The Picture Gallery (contd...)
To the TOP OF KATHMANDU
Nepal is not only just for Himalaya trekking. There are lots of other things to do, cultural as well as various sporting. So, what you like to do just depends on your preferences. I already mentioned the various culture to meet inside and all around the city as well as in the near Kathmandu valley. Finally all the country is full of different miracles, whether you move to the Himalayan far west, east or north, whether you better like the tropical jungle wilderness of the Terai in the south or whether you just stay in and around the capital.
It's a lot of things to discover inside the several city sections of Kathmandu itself. Just take your time and browse through the very often still "medieval" looking streets of this not only by chance named city of the thousand temples, dedicated to nearly all the thousands of Hindu gods.
Or, why not walking out of the city and climbing one of the mountains that surround Kathmandu?
So we did on another day, guided by Bigya and Rakesh. It's their city, where they've grown up and so they surely know each and every corner. The way led us straight west, from Chetrapati to the banks of the Bisnumati river and then still straight on to Swayambhu, the "monkey temple", once again.
If you then pass Swayambhunath left hand you'll find this mentioned hill right before you. It's a few hundred steps leading up, but every step is worth it, so you'll surely find a most beautiful sight across the Kathmandu Valley till the Himalayan range far in the east.
Lord Buddha looking over the Valley and protecting it
Kathmandu city with Swayambhu area in front
Another thing is worth the hiking up. On "Top of Kathmandu" there is a monastery located, which has been built up by Tibetan monks and parts of it are still in process of erection. There you'll also meet youngster monks, still in process of training. The area is said to have also its meaning as a refuge for Tibetan refugees.
