Leaving Nepal

30 days have come and gone and I sit here in Kathmandu airport writing blog posts, sipping English Breakfast Tea (lemon tea no longer available), and wondering if the past month was just a dream.

I had a great time here, made many friends and even more memories. I look forward to returning for a trek in the future :)

I spend tonight in an airport hotel in Delhi, then it's onto Surat tomorrow morning for the wedding.

Pokhara and Chitwan blog posts to come. I want to include photos from 3 different cameras and can't do so from my phone.

Merry Christmas! Hope everyone has a fantastic holiday and stays safe despite the weather!

For my Nepal friends: I'm sad to leave you but look forward to saying namaste in Canada :)

India here I come!

Looking forward

Many updates tonight! I hope the touristy ones have given a better idea of my time here, and the hospital posts some insight into the similarities and differences in healthcare. I'm actually now done my clinical rotations here (and for medical school!) and am off travelling with Nipesh and Sahadev to Pokhara and Chitwan. Not sure if updates will happen while I'm away but certainly after. Bhaktapor is written but meeds photos. I will also add an update on NCCDF, and a post reflecting on my experiences at TUTH, the broader themes in it, and how best we in Canada could help Nepali healthcare going forward.

Christmas Eve I leave Nepal and head to India for Abhishek's wedding. After the wedding I'm in Istanbul for 5 days before returning to Toronto.

Weekend 3: Bhaktapur

Weekend 3 (and final) started with an impromptu trip with Nipesh and Sahadev to Thamel square the Friday night for some drinks and live music. It was quite cold so we sat outside by the fire (there being no heat inside, as is standard for buildings here). I was grateful for this because smoking was quite common there and my lungs were happier outside. Drink wise it was a bit of dilemma because I didn't want beer, but travel advice was to avoid ice. I ended up starting with Glen Fiddich scotch straight. The music was a band doing covers of primarily Western songs but there were some Nepali ones as well. We also ran into two Australian army men on leave who had just arrived in Nepal. All in all a good evening.

Saturday I met up with Yeshey and we took the bus to Bhaktapor. This time it was a 90min bus ride sitting facing backwards. I had felt mildly nauseous before boarding, and was very nauseous by the end. Fortunately no vomiting! Total cost was 60NPR for both of us. Home was by taxi for 800 NPR - a lot more, but my stomach appreciated it!

Bhaktapor is the third of the three city states formed during the Malla dynasty (the others being Kathmandu and Patan). All three are traditional Newari settlements (the native ethnic group for the Valley). The people of Bhaktapor are historically known for their wood carving skills and it showed: there were streets upon streets of historic building with amazing detail. There were also many squares, including a Durbar (palace) square, and Peacock Square named for a detailed carving of a Peacock in a window.

Peacock square

The eponymous Peacock

We spent a lot of time in Peacock Square, including lunch at the Peacock Cafe. There we also toured the Paper Factory where they make paper using traditional methods. It was quite impressive as the processes for making pulp, dry into sheets, rolling to flatten were all there. There was also a printing press and the tools for carving the dies. This was all contained in connected historic Newari homes that they were slowly restoring.

Dhal Bhaat in Peacock Square

Making paper

And drying in the sun

Me on the roof

Overall Bhaktapor was my favourite of the three former city states: it was quiet, still very historic, and not too touristy. Apparently here I rated as a tourist attraction - a young Indian woman (early 20s?) touring enthusiastically asked to have her photo taken with me! Unfortunately I forgot to have a photo with her on my camera!

Weekend 2: Lonely Planet Walking Tour

My second weekend here started with Nipesh, Sahadev, and two of their friends coming over the Friday night for drinks and food sharing. I attempted to make pancakes for maple syrup (a challenge when I was trying to substitute eggs and milk as well!), and they made BBQ: mutton and chicken. For the BBQ portion, we actually set up a small campfire on the back porch and sat around it. It was a lot of fun sitting outside, drinking beer, eating meat, and chatting. Unfortunately I still have very little Nepali so I didn't follow a lot of the conversation.

BBQ!

The next morning I slept in and caught up on things (like blog posts...) before heading out on the Lonely Planet's walking tour. The tour starts in Thamel square, but I started by walking there (4km). I then followed the tour, seeing all sorts of bustling streets and squares, as well as countless historical monuments. At one isolated Buddhist temple (a mini Swayambunath), an artist called to me and for whatever reason I listened and followed him into his shop - normally I just ignore the countless hawkers. In the shop I discovered he was a student and was thus stuck working the Saturday. He showed me his work and his masters work, explaining stories. The works were impressively detailed and relatively affordable. After some negotiation (go me!) I ended up purchasing two paintings for souvenirs.

The rest of the walking tour brought me to historic Kathmandu with the main shopping street - Asan Tole. I also discovered my student card gets me into Durbar Square for free. Eventually I returned home via a different residential street where a child approached me saying "hello, where are you from?". I said hi and was friendly but kept walking, having read about street children looking for sweets or money (who remain street children because they receive both!). He eventually asked me where I was going, to which I replied: "home". He became quite confused at this and stopped following me. Guess I don't look like I belong here :).  I was exhausted after the walk - I estimate it was 10-12km total. Of course that's the only exercise available so take it while I can!

Clear enough day to see the hills around the Valley! And the wonderful state of the road TUTH is on...

A better road and more typical of the useful roads used to get around

A rare area where one can sit peacefully.

The former palace. There's now apparently a poor quality museum in it. The Kingsway road runs immediately south of here. Many familiar brands have shops there.

A common sight. Dogs are everywhere!

One of the sites highlighted in the guidebook. If anyone is really curious have have photos of most of them :P

Another common site. Park anywhere, even by old shrines.

Poetry festival in Durbar square

Food and Shopping

I know some of you would have had at least 5 posts with pictures of food by this point. With all my allergies food has never been a prominent travel item. I've done quite well eating with the locals though and though I better include one post for memories. By paying a bit extra here for food and a cook, I've been able to enjoy custom Nepali food everyday! I've also done well out at restaurants. Usually the only items I am unable to have are milk tea (VERY common), and the chicken. Milk tea is easily substituted with lemon tea. I rarely have meat, though buffalo and mutton are fairly accessible.

Nepali food is often dal bhat - rice and steamed lentil soup. To this assorted varieties of veggies and meat can be added. Veggies will include cauliflower, potatoes, egg plant, peppers, beans (note, that's what they look like, no idea if actually the same plants). Chicken is often added as well.

Meal after an OT with "shaved" rice. It's not really shaved but I forget the proper term.

Dal bhat out at Baktapor

Shopping is most commonly roadside stalls or shops by the side of the road. The roadside stalls at first shocked me, but it was explained to me that there is no rent to set up shop there. Makes sense to me! Both types of shops are independently owned and bargaining is expected (though tourists can expect to pay the tourist rate everywhere, even after bargaining).

I'm a lousy bargainer and I've tended to default to Salesway, a local "department" store that has a grocery building, hardware / kitchenware building, and alcohol / refrigerated food building. It also has fixed prices and computerized checkouts. Some curious things I've noticed wandering around Salesways: there is no brand protection and there are 5 different brands of corn flakes, Kelloggs Corn Flakes come in many flavours such as mango and strawberry. The houseware section was interesting: the water heater for a shower was priced at 6000 NPR - around 1 month's income for a lot of Nepalis. Hot water is definitely a luxury in this country! (there is one at Canada House).

Corn flakes galore!

There's even soy milk!

Outside of Salesway, even with Christmas lights. Very atypical storefront. And I don't know why the lights are there but they remind me of Christmas :)

More typical shops