The Garden of Dreams

I dropped off my laundry this morning and then came back to the hotel to work.

Later, I made my way to Thamel. I had booked a tour to Boudhanath Stupa and Pashupati Temple, starting from the Garden of Dreams at 4.15pm. I walked over there early to give me a chance to explore the gardens.

They were created by Kaiser Shumsher JB Rana in the 1920s and were the most refined Rana gardens of the time. They were restored as a Kathmandu cultural landmark with the support of the Austrian government and were opened to the general public in October 2006. Today, they are a magnet for young Nepali Instagrammers who don't have to pay to enter (foreigners pay 400 rupees). I enjoyed my visit. I spent most of it sitting on a bench watching the antics of girls in elaborate long dresses and saris and boys in cheap suits videoing each other for the 'gram' 😄.

I then went for a last wander around Thamel. I bought a pair of cotton trousers (green, of course 😂) and had a ham and cheese croissant in Pumpernickel Bakery for lunch before heading back to meet Rajan, my guide.Read more