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  • Day 4

    Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple), Kathmandu

    January 14, 2017 in Nepal ⋅ 🌫 11 °C

    I started out the day being very lazy.. I finished my book over an extended breakfast and then later lying in bed. When I finally pried myself out of bed I decided I would venture out to a different area of the city to see the Monkey Temple of Kathmandu.

    The temple is about a 40min walk from the hotel and was, as per usual, an adventure. I walked through areas that definitely were not intended for tourists, but was the only way to get there. Again, for anyone who's worried, I didn't feel unsafe a single time. Curious looks were the most I experienced, and I'm always sure to be aware of my surroundings, never walking and texting always looking ahead. Dirt roads, garbage in the streets, random sheep and roosters, kids playing everywhere and stray dogs running around. I do have to say though, it's an endearing place in a way. The people are very friendly.

    The temple can be seen from the streets so getting lost is nearly impossible. Upon arrival there was many local people praying and giving their respects to the gods. Today is after all a festival. I hear from a number of people that today is the day that will set the tone of their year. To have good business today is to have good luck for the year. So once again I took a local up on his offer of guiding me through the sights and I'm really glad that I did! I've gotten better at this whole negotiating thing too, but honestly, the amount of information that these guides have is worth paying a small fee for rather than following a book around.

    There's so much to say about the temple that I'm sure I won't cover it all. At the base are the feet of Buddha. You touch them and are marked with the "third eye" (red dot) on the forehead for good luck. From there you proceed up the stairs (everything clockwise, never counterclockwise!). There are 365 steps, one for each day of the year. Along the way there are temples with... What are they called again? Cylindrical, metal objects with words inscribed on them that you spin for good luck. In one temple I was told to walk around the spinning cylinder 3 times, make a wish, and it would come true. Along the way the 5 Buddhas were represented in stone and there were monkeys everywhere - hence the name Monkey Temple. Here they are allowed to run free as they are considered holy. Apparently they can be quite aggressive but I didn't see any of that myself.

    At the top of the 365 stairs was where the crowds began... Of course where the primary temple was. Square in shape and with eyes on all sides to watch all parts of the city. The views were great! I also tried lemons that were roasted in some kind of spicy sauce, tasty but hotter than I'm accustomed to. Quite an interesting place but so many people that I quickly moved on. From there we wandered down and around the backside of the temple. We stopped at a fountain where people were trying to toss coins into a basket at the base of a statue within a fountain. To get the coin into the basket means that your wish will come true. The guide also took me inside a temple dedicated to the flute where locals were worshipping. I felt quite honoured to be able to witness it, and they were not offended at all. They greated me with the traditional "namaste" and wished me a good day. Again, something that I wouldn't have dared to do on my own without a local showing me the way. I definitely prefer this quieter side of the temple where few tourists can be found. I find the bustle... Irritating at times. But I suppose that can't be avoided in a city centre, probably why I don't live in Vancouver ;) Oh, I almost forgot one of they key points of the temple, it's shared by Hindus and Buddhists alike.

    The guide also showed me the 3 Buddhas, which I hadn't even heard of before. Definitely glad I got to see those! Quite impressive, all encased in gold and towering over the people. There was also an engraving describing the life of Buddha from birth to death that I found interesting. From there he showed me back to the base of the temple stairs that I had walked up originally, thankfully because I wouldn't have found it on my own I suspect. I enjoyed the walk back with little to no people present, just monkeys eating oranges off the trees and staring at us curiously.

    Back in the city, my guide (Prakash) showed me to a local place to eat which was great! They served chow Mein and some kind of spiced meat and vegetable dish that I would compare to a spicy orange chicken.. It's the only thing I can think of that is similar! I'm noticing that it's very easy to be a vegetarian in this city, possibly even a vegan. Every place I've been to has asked if I eat meat or not which I appreciate. The meal was incredibly priced, and makes me realize just how overpriced Thamel is. Which is still half to a third of the price of eating out in Vancouver...

    From lunch I went back to the hotel fully intending to rest and take a break from the hustle and bustle but I found myself in too good of a mood from such a great day that I grabbed my keyboard and went out to find a place to write this entry. Next "footprint" will tell where ;)
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