January 28, 2013

Pictures

I've been taking a ton of pictures, yet I just don't have time to edit each one or tell the amazing story that goes with it! So, this post is purely pictorial (with captions for a bit of background information) These are from visits to Patan, Bhaktapur, and from this morning at Boudhanath (the most beautiful and impressive Buddhist stupa we've seen!) If you click on the first picture, you can go through all of them in full size  =)
Rickshaws (Patan, Nepal)

Pigeons Flock to the Temples (Patan, Nepal)

Bhaktapur (Bhaktapur, Kathmandu)

Stone Detail (Bhaktapur, Kathmandu)

Wood Detail (Bhaktapur, Kathmandu)

"Light of Oil" (Bhaktapur, Kathmandu)
Offerings (Boudhanath, Kathmandu)
Busy Morning (Boudhanath, Kathmandu)

 The Start of Making Concrete (Boudhanath, Kathmandu)
Mom (Boudhanath, Kathmandu)
On the Street (Bhaktapur, Kathmandu)
Boys (Bhaktapur, Kathmandu)
Kids (Boudhanath, Kathmandu)
Prayer Flags (Boudhanath, Kathmandu)

Prayer Wheels (Boudhanath, Kathmandu)




January 26, 2013

Tourist vs. Local

I would love nothing more than to feel like a local in Nepal. Unfortunately for me, that means knowing another language, putting down my camera, and not scrunching my nose at the smell of incense. On the other hand, I approach this upcoming semester with an open heart and an open mind. It's with this attitude that I'm hoping I can be less of an American tourist and more of a Nepalese local.

Patan Temples (Patan, Nepal)
The past 2 days Mom and I got around with the help of a tour guide and driver, navigating the valley in search of all that Nepal has to offer. Yesterday we visited various Buddhist and Hindu temples around the city, like the one on the right- I definitely felt like a tourist. However, today, we drove up into the mountains to get a gorgeous view of the Himalayas and then walked on foot through a farming town and I felt a little more like a local. Here are some interesting highlights:


Random Facts about Nepal 


#1 Terracotta architecture originated in Nepal (not in China like many of us are told)



#2 Hindus cremate their loved ones on an open fire and send the ashes down the river
 

View of the Himalayas (Nagarkot, Nepal)


#3 Rhesus monkeys in Nepal are like squirrels in the U.S.- ubiquitous, harmless, and fun to watch (I'll post a good picture at a later date)





#4 Mt. Everest does not have a pointy peak! (it's the flat top with a white tip on the far right)




Girl in Farming Village (Bhaktapur, Nepal)


Hindu Shrine (Bhaktapur, Nepal)
#5 Children often have black mustard seed oil around their eyes for protection from the sun (like the little girl on the left)




#6 Megan is a Nepali name too- Meg means lightning bolt!



#7 Nepal has one day of the weekend: Saturday



#8 The best quality Pashmina comes from the chin of a baby goat where the hair is softest



#9  The concept of a two lane road is just that: a concept. Cars, scooters, and bicycles don't care who's coming as long as they can maneuver where they're going.


 #10 Often people turn to pottery as a profession when they do not own land or have the means to farm

Making Piggy Banks (Bhaktapur, Nepal)




Ganga and Siddi (Nagarkot, Nepal)
Our guide Ganga is an absolute sweetheart and treated me like one of his daughters. He walked around the valley and knew everyone we saw. Siddi, our driver, is one patient man. I felt safe and it looked like he had fun driving us (I would too if avoiding pedestrians and oncoming cars was like a video game). I kept Ganga's business card and promised to contact him at the end of the semester to share my research with him. He also said to call if I ever needed anything, which was super sweet of him.


Looking forward to another 2.5 days with Mom in Nepal. School schmool.

January 24, 2013

Update

I've got good news and bad news. I'm going to deliver the bad news first:

I'm not in Nepal yet.

Good news?

It's because my mom and I had a ton of fun in Singapore. We figured if we're making a stop on our way to Kathmandu, we might as well see the city beyond the windows of the airport.

So I'm going to give you all the 411 on Singapore. I like to call it Six Secrets to Singapore (cause I like alliteration and I'm feeling a bit excited now that I have free wifi at the airport).

Six Secrets to Singapore

1. Explore eateries everywhere (Chili crab at Hawker stand)
2. Singaporeans stare (when you're 5'9" and a little funny looking)
3. Locals love shopping and food
4. Home to the most interesting and interactive museum I've ever visited (National Museum of Singapore)
5. Gain a whole new appreciation for innovative architecture
6. Shopaholics proceed with caution (WOW. Mom managed to escape the city without buying anything!)

Okay, so I got a bit lax with the alliteration, but you get the point.






These jars are in the Food exhibit at the National Museum of Singapore. They contain all the spices locals use for health means, food, and just to smell nice. I liked the Kafir lime smell the best.







This is proof I'm still alive. And that Mom and I are having a good time. I can't believe that next time I make a post I'll be in Nepal! I'm pinching myself that this day is already here.

I'm definitely missing home and Boulder and everyone I care about.



January 20, 2013

Packing

Mom bought me mini Vaseline.

Packing light is her specialty.

If only I could have the same discipline...
(I'm currently laying on top of my sleeping bag trying to stuff it into my backpack. I might admit defeat soon and move onto something else I can handle. Like taking a picture of mini objects and writing about it instead of actually packing). 

January 19, 2013

What the time zone!

I just realized I don't even know the time difference in Nepal. When I tell my parents I want to Skype with them at 11AM, what does that mean for them?

Good ole Wikipedia shed this little bit of light on my inquiry:
Nepal Standard Time (NPT) is the time zone for Nepal. With a time offset from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) of +05:45, Nepal Standard Time[1] is one of only two official time zones with a 45-minute increment from UTC. The Chatham Islands, which uses Chatham Island Standard Time also has a 45-minute increment from UTC, its time zone being UTC+12:45.

Of all the countries to choose from, I happened to choose the "offset" one: turns out my 11AM is 9:15PM in California. That's not confusing at all.

Here's to being in my own crazy time zone! Well me, and all those people in the Chatham Islands...


Testing

I wish there were two of me. One should stay here. The other should explore Nepal and all it has to offer.
Packing is the bane of my existence. And I intend to drag it out until the last possible second. Just like Mom likes.

I need to read, research, pack, and write before I leave. Okay GO.