Kathmandu

Kathmandu is an interesting place.  It was my point of entry into Nepal, and my first experience here was the bizarre visa method they employ in the airport.  You can do visa on arrival, but you can’t pay in Nepalese rupees, which I had with me.  They only take USD or euros, and you have to exchange your rupees at a counter right beside immigration.  I guess they only want more stable currencies?

The city itself is bustling, but it doesn’t have the feel of India.  There are almost no buildings taller than 4-5 stories, and in the backpacker ghetto of Thamel they all loom over the narrow streets and alleys.  You can find Buddhist prayer flags strung up everywhere, and most accommodation is dirt-cheap.  The city’s main tourist attractions are Durbar Square and the Monkey Temple, though I found wandering the markets and bazaars with a camera just as enticing.  There are plenty of hidden courtyards and alcoves that contain small temples and shrines just waiting to be discovered.

The food there is filling and tasty, with my personal favorites being the momos (steamed or fried dumplings) and thukpa (thick vegetable stew).  You can find just about any international cuisine you want in Thamel, but be wary of any place offering “Mexican” specialties.   You can also find any western grocery staple you want at one of two big grocery stores, and they’re perfect for loading up on snacks before heading off to trek somewhere.

Jess and I met up here before heading to Pokhara and the Annapurna Circuit, and we spent a few days acclimating to Nepal / being bums.  Kathmandu was a good place to chill, but after one or two days I felt like the big attractions had been exhausted.  It felt like one of those waypoint capitals that people spend a night in before heading off to greener pastures.

If you really are set on spending time here, the best stuff I found to do were the Monkey Temple at sunset for photos, Durbar Square for the architecture, and anywhere around Thamel for shopping or food.

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