of a cat's tail and require immense skill and concentration to complete. Prices vary depending on the skill level of the artist, but haggling is expected and welcomed.
Our final day in Nepal is spent in the ancient city of Bhaktapur, which lies on an ancient trade route between Tibet and India, and is one of three royal cities in Nepal. No cars are allowed in, and to enter through the gates is to step back in time. 25,000 live here and many live without any modern conveniences; women still haul water from  30-foot-deep wells for daily use. The city was founded in the 12th Century and partly destroyed in 1934 by an earthquake. Despite this, much of Bhaktapur is perfectly preserved and has remained unchanged throughout the centuries.
We dined in the Palace Restaurant, overlooking Lion's Gate, in the Square. It has two exquisite stone statues of Hindu deities on either side, and legend has it that once the artisans finished, the King cut off their hands so they couldn't reproduce such beautiful work for another. There is so much to see here: in Pottery Square, vessels are thrown and fired in traditional manner, while Vatsala Temple has a bell that sounds like a dog barking and is believed to be a death knell. (No one was brave enough!) Shiva Parvati Temple has stone elephants copulating in the missionary position, while Nyatapola Temple is a five-storied pagoda, the highest in Nepal, with breathtakingly intricate carvings and stonework.
Having come from Delhi, we left Nepal the next morning to journey on to the holy Indian city of Varanasi, which held the promise of its own particular delights, but the tinkle of prayer bells and the pulsing hum of Om Mani Padme Hum was to linger long after we left the land of the Himalayas far, far behind.

TAKE THREE

Fly over Everest
Everest. You have to do it. Even though we flew over twice, on two separate days and were unsuccessful, it was still a thrill knowing you were near Chomolungma (the Tibetan name, meaning Mother Goddess of the Universe) and unless you’re very unlucky, you will get to see other peaks in the majestic Himalayas. The trip is weather-dependent, but even if conditions are good on take-off, things can change very quickly in the mountains. The trip, on Yeti Airlines, takes about an hour and costs about €150.
Pottery Square
Pottery square in Bhaktapur is a must-see. There are actually two; the first, Suryamadhi, is to the east of Dattatreya Temple and Square. It is the oldest square and good for buying big pots. The other, Talako, is just south of Durbar Square and has a great selection of small vessels, which are more easily transportable. You can see the entire pottery process as it has been practised for centuries from start to finish; the clay is beaten and the pot is cast, left in the sun to dry, and then fired in the wood-fired kilns.
Tankas and Yak Wool
Souvenirs are often tacky, but not so in Nepal. There’s gorgeous costume jewellery made from semi-precious stones and animal bones and horns; Bhaktapur is particularly good. Tanka paintings can cost an arm and a leg, but small ones are available at reasonable prices ($50) or buy from a less skilled artist. Boudnath has many shops in the vicinity of the stupa that sell beautiful scarves made of yak wool, which is deliciously soft. You can get a hand-appliqued yak-wool scarf for as little as $25.

GETTING THERE

Gemma travelled to Nepal as part of Insight Vacations’ Classical India with Nepal tour, which starts from €2,715pp and operates year round, with the exception of May-July. It is featured in Insight’s Exotics Collection brochure, which includes tours in Bhutan and Sri Lanka.
The trip price includes: airport arrival and departure transfers, baggage handling; hotel and restaurant tips; one-way domestic flights from Delhi-Kathmandu, Kathmandu-Varanasi and Varanasi-Khajuraho; 12 nights in luxury hotel accommodation, including the Fairmont in Jaipur; a welcome reception with drinks and welcome dinner; 12 buffet breakfasts, 3 highlight lunches; afternoon tea and a celebration dinner. Guests are escorted by one of Insight’s expert tour directors; modern, air-conditioned luxury touring coaches and minibuses are provided throughout the tour.

Sunday Independent

-
Written By:

Gemma Fullam

See more at: http://www.independent.ie/life/travel/world/nepal-standing-at-the-gates-of-heaven-30529007.html#sthash.tbAseXbY.dpuf

Incredible Photos Of A Vanishing Kingdom In The Remote Mountains Of Nepal

2014-08-21T06:44:00.000-07:00

To get to the Kingdom of Mustang in Nepal, nestled near the Himalaya, you have to travel over mountains and through desert-like terrain for 12 days by donkey..

There you'll find the former Tibetan kingdom and its capital city, Lo Manthang, a community rich with culture that still farms hearty vegetables and once traded on the ancient Salt Route to China.

The monarchy was officially replaced by democracy in 2008, but the community's way of life is similar to the way it was in the 1500s, in the kingdom's heyday.

But all that's about to change.

A new highway that's currently under construction is about to speed up the modernization of Mustang's people, and not everyone is happy about it.

Sure, the people want internet and western medicine, but Mustang children have already started leaving the community to receive a "better" education in government schools that refuse to teach in their native language. The elders of the community fear the traditions and heritage of their people is beginning to vanish and will be lost.

And that's where The Vanishing Cultures Project enters. The organization, which is currently applying for non-profit status, is run by two young American journalists, Taylor Weidman, 28, and Nina Wegner, 30, who document rapidly changing traditional cultures. They then self-publish a book with photos taken by Weidman and chapters on the culture written by Wegner.

They plan to use the profits from the book (available on their website) to send back to the community to help fund grassroots initiatives to preserve their heritages. They hope donations can help fund their trips to the places they define as vanishing cultures.

NEPAL

The duo saw the community of Mustang's struggles firsthand during their trip to Nepal this year. Weidman was in Nepal working through a Fulbright Grant, and Wegner joined him on his journey. The pair realized they wanted to find a way to help.

They embedded themselves in the community using a former monk as a tour guide and translator.

As they spoke with community leaders, they learned that modernization was welcomed, but the leaders were worried that their language and traditions were being lost as more and more people left the community or turned to other professions.

"It was inspiring to see the grassroots steps by improvised, local people to preserve their own culture, and that's why we're doing this--to help those people," Wegner said.

Several of the community leaders had already started taking steps to preserve their, which encouraged the pair, Wegner said. Two brothers who practiced Tibetan medicine--a trade passed down through their family for generations--started a school to teach about the anatomy, chemistry, and science that goes into Tibetan medicine to help make sure it doesn't vanish.

And the retired monks in the community have reverted to the traditional spoken word to pass along stories of their cultures prosperity. Every Wednesday night they sit around exchanging tales of the life of the Loba people.

MOVING FORWARD

"We went into this thinking, 'oh, we're going to be documentarians and we're going to change the world,' but to change the world you have to do so much office work. And so much paper work. It was technically hard to do and a big attitude adjustment...we have to wear all these different hats," Wegner said.

The pair currently spends half the year writing grants and dealing with paper work, and the rest of the year traveling.

They plan to document one culture a year, spending six months at a time with the people they choose to document and help.

They leave for Mongolia in March. In Mongolia, where the people have nomadic herding background, harsh winters have been killing livestock. Mining companies are coming in, helping the economy boom. But there's still a staggering rate of 20% unemployment rate among 15-24 year olds in the country, Wegner said..

"Global diversity is a good thing. It's inherently good, and most people agree it's valuable, so for the sake of that, documentary projects like this are valuable," Wegner said. "Heritage and culture are huge motivating factors for personal identity, socially and economically. Having a strong sense of your heritage actually gives you a strong sense of self worth and that translates into life, economic and social success. So there are psychological benefits of people holding on to their heritage and a wider community good of having a really robust, healthy population where we can learn from each other."

Wegner and Weidman were kind enough to share some photos of Mustang with us.

A caste system still exists in the Mustang region, based on whether a person's ancestors were born into the royal family or a position of power.

After speaking with the Loba, Wegner learned that children in government schools go through an assimilation-like program. They're taught in Nepali and banned from speaking their native Tibetan. Children are even stripped of their Tibetan names and re-named in Nepali, she was told.

Everyone works in Mustang. It's hard to support a noble class economically, but the noble class is better educated, and seem to make better leaders because of it, Weidman said.

There's only one crop a year and the cabbage often fails, Weidman said.

"I hope after flipping through our books, people gain some understanding of these people, see the beautiful culture," Weidman said. "My end goal is that people see how awesome the world is and want to do something to help protect that."

It's a weeklong hike from the nearest airport to the capital city of Lo Manthang. Helicopters only come in for medical emergencies.

On a day-to-day basis, the people are mostly excited about being connected to the infrastructure of Nepal, Weidman said. It's the leaders who fear that their traditions will be diluted.

That's where the Vanishing Cultures Project idea stemmed from. The pair, experienced journalists, decided to document what these cultures were like right now and help support them by talking about their issues.

The community leaders in Lo Manthang told Weidman that they were sad about the new road being built through their town. They were worried that it would make their kids even more disconnected from their culture, and bring in more changes.

The higher caste members were well-educated and most could speak English, making the interview process easier for Weidman and Wegner.

The pair found the Loba to be very friendly, but a key step in the process was earning the people's trust and helping them realize they weren't there to exploit them.

The region only supports hearty crops because of the desert-like terrain; they include potatoes, barley, peas, mustard, cabbage, and beans.

Add caption

There's still a king, but technically he has no real governing power. Now, people are elected to community leader positions. But the ex-nobility are still the ones prominently elected into these positions, Wegner and Weidman said.

These cultures do welcome some modernization with open arms and want the new facilities and western medicine. But there's a fear of balancing heritage with incorporating new world technology and ideas, Wegner said.

This is Mustang, in the Northern part of Nepal, on the border of Tibet. The Loba, who live here, were originally Tibetan, but when border lines were redrawn they wound up in Nepal.

UNESCO has recognized Lo Manthang as a world heritage site and has said that Lo Manthang is one of the best-preserved Medieval cities in the world.

Wegner and Weidman met a monk who took some steps to preserve the culture, including starting a school in Lo Manthang so students didn't have attend far-away government schools.

Weidman and Wegner hope that in the future, the Vanishing Cultures Project can incorporate video and audio to document the language of the people with whom they embed themselves.

Extreme Snowboarding in Nepal: 19,000 Foot Descent by Jeremy Jones

2014-08-14T09:39:00.000-07:00

Last fall, Jones traveled to Nepal for the largest descent of his life—a 21,400 foot peak that he dubbed the Shangri-La Spine Wall. His arrival at the foot of this peak coincided with the final weeks of Nepal's monsoon season. While waiting for a suitable weather window in which to summit his objective, Jones had ample opportunities to acclimate and plan for his mission.

Once the monsoon season began to subside, Jones still had to approach his objective with an element of patience. Before he could attempt to summit the Shangri-La Spine Wall, he first needed to simply get back on the snow. Between trekking to his base camp and waiting out the remainder of the monsoon season, three weeks had passed since he had arrived in Nepal. Yet in addition to his need to get back on the snow, Jones also needed to assess the safety and stability of the snowpack—especially since little information was available on the area's conditions both before and throughout his trip to Nepal.

During their first day on the snow, Jones and Luca Pandolfi—his partner for the mission—summited a nearby peak for a test run. With the help of Nima Tasi Sherpa and Dawa Sherpa, the duo climbed Mingbo La Pass. Once a common route for climbers headed to Everest, this pass fell out of favor as easier routes opened up for accessing the peak's base camp. With an aspect similar to that of the Shangri-La Spine Wall, Mingbo La Pass provided an opportunity to carefully study the area's snowpack. At 19,000 feet, the pass also offered a glimpse into the challenges Jones and Pandolfi would face in the days ahead

Source: http://snowboarding.transworld.net/videos/jeremy-jones-higher-test-run-19000-feet/

11 Incredible Pictures Taken Inside Kathmandu

2014-02-15T23:36:00.000-08:00

High Dynamic Range-technique (HDR) can create incredibly beautiful pictures.

This post covers 11 extremely beautiful and perfectly executed HDR-pictures taken Inside Kathmandu. Some of them might look surreal, too colorful, even magic or fake, but they are not — keep in mind that they’ve all been developed out of usual photos.

Indra Jatra Festival (Photo by: Bikash Khadge)

Ason (Photo by: Bikash Khadge)

Sadhu (Holy Man) (Photo by: Bikash Khadge)

Kathmandu (Photo by: Scotty Graham)

Sun Rays @ Boudhanath (Photo by: CJ Kern)

Garudh the Guardian (Photo by: Umes Shrestha)

Walls of Patan Museum (Photo by: Umes Shrestha)

Basantapur (Photo by: Umes Shrestha)

Busy Streets of Patan (Photo by: Umes Shrestha)

Sahid Gate (Photo by: Umes Shrestha)

Pashupatinath (Photo by: Daniela Vallant)

This is the Most Stunning Time Lapse of Mount Everest You'll Ever See. Guaranteed!!

2014-02-14T02:06:00.001-08:00

This Beautiful Time Lapse of Mount Everest from Elia Saikaly is truly amazing and stunning. For further information please read the information provided by the Photographer below:

And, if this time lapse encourages you to give a shot at climbing Mount Everest, here's another good news: The fees to climb Mount Everest has been recently slashed. According to Madhusudan Burlakoti, head of Nepal's Department of Mountains, fees beginning next will be $11,000 per climber as compared to $25,000 per climber now.

Everest -A time lapse short film from Elia Saikaly on Vimeo.
http://www.eliasaikaly.com
For stock footage requests please visit: http://adventurestockvideo.com

Experience the beauty of Mt. Everest at night in time-lapse. While most climbers slept, I attempted to capture some of the magic that the Himalayan skies have to offer while climbing to the top of the world.

Here's a bit of what I endured at the end to make this possible: http://www.eliasaikaly.com/2013/05/into-the-death-zone/

One of the most rewarding parts of the journey was being able to share it with thousands of students on http://www.findinglife.ca

This time lapse video is comprised of thousands of photographs, processed and assembled on Mt. Everest.

Shot on a Canon 5D Mark II
-Canon 2.8 16-35mm
-Canon 2.8 24-70mm
-Canon 2.8 70-200mm (which was way to heavy to carry beyond 6400M)
-TL Remote was purchased off eBay

Edited in Final Cut Pro
Processed in Adobe LightRoom
Movies compiled in Quicktime

Music: A Heartbeat away purchased on http://goo.gl/AJZcM

I hope you enjoy it. If you do, please leave a comment and let me know what you think.

My stock footage, professional and charitable work can be see on my website at www.eliasaikaly.com
And on FB: https://www.facebook.com/elia.saikaly.adventurer

9 Amazing 360 Degree Views of Places & Sites Inside the Kathmandu Valley

2014-02-13T06:35:00.001-08:00

Click on the links below to see a 360 degree view of the Different Awesome Sites Within the Kathmandu Valley. Even if you are not in Kathmandu, these views makes you feel right at home!!!!

Kathmandu Valley

Boudhanath: South Facing of the Central Stupa

Boudhanath: Another View

Pashupati: View of Pashupatinath Temple form Accross the Bagmati River

Durbar Square

Swayambhunath

Swayambhunath: Another View

Bhaktapur

Patan

13 awesome activities you can do in Kathmandu in 48 hours

2014-02-12T01:51:00.002-08:00

Nepal's capital of Kathmandu is an ancient town dotted with Hindu and Buddhist temples, a riot of colour and dust with clogged streets where stray cows and dogs vie for rotting leftovers beside swanky malls.

Ringed by rolling hills, the city has many satellite towns, of which Patan and Bhaktapur are popular with tourists. The area has seven old monuments that are listed by the UNESCO as World Heritage sites, all within less than two hours' drive.

Reuters correspondents with local knowledge suggests how visitors can get the most out of a 48-hour visit.

FRIDAY
7 p.m. - Thamel, known as "a city within a city," is the tourist hub of Kathmandu. Look for one of the many rooftop restaurants for dinner that offer a fantastic view of the city skyline. If you are fond of music, there are others that offer food and drinks with accompanying live concerts.
9 p.m. - If you wish, pop into one of the many discos, mostly frequented by young and well heeled Nepali youths, before retiring for a sound sleep.

SATURDAY
7:30 a.m. - Step out after breakfast on a "heritage walk" through the ancient parts of Kathmandu. A few minutes takes you into the 14th century, with narrow alleys and rutted streets, shops with carved doorways so low you have to stoop to enter and pigeons sitting on a maze of telephone cables that swirl overhead from utility poles.
The walk takes you below the balconies jutting out of brick and mud houses. Women with copper and brass trays of auspicious offerings such as vermillion powder, rice, sandalwood paste and incense sticks for figurines of Hindu and Buddhist gods rub elbows with street vendors selling fresh vegetables and fruits.
Pass through the Ason, Indrachowk and Makhantole neighbourhoods, which are lined with mum and pop shops displaying wares that range from golden ornaments to brass and aluminium utensils. Finally, you reach the Monkeygod Gate palace, ancient seat of Nepal's kings.

9 a.m. - The palace has many tile-roofed temples sitting on high brick terraces. On the one side is an old white palace where Nepal's kings used to be enthroned until the monarchy was toppled in 2008, and on the other is the cavernous Kasthamandap hall, reportedly built from the wood of a single tree. Kathmandu is believed to have derived its name from this.
Next door is the Kumari Ghar, the house of the virgin "Living Goddess" or Kumari, a major tourist attraction. Enter from the low door and you are in a courtyard waiting for the Kumari to appear in the second-floor window of an elaborately carved red-brick building. She is a virgin girl selected from Kathmandu's Shakya clan to serve the divine role until the onset of puberty, when a new one is selected. Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, also hailed from the same clan.
The girl, with a third eye painted on her forehead and the black kohl paste around her eyes, is worshipped as a power goddess. Before the monarchy was abolished, the king of Nepal sought her blessings, a ritual now performed by the president.

11 a.m. - Get a taxi and head out for Swayambhunath, a magnificent monument sitting on top of a forested hill full of monkeys. It has a stupa, or temple tower with the ever-watching eyes of the Buddha painted on top of a white dome. If you are hardy, you can climb about 200 metres (yards) of steep stone steps to the top of the hill, or the taxi can take you up.
Swayambhunath is a complex of monasteries and temples, giving a view of the ancient part of Kathmandu. You can find monks jostling with locals to spin the prayer wheels, chanting from Buddhist texts to accumulate wisdom and merit, and purify themselves. Devout Buddhists believe spinning a wheel can have much the same meritorious effects as orally reciting the mantras or religious hymns. You should walk around a clockwise direction and can spin the wheels by a slight rotation of your wrist.

12 p.m. - Head out for lunch at Thamel. A short stroll will give you a wide selection of restaurants to suit your taste of local and Indian cuisines as well as Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese and Japanese food.

2 p.m. - It's now time to discover Thamel. Spread over 2.5 square km (1 sq mile), Thamel has about 3,300 shops selling everything from salt to smart phones, restaurants, book shops, bars, discos and shops selling climbing gear for mountain climbers.
You can find Tibetan Thankas, or wall paintings, hand woven carpets, huge curved knives carried by Gurkha soldiers, and singing bowls - brass vessels that produce soft sounds when struck with a wooden rod. These bowls are souvenir pieces and are also used as decorative items. Bargaining is advised.

6 p.m. - Do some window shopping in Kathmandu's fashionable Durbar Marg, or the King's Street, lined by posh hotels, shopping malls and fast food shops including the KFC and Pizza Hut, the only international fast food chains in Nepal.

8 p.m. - After a tiring day, a dinner of juicy momos, or steamed dumplings served with pepper-hot sauce, can be a welcome change. There is also "Fire and Ice" in the vicinity of Thamel, which serves pizzas and is popular with tourists.

SUNDAY
7 a.m. - Hail a taxi and head out to Patan Durbar Square, a complex of medieval temples and fabulous palaces built during the reigns of the Malla kings, between the 10th and the 18th centuries. It is also known as the art city because of its rich collection of arts and architecture.

9 a.m. - Head to Bhaktapur, an ancient town 14 km (9 miles) east of Kathmandu. It is known for crafts, pottery, magnificent temples, culture and festivals. It lies by the side of a highway linking Kathmandu with Tibet.

Noon - Now proceed to Narayanhiti palace museum, back in Kathmandu, by taxi. It was a royal palace that housed the office and residence of the King of Nepal.
A tour takes you through the bedrooms of the former royals, their meeting hall with stuffed tigers and massive crystal chandelier, guest rooms, royal kitchen and the massacre house - the building where in 2001, then-Crown Prince Dipendra mowed down his parents and seven other royals before turning the gun on himself.
That fateful family dinner marked the beginning of the fall of monarchy in Nepal, which once revered the king as the incarnation of the Lord Vishnu, the Hindu god of protection. Bullet marks can still be seen on the wall of a nearby building and only the brick outline remains of the house itself.

2.30 p.m. - After a quick lunch take a taxi to Lord Pashupatinath temple. It is a famous Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, the god of destruction. Non-Hindus are not given access to the actual temple but you can see the artistic shrine roofed in pagoda style with brass plates from a hill across the sacred but polluted Bagmati River and smell the smoke from nearby cremation grounds.

Source: reuters.com
Author: Gopal Sharma

This is the toughest job in the world and these Nepali guys still do it. Brave Nepali People

2014-02-11T06:12:00.001-08:00

This is not just any honey, and it doesn’t come from just any old bee. The Himalayan honey bee (Apis dorsal laborious) is the world’s largest honey bee and can measure up to 1.2 inches. They exist only in the Himalayas and build their nests in extremely high altitudes (from 8,200 to 13,500 ft). As for the honey itself, it’s red, and it’s one of the most valuable types of honeys in the world due to its intoxicating and relaxing qualities.

Source: Viralnova.com
Photos: Éric Tourneret and Eric Valli

Load Shedding in Nepal could be reduced by 6 hours from tomorrow if the government wanted to. Click Here to find out how

2014-02-05T03:11:00.002-08:00

अहिले विद्युत्त प्राधिकरणको प्रणालीमा उपलब्ध ७५ प्रतिशत बिजुली उपभोक्ताको घरमा दैनिक १८ घण्टासम्म आपूर्ति गर्न सकिन्छ । तर प्राधिकरणले पुस २१ गतेदेखि दैनिक नौ घण्टाबाट बढाएर १२ घण्टासम्म लोडसेडिङ गर्दै आएको छ ।

बाँकी बिजुली कहाँ गयो ? अहिले यो प्रसंग विद्युत्त क्षेत्रका इन्जिनियरबीच चर्चामात्र होइन प्राधिकरणभित्र पनि चर्चाको विषय बनेको छ ।

प्राधिकरणले यही पुस २३ को पत्रकार सम्मेलनमा बाँडेको विज्ञप्तिमा बिजुली माग एक करोड ६० लाख युनिट र आपूर्ति एक करोड २० लाख युनिट उल्लेख छ । यो हिसाबले माग भन्दा २५ प्रतिशत मात्र विजुली कम छ ।

‘२५ प्रतिशत विजुली अपुग हुँदा ६ घण्टामात्र लोडसेडिङ हुनुपर्ने हो ?’ प्राधिकरणका एक इन्जिनियरले भने, ‘बाँकी बिजुली कहाँ गयो ?’ स्रोतका अनुसार प्रणालीमा बिजुली उपलब्ध हुँदाहुँदै पनि उपभोक्ताका घरमा लोडसेडिङ बढ्नुमा प्राधिकरणले उद्योगलाई नियमविपरित बिजुली वितरण गरेर हो ।

घोषितरुपमा प्राधिकरणले विराटनगरका ४ वटा उद्योगलाई २४ घण्टा विजुली दिइरहेको छ । सामन्यतया उद्योगलाई भन्दा सर्वसाधरणलाई विजुली वितरणमा पाथमिकता दिनुपर्ने हुन्छ ।

मोरङ–सुनसरी औद्योगिक कोरिडरमा ११ वटा जुट उद्योगमा अन्य उद्योगमा भन्दा चारघण्टा लोडसेडिङ कम गर्न उद्योग मन्त्री शंकरप्रसाद कोइरालाले दिएको आदेश पालना भइरहेको स्रोतले बतायो ।
उद्योग मन्त्री कोइरालाकै दवावमा तीन साताअघि विराटनगरको रिलायन्स स्पिनिङ मिल्सलाई लोडसेडिङमुक्त बनाइएको छ । आठ मेगावटबराबरको विद्युत्त शक्ति उपभोग गर्ने रिलायन्सले दैनिक २० घण्टासम्म उद्योग सञ्चालन गर्दै आएको छ ।
त्यसैगरी देीनक ३८ मेगावट बिजुली खपत गर्ने वीरगन्जस्थित जगदम्बा स्टिललाई पनि प्राधिकरणले चौबिसै घण्टा बिजुली दिइरहेको स्रोतले बतायो । ‘थाहा भएका ठूला उद्योगबाहेक अन्य उद्योगले पनि यस्तो बिजुली पाइरहेका छन्’, स्रोतले भन्यो, ‘प्राधिकरणले आफ्नो प्रणालीको ९० मेगावट बिजुली चोरी गरेको देखिन्छ । ’
बिद्युत्त प्राधिकरणका प्रवक्ता शेरसिंह भाटले रिलायन्ससहितका केही ठूला उद्योगलाई मन्त्रालयकै निर्णयअनुसार बिजुली दिएको बताए । अन्य उद्योगलाई अनियमित आपूर्ति भएको भए काटिने प्रवक्ता भाटको भनाइ थियो ।
उद्योगले चौबीसै घण्टा बिजुली पाएका कारण सर्वसाधरणका घरमा लोडसेडिङ बढेको, केही उद्योगले प्राधिकरणको सस्तो बिजुली पाएको, कसैले ३५ रुपैयाँ युनिट पर्ने डिजेल प्लान्ट चलाउनुपरेको र यसले उद्योगको प्रतिस्पर्धी क्षमतामा ह्रास आएको गुनासो उद्योगपतिले मूख्यसचिल लीलामणि पौडेलसमक्ष गरेको समाचार आजको अन्नपूर्ण पोष्टमा विकास थापाले लेखेका छन् ।

Source: onlinekhabar.com

Accident Footages From Kathmandu

2013-08-15T21:57:00.001-07:00

Video Uploaded to youtube by Niris tandukar
Check out his other videos at: https://www.youtube.com/user/crossed21

Life in Kathmandu

2011-07-15T13:11:00.000-07:00

Description: Video that is taken in Kathmandu. Shows the different facades of life in Kathmandu: the different religious ceremonies and practices mostly in the Boudhanath temple area. The video begins inside a taxi cab and the Boudha Area starts at 26 sec.

Boudhanath is an ancient temple inside Kathmandu. It is one of the largest stupas in the world. The Stupa is on the ancient trade route from Tibet which enters the Kathmandu Valley by the village of Sankhu in the northeast corner, passes by Boudnath Stupa to the ancient and smaller stupa of Cā-bahī (often called 'Little Boudnath'). It then turns directly south, heading over the Bagmati thus bypassing the main city of Kathmandu (which was a later foundation). Tibetan merchants have rested and offered prayers here for many centuries. When refugees entered Nepal from Tibet in the 1950s, many decided to live around Bouddhanath. The Stupa is said to entomb the remains of Kassapa Buddha.

The video was filmed Kedar. More of his videos can be found at http://www.youtube.com/user/kedarvideo

Its hard to beleive that the people of Kathmandu have this kind of Money. Shocking Trurh about the car prices in Nepal.

2011-07-08T15:39:00.000-07:00

Just as a small project, we decided to look at the prices of cars in Kathmandu. Most of us know that people who own a car pay a high premium to purchase it because of the high taxes and duties that have to be paid for Imported goods. Bust just how high do Nepalis pay for their cars?

To find out, we first looked at the Nepali prices of cars in Nepal and we compared it to the price of the same car in India (since India is next to Nepal, so the argument would be that the prices should be similar). We also converted the Nepali price to Dollars. The results are shocking.

In our list, the highest priced car is Toyota Prado (please be aware that there are other more expensive cars available for purchase in Nepal, but we just chose a select few) which costs NRS 18,000,000. This in dollar terms is $193,548.39 In the USA, Ferari California starts at $192,000, 2014 Aston Martin DB9 starts at $183,000 BMW 7 Series 2012 starts at $90,000, Mercedes Benz S Class starts at $90,000. Now just sit back and think, HOW MANY PRADO's DO YOU SEE IN THE STREETS OF KATHMANDU!!!!!

The cheapest car in the list is Tata Nano which costs NRS 798,000 which when converted to Indian RS is IRS 498,750 i.e. we are paying 4 times the actual price in India. The actual price of Nano in India is IRS 115,000. More comparisons can be found in the table below.

It is quite fascinating to see how a poor country like Nepal can have so many rich people willing to pay high premiums for cars that cost far less in other countries around the world.

Kathmandu Bus Ride: Riding in The Front Seat

2011-07-07T17:22:00.000-07:00

Description: A typical bus ride in Kathmandu. Taking the bus inside Kathmandu saves a lot of money as it is cheap compared to taxis.

Why we like the video: For people that have been on a bus in Kathmandu before, it brings back a lot of memories, and for people that have never been on a bus, it gives a good idea of what you should expect: The narrow roads, people walking everywhere, motorbikes, traffic, Nepali music etc..... it is a good experience and plus it saves money.

The video was uploaded by Joe Niemczura who is in Kathmandu to teach critical care nursing skills. To watch more of his videos and subscribe to his youtube channel please visit http://www.youtube.com/user/Joeniemczura

Mountain Biking In Nepal:

2011-07-04T17:58:00.000-07:00

This is a video made by Gary Thomas who, according to his profile, is a

Freelance Filmaker specialising in work with young people and education. Recent clients include BBC, Watershed Arts Centre, Knowle West Media Centre, Bristol City Council, Young Bristol.In this video, they(film crew) "follow Tangi as he journeys from Kathmandu to the high Himalayas in the Solukhumbu region of Nepal. Here he climbs and then mountain bikes the virgin peak of Peaky discovering exciting trails, snow capped vista's, and some sort of inner peace. A once in a life time trip to discover some of Nepal's hidden secrets."

Dawn til Dusk - Mountain Bike Nepal from Gary Thomas on Vimeo.

Hope you guys enjoy the video. More Video from the filmmaker can be found at http://vimeo.com/user2994202

Cool Russian Songs Shot in Nepal

2011-07-03T09:48:00.000-07:00

Here is a song from Russia that was shot in Kathmandu. All of the video is shot in Kathmandu, and it shows various parts of Kathmandu. The name of the song is Real Life and it was sung by Vera Brezhneva (Вера Викторовна Киперман). Vera is an Ukranian born pop singer and television presenter.
If you have more information about the song pleasse do not forget to add it to the comment box below.

Also, here are a few other Russian Songs that are also shot in Kathmandu!!!!

Let us know if there are other songs that is shot in Kathmandu, and we will add to this list!!

Kathmandu in 1950s: A Rare Video!!

2011-06-28T10:41:00.000-07:00

This is a video that introduced Nepal to the world. This 1954 film is one of the first videos made for the purpose of educating the Western World about Nepal. Interesting point to note is that videos like these played a major role in propagating misinformation about our Culture and Lifestyle as they were shown in schools. Although the video presents a biased western view which ridicules the Nepali customs and uses words like primitive and savagery to describe the Nepali culture, it is an interesting look at the life of people in Kathmandu during that era. Don't take the video too seriously, don't get offended and enjoy this rare footage that shows the Nepali People and Kathmandu during the 1950's. I hope you guys enjoy it.

Don't forget to leave you reaction to this video on the comment box below!!

This is a You Tube Video uploaded by travelfilmarchive on May 22, 2008

If you like this video, you might also be interested in this DVD: Kathmandu, Nepal Adventures made by Richard Hunt who describes the video as capturing "some of the scenery, events, and people I saw in my travels to this fascinating valley of timeless beauty."

61 Signs You Are from Kathmandu .... The complete list

2011-06-26T22:48:00.001-07:00

Many of us have seen this list before, as it has been forwarded to everyone's email at least once, and for the most part it totally makes sense. Seeing that it always brings a smile to our face when we read this because we know it is true and for the people that have never seen it, the list is being re-posted on this blog. KUDOS!! to the person who made this list, it is brilliant.....

So here it is:

YOU KNOW YOU ARE FROM KATHMANDU IF

You’re born in Nepal!
You’re in our KTM!
Loadshedding is an integral part of your life
You can sing this song… ” super top, ma hun super top… ma luga lai seto paarchu…”
If somebody touches your neck, u need to blow air in their hand (fuu fuu)…
You shake your head to say yes or ok.
Your are asked, “hatti baliyo ki hatti chap chapal”, you reply, you say “ustai ustai ho”.
You watch english and hindi movies more than nepali movies.
Boys court girls from the street.
Todays rice is tomorrows fried rice.
You’re at least a lil anti indian from your heart.
You chichyai chichyai boling on the phone.
You pronounce ‘YUM’ for ‘M’.
You point with your lips.
You get annoyed when people think you are from Naples.
Whenever you meet someone you ask, ” Have you had your food?” ( bhat khayao?)
You meet someone in a movie hall and ask, ” Have you come to watch a movie?” ( cinema herna ayeko?)
You laugh at everything on Nepali TV but you still watch it.
Covering your nose everytime you pass through the bridge becomes a reflex.
Your conversation with any Nepali you just met always ends up being an interview to unearth the degree of association with this person. (eh…Ghar ka?? Lazimpat? Tyeso bhaye timile xyz lai chinchhau??)
You are crossing a one way street and you have to check both sides.
Your relatives give you money whenever you visit them.
You call anyone rajesh hamal if he has a long back-hair.
You go out for lunch/ dinner/ whatever in a group and look at the menu for half an hour and order the following: 1. momo 2. chilli chips 3. fried rice 4. chicken chilli
You think of titaura and your saliva glands go wild !!
You miss wai wai, rara and titaura and churpi…
You are good at drunk driving, especially on motorcycles…
Using a spoon becomes awkward!
You are afraid to step on any paper, or pen (You don’t want to piss off Saraswati and flunk an exam).
Your White Friends Ask If you’ve Climbed Mount Everest!
You can bribe anyone even the Cops.
You know ganja is REALLY cheap!
You translate rap songs into nepali as a pass time hobby. example “mero hapsis nachdain, khali pant mathi sarchan. ani dhunga tadha, dhunga tadha.
you accidently ask for an e-sprite and an e-snickers bar
you’re in Kathmandu, you find Mo:mo shops every other block… yumm..
u finally think uve perfected yor bargaining skills, but come bak ripped off…
You are used to cows sitting down in the middle of the road during a traffic jam.
You know that mango fruity is FRESH AND JUICY!!
Chiya is even better if you put chuira in it
Dogs barking don’t stop you sleeping…
Boiling and filtering and boiling water again is part of everyday life…
Your initial instinct on a sunny day is to stay in the shade…
Winter only lasts three months…
Most if not all houses have balconies…
You know that fire and ice is the best pizza place ever
Sitting on the front seat of a taxi feels like you’re in a video game
You can get a group of your friends together and call a bandh!!
We love to wear branded clothes from China
You know that Jhamel is the new Thamel
If you're a guy you've gone to a dance bar at least once...although you tell you're friends that you'd never step into a place like that..
You know that Everest Momo is the best momo in town, but you go to Nanglo Bakey Cafe anyways!
You know that Motor Bikes is the best mode of transportation
You've gotten into a fight with the conductor of a micro bus because he did not accept your expired student ID
During Shiva Ratri you go to Pashupati..not to visit the temple but to go sit with the babas
Holi festival starts 1 month early and it is an excuse to throw water balloons(lolas) at girls
Surya Churot is the best churot in the world and you can buy just 1 stick (khilli) from the shops
Parties end with a fight because that guy looked at some other guys girl...
You know that UFO is not an alien but a retailer of clothes
You know the best networking event in town are the mapase classes
you get surprised that a road that was under construction for the last 2 years finally got pitched
You have the habit of digging holes to newly constructed roads

Flashmob Kathmandu

2011-06-25T13:38:00.000-07:00

This is a video of a flash mob in Kathmandu. For those of you that do not know, "A flash mob (or flashmob) is a group of people who assemble suddenly in a public place, perform an unusual and sometimes seemingly pointless act for a brief time, then disperse, often for the purposes of entertainment and/or satire."

The flash mob was organized by "concerned citizens" and residents of Kathmandu valley."Why "concerned"? Children as young as six can be found working full time in the brick factories around Kathmandu. Working in the brick factories exposes all workers especially children to irreparable health damage including acute respiratory infections, back injuries, lung cancers. Black carbon released by the chimneys is a mass killer and is highly toxic. It is estimated that air pollution results in 1600 premature deaths per year in Kathmandu alone. Every year 837'600 tons of carbon dioxide are released by the Valley's brick kilns. Workers are exploited and animal abuse is prevalent. You can change this situation by using and promoting the use of clean and green bricks. More information here: www.brickclean.ne"

Now for us Nepalis, obviously the biggest complaint will be the inclusion of "Bollywood Songs." I am sure that many will feel that the bollywood songs do not represent who we are and our culture. But, the message of the video goes beyond the songs.

A wise man once said that music has no barriers or language. For that reason, I am sure that we will enjoy the video and become aware of and take action against the brick factories that exploit its workers and employ children.