Kathmandu was a whole new world compared to the calm serenity of Pokhara. It was a sensory overload with all the sights, sounds and smells.
I was in the backpacking district Thamel, it was unlike any city I have ever been before, electric street art, tiny back alleys overflowing with golden flowers, drying chillies pilled high, teeny tiny workshops and table after table of buddha trinkets, samurai swords and jewellery.
Every corner we turned another trekking tout or stall salesman shouted after us, kids high on glue ran riot in-between the traffic jammed rickshaws and shisha smoke wafted thick through the air.
I was in the backpacking district Thamel, it was unlike any city I have ever been before, electric street art, tiny back alleys overflowing with golden flowers, drying chillies pilled high, teeny tiny workshops and table after table of buddha trinkets, samurai swords and jewellery.
Every corner we turned another trekking tout or stall salesman shouted after us, kids high on glue ran riot in-between the traffic jammed rickshaws and shisha smoke wafted thick through the air.
After an exciting day and night in the bustling centre shopping and gorging on momos we took a bus down to the Boudhanath Stupa.
What a spectacular sight, the stupa's massive mandala makes it one of the largest spherical stupas in the world, its almost as if you can feel those gigantic eyes watching you as you move around it. Rainbow flags fly from every corner, monks slowly walk around it clockwise and every side of the courtyard is filled with little shops. We found a great roof top cafe to cool off in the breeze and have a fresh lime sodas whilst watching the commotion below.
Now what I was most looking forward to...Monkey Temple. And it didn't disappoint! After a fairly small climb up the steps to the temple I couldn't believe just how many monkeys! some just chilled out on the pagodas picking through each others fur and taking regular dips in the pools, whilst other dashed around trying to grab cameras and food.
It was a fascinating experience just watching them up that close.
After a few hours my confidence grew and I decided to approach a mother and baby monkey and share my peanut cookies with them, all was well and I was giggling like a school girl, at this point I decided to get my camera out and get a close up picture with them eating my cookies, next thing I know mother monkey swipes for me and gets a good clean slap across my left cheek, leaving a tiny dirty monkey handprint on my face. Of course everyone finds this hilarious and mother monkey just stares me in eyes with a 'I told you so' look on her face. Believe it or not that wasn't the first time a monkey slapped me and I'm pretty sure it won't be the last!
moments before the slapping incident munching on my cookie
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