• Kirk and Anna Lively and LairdNepal and Bhutan, 2026Traveler
    The fog has lifted. Members of the group on the steps in their socks
    The fog has lifted. Members of the group on the steps in their socksWorld Peace Pagoda in before-sunrise fogYak statue in front of the mountain museumInterior of the mountain museumSand mandala at the museum. Patience and detail!The museum with the World Peace Pagoda in the distance on a hill.A model of the Annapurna range at Devi's FallsAnup demonstrating a singing bowlOld bazaar buildings in PokharaA new building across the streetColorful shop in the bazaar area - which is no longer used as a bazaar.Protection from evil spiritsAnna at the Hindu templeA view across a Pokhara neighborhood from the templeThe entrance to the templePart of a wedding partyLooking across the lower temple grounds towards the citySome construction. Their use of a plumb bob caught my eyeColorful boats on the lake at PokharaOur host, Tenzin. From Tibet. Now stateless.The prayer room in Tenzin's home

    Pokhara, Nepal

    April 29 in Nepal ⋅ 🌧 21 °C

    Our day in Pokhara began with a before sunrise visit to the World Peace Pagoda high above Pokhara and the lake. On a clear day there is a great view of the snow-capped Annapurna Range but our visit had overcast skies and intermittent fog. After a bus ride we climbed several hundred steps to the pagoda (stupa in Nepalese) accompanied by the sounds of very happy birds and a drumbeat from somewhere above in the fog. Closer we found a Japanese monk and his caucasian assistant each beating a drum and chanting. We visited the pagoda in our socks then returned to our hotel for breakfast. The next stop was the Mountain Museum - dedicated to mountain climbers and peoples of the mountains. A visit to a beautiful Hindu temple famous for quick weddings, followed by a nice lunch at the Dunga Restaurant overlooking the lake. Dinner at the home of a Tibetan refugee family, here since the late 1950s or early 1960s.Read more