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| I made it to the rooftop of the world, in late January of 2001. My sister, Mary and her husband, Chip, had met here back in 1989, when they were Peace Corps Volunteers. Now, they are back, and working with Habitat For Humanity, in Kathmandu, the capital city of this mountain kingdom. |
| Flying into Kathmandu, I got my only glimpse of Mount Everest, out of the window of the plane. It was a dark triangle that stood out from the rest of the snow-capped peaks of the Himalayas that led the way into Kathmandu Valley. The city, which seems to be in a state of constant repair, was a congested, polluted, energy-packed place. A constant haze seemed to be present over the skyline from the introduction of countless automobiles and factories that don't adhere to many environmental laws. |
| Wandering around the streets of the city, an assortment of beggars, street vendors, religious types, and tourists seem to bring visions of the past colliding together with those of the future. Many tired, old temples dot the streets, and are stained with the paint of many worshipers throughout the years, sit next to numerous street stalls, selling everything from dirt-cheap t-shirts to incense and used hiking apparel left by the thousands of trekkers that make the pilgrimage here year after year. |