We arrived in Kathmandu after an overnight flight from Istanbul via New Delhi. Our first image in the arrivals hall is of a large Buddha statue proclaiming: Nepal the birthplace of Lord Buddha. Our first stop is the payment center for our Nepal Visa. The visa upon arrival process is really about collecting $50 each, cash, US Dollars please. Next after withdrawing 25,000 Nepal Rupees from the ATM ($200) and purchasing a local SIM card, we are on our way.
After checking into our hotel, despite being a bit fatigued, we were anxious to hit the streets and explore our new neighborhood in the Thamel district of Kathmandu. Walking these streets is like entering a river of people and scooters accompanied by a symphony of horns and street vendors. Every few blocks we come upon a Hindu shrine and occasionally we find an alleyway leading to a temple square or a Buddhist Stupa. Most Nepalese are either Hindu or Buddhist and religious statues, shrines and temples are everywhere. We are looking forward to exploring the many world heritage sites, in the meantime here are some first impression photos.
Someone told me that in India the horn is used in place of the brake. Sounds like it’s the same in Nepal!
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