Bouddha Nath

Kathmandu, Thamel

Nina and I up early to join devout walkers, Chinese garment vendors, and the yak butter sellers at the Boudhanath. Did a few rounds (tried not to bother the faithful with my camera but may have bothered a few), then a pot of masala chai high above in Heaven's View (gate? cafe?) - almost eyes to single eye. Flocks of pigeons laying claim to the stupa in the morning, big/small/old/teenage monks in throngs, in pairs, in deep thought or gossiping (monastery gossip?), very wonderful Tibetan ladies (love how they dress - try also not to bother them too much with the camera), and a man circling in a thick apron, prostrating every few steps. Kathmandu's enthralling at any hour. When we visited the stupha last night it felt like a of sacred Times Square, this morning? - maybe Grand Central with everyone revolving - both mind and body - around the central form.

Maybe.

Late yesterday afternoon fit in the Pashupatinath Temple, a scared Hindu shrine that houses a very very sacred lingam. Shrine itself, with cremation ghats along the river (dirty trickle) at its base, fascinating. But even better, coming up on an enormous sadhu festival in three days so the more enterprising of the ash-smeared, off-their-heads holy men had already set up camps. Hunkered around camp fires passing smokes, challenging stares and the adored focus of not a few westerners who squatted in their midst.

Will miss Asia very much. Hope it won't be long till I'm back. Perhaps with company even...

Love, travels, sadhus, sitars and oms.

C