Monkey Magic! - Kathmandu, Nepal
Kathmandu, Nepal
Monkey magic! First off for today we visited Monkey Temple. The place is super special as both Buddhist and Hindus worship there side by side. To get there we wound our way up the side of a misty mountain to the great entrance, framed by a monumental carved arch with prayer flags stretching off in every direction and disappearing into the mist ! Looking off through squiggly tree branches dripping with coloured flags and soft chanting echoing out of the endless whiteness as we started up the mountain. The epic stupa is right on top of a mountain 300steps up. Passing a multitude of little market stalls trying to sell us their treasures. We finally made it to the top. Monkeys everywhere we could see from big mum has to tiny little babies, chowing down on grain from the tourists, draped over the temples, jumping, climbing and just chilling at the top of the temples. We walked around the stupa watching both Hindus and Buddhist practise their separate religions while marvelling over the eagle eye vistas of Kathmandu valley below. We entered one temple and watched the Buddhist monks sing their songs while their bells and drums kept the beat. The sounds becoming trance like as we watched on. Stepping back out side. We continued to inch as close as we could to get a happy snap with the monkey. Without it jumping onto our backs and give us RABIES!! We were lucky enough to met a Hindu shaman at the base if the mountain ! A fluro orange holy man ! We felt an instant colour connection as he mixed bright red pigment in his palm. Then back to our trusty set of wheels and on to our next adventure. Endless traffic jams, political and religious demonstrations filled the streets. Our driver even jumping out of the car at one stage to negotiate with a broken down van blocking our path. It's fun to watch as a hundred cars, bikes and mopeds all ray to squeeze thru the smallest of gaps. All slightly bumping into one another and smiling the whole while. Finally at our next meeting spot we jumped out onto the street and waited for our guide to meet us. Standing on the streets is just a site in itself. Taxi drivers fighting over who's taking who where, numerous street hawkers trying to sell you everything under the sun and people just staring at these two fluro freaks sticking out like crazy. Even our guides can spot us from a mile away. When a local is giving directions to someone else to meet us, it's always a conversation in their native tongue with the word fluro included multiple times with a quick point in our direction... Our new guide finally met us and lead us down a labyrinth of back streets to our next destination. The women's foundation of Nepal. Here they care for neglected and abused women and children. Giving shelter to hundreds of victims of pilgamy, abuse, rape, torture and mutilation. The organisation started by 45 Indian born woman was started back in the mid 80s to help level the equality between men and women in Nepal. They help both with food and shelter, giving them work and taking cases to court that usually would go unheard. Most of the women who work there are volunteers and the main centre is were they produce their amazing fabrics for sale around the world. The organisation is made of 3 shelters, the manufactures, an organic farm and a child care centre for local women to leave their young ones in a safe environment while the mothers work to feed their families. It was such a beautiful place, we encourage anyone who can to support them by purchasing their amazing garments. We were given a tour by the president and secretary of the grounds and their production centre. We were even invited to share a meal with them. Eating a beautifully prepared local Nepali nom noms of curry and rice. After the tour and meal we were guided back to our car and zipped to our next destination. We then visited another women's centre of arts and crafts and met with the founder. Who took us on a tour of her shop and production area. Such great people, with amazing stories and a real passion to help their community. It such a great cause and one we will try to support to grow. Visiting our next fair trade manufacture. We stopped along the way to pick up some bargains on local Tibetan fabrics and pashmina scarfs. The next manufactures produce clothing that is distributed throughout the world. Featuring what the designers called 'happy fashion'. There's been so many amazing people met on this trip already. With nixi making so many connections to help her business back home. It's been great to mix business and holidays into one. A must for all trips to follow this one. We then retired to our hotel. Where we shared a few quite drinks, followed by a wonderful traditional Nepali meal at an organic restaurant, sitting cross legged on a woven grass mat three stories up from the marketplace below! food here has been outstanding! Tomorrow we take a jeep out into the wilderness to track, visit organic permaculture farms, stay in tiny local villages and then onto the jungle! We can't wait!!! We will be dropping of the map for about a week. So plenty of stories to tell once we make it back into civilisation!! Hope you guys are keeping colourful ! Signing off on another amazing day!! Much love! Xx