The country of Nepal held a mysterious charm to me. I visited it with a tinge of apprehension. I had heard mixed reviews from a number of sources, all of which said the same thing..... Nepal is great, but Kathmandu is terrible. Given that it is the country's capital city, it didn't instil much faith in me that I would find anything terribly enjoyable there.
It was dirty, rundown, noisy and rather fowl smelling so in that aspect it lived up to its reputation. However, once the sensory overload diminished, I went on to explore the many wonderful historical sites and enclaves that the city has to offer. In addition, I discovered Kathmandu's distinctive urban charm.
With hot water being very scarce and power blackouts scheduled every night, the best time to explore the city is when it is at its craziest, the daytime.
Temples, religious ceremonies, colourful characters and the daily lives of locals all provide fantastic photographic opportunities and cultural experiences.
Stupa
Ceremonial decoration
Cheeky monkey
Gold abounds
Serenity
Nice place to catch up on sleep
The eyes represent Wisdom and Compassion
Strength
Nepal prayer wheel in motion
Light in the dark
Stairway to nirvana?
Tiered temple
Lighting the way
It's not just the grandeur that is impressive, it's the little details that really show the workmanship
Symbology
Prayer bell
Ganesh
Bronze beauty
Temple details are impressive
Monkey offering its brain of knowledge
Letters of a dead language
The people and characters on the street are warm and inviting. Everyone has an interesting story to tell.
Daily stroll
Getting ready
Street vendor
A watchful eye
A smoke and.....
A smile
Old and new
Inquisitive
Relaxation time
Sorting the seed
Waiting
Relaxing for a bit
With all the usual stops completed, I ventured into the streets to capture day to day Nepalese life from morning until night. I wasn't disappointed.
On the way to work
Sugar cane and ginger
Hand made pottery
Street butcher
Dies used in clothing production
How should I cross the road?
Busy streets
Delivery
Religious sacrifice
Time to come in
Rickshaw taxi
The sun sets and the generators kick in
Rush hour
Life in the dark
Traffic policeman
Down town
Next I ventured into the glorious countryside but that will be the next blog post.
Safe travels,
Rob Gubiani
robgubiani@gmail.com