Nepal Photo Set

Here's another photo set I just finished for Nepal, which I visited back in February. This was an incredible journey, one filled with new insights, new friendships, and new adventures. Kathmandu was bustling, poor, dusty, and exciting, and one of my favorite places. There, we visited the great stupa at Boudhanath, the stunning Monkey Temple at Swayambhunath, the temple and burning ghats at Pashupatinath (where I met some cool sadhus!), wandered around Thamel and Patan, got a new Green Tara tattoo, and had a kurta custom made for myself. It was fantastic. From there, we traveled by bus up to Pokhara, at the base of the Annapurna Range of the Himalayas, which was equally fantastic, in a whole other way, and where we hiked up to the World Peace Pagoda, overlooking Phewa Lake and the mountains, and I even went on an ultra light flight. You can view the complete set of my public photos at the link below:

Nepal Album:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/laurentivey/sets/72157642881726074/

Here are some highlights:

Boudhanath Stupa, Kathmandu

Boudhanath Area, Kathmandu

Prayer Flags at Boudhanath

Main Square at Patan

With the sadhus at Pashupatinath, Kathmandu

Cow at Pashupatinath Temple, Kathmandu

Monkey Temple, Kathmandu

Prayer Wheels, Monkey Temple, Kathmandu

At the World Peace Pagoda, Pokhara

Boats at Dusk, Phewa Lake, Pokhara

That's me in the back! Ultra light flight, Annapurna Range

In short, Nepal was fascinating. Interestingly, though millions of dollars pour in via tourism every year, the country is quite poor, with alternating six hour electric grid load shedding, deplorable roads, abundant litter, much begging, and lack of basic sanitation in many places. In contrast, the people we met were happy and friendly, and always ready with a "Namaste" and a smile. I met up with Nepalese friends I'd made over the internet, and had a great time with them at cafes and bars and temples. It was an experience I'll never forget, one which opened my eyes a little more to the conditions in which so many people live outside of the Western "comfort ideal". I hope to go back sometime.