Day 143 - Going to Kathmandu

Today we took the bus from Pokhara to Kathmandu. It was a long, bumpy, 7 hours. I kept hoping that my motion-sickness tablets would knock me out so I could sleep through it, but no such luck. Over an hour of the ride was just standing in a traffic jam on the edge of the city. We finally arrived late-afternoon near the tourist center of Thamel. UW, who had been in Kathmandu for 2 weeks before trekking, negotiated a cab for us out to Bouda (or Bodnath as it is listed in some guidebooks) .

Bouda is to Kathmandu what Brooklyn is to NYC. Infinitely more peaceful, it is home primarily to Dharma students at its many Bhuddist Monasteries, and to Tibetan exiles. Life centers around the Stupa - a large white dome with Buddha eyes painted on top, and Prayer wheels surronding the base. Around 4PM the square come alive with devotees chanting "Om Mani Padme Om" and turning the prayer wheels, Monks strolling around discussing the days teaching, schoolkids hanging out with friends, shop owners, and western tourists. Everyone moves clockwise around the stupa, turning off into their home alleyways, restaurants, or shops as they reach them. It reminded me of the activity in the central plazas of the villages we stayed at in Spain. The stupa is a religious site (and historic - dates for its age run the gamut from over 1000 years to a few hundred), but more than that, it is a commnity, and a communal center for Bouda.

We arrived late enough in the day that we only had time to go around the stupa, and then to dive into UW's favourite Kathmandu momo hole. Even more of a hole than in Pokhara, one had to stoop through a low, narrow hallway to a small room where two women rolled, folded and steamed the delicious dumplings. We have come to the agreement that Pokhara momo hole has the best mix momo (a mix of veg and buffalo inside), this place has the best plain buffalo momo, and that Sapana Village, in Chitwan, has the best sauce. After our momo snack, we opted for Stupa View Restaurant for dinner. As the name implies, it offers comfortable seating on the rooftop with views over the stupa and surronding courtyard.

We had heard from others that Kathmandu was a like a narrower, older Delhi. In parts, perhaps that is true, out in Bouda a least, there is a solid sense of community that Delhi seemed to lack. Like Brooklyn, it is very rooted and Neighborhood-y. Like Brooklyn to Manhattan this area seems very personable, versus the impersonality and chaos of the city proper.