Exploring Kathmandu
Thamel district of Kathmandu Nepal
I was fascinated by all the sights, colours, smells and variety as I explored the streets of Thamel in Kathmandu. Each little lane held a new experience. The variety was amazing. The variety of shops was interesting: jewellers alongside a bike repair shop next to a fruit and vegetable outlet next to a clothing store.
Some shops specialize in tourist items, like postcards and posters featuring the Himalayas. There are quite a few shops selling either music CDs or DVDs. (I wondered how many of them were pirated copies.) Every fifty metres or so one comes across a small booth where one can exchange money. Internet cafes seemed to be everywhere as were trekking supply shops.
Shops selling pashminas seemed to be everywhere, their colourful wares bringing brightness to the drab lanes. Clothing shops, religious icons, kitchen wares and small bookshops with barely room for two or three people at once and food outlets from street stalls through to large restaurants added to the variety.
While there I did a little shopping but I mainly spent many hours exploring the lanes and alleys of Kathmandu. The sights and sounds were fascinating.
The streets of Kathmandu
Thamel district of Kathmandu Nepal
As I wandered around the streets of Kathmandu I was fascinated by the small lanes meandering off in all directions. I found that the most interesting sights were seen by just wandering along with no particular plan in mind.
Map
I had obtained a street map from the tourist information desk at the hotel where I was staying but I found it rather difficult to use. While the map was in English, many of the street names were not. Many of them were not even labelled in any way. So I decided just to follow my nose and if I saw an interesting lane, I wandered along it. In this way I found some very interesting sights.
Shady areas
There was one little down side to this strategy. I found several rather shady areas where I was able to see some aspects of life in the raw in Kathmandu. This area was not too far from the shopping area of Thamel but I guess this is true of many major cities. I soon found my way back to a more pleasant area.
Thamel district of Kathmandu, Nepal
Thamel district of Kathmandu Nepal
While visiting Kathmandu most visitors will end up spending some of their time in the Thamel district. This area tends to be very attractive to visitors due to the incredible range of shopping possibilities available. In a compact area of the city, this district offers many tourist oriented shopping outlets as well as your normal range of shops.
For those who are going trekking in the Himalayas there are numerous shops where suitable equipment can be bought before leaving for the mountains. In fact, those in the know can often purchase clothing and other supplies at a fraction of the price back home in Australia, America or Europe. Some of the well known labels are available very cheaply in Kathmandu so be cautious about quality; they are often not the genuine article.
One of the highlights of a visit to any foreign city in is experiencing the food in a different culture. Kathmandu has many food outlets, including some fine restaurants. The restaurants in the hotels are reputedly very good, though I only have experience of the restaurant at the Shangri La Hotel. This was exceptionally good with reasonable prices. We also tried several restaurants in Thamel, including Kilroy’s of Kathmandu, a famous eatery where Ireland meets Nepal. Excellent food at reasonable prices in a wonderful atmosphere.
Travel books
We went to Adelaide yesterday to do some shopping. I didn’t take the camera so I have no photos to show. Probably if I had taken it the resulting photos would not have been of much interest to most of my readers anyway.
When we go shopping in Adelaide I try to squeeze in at least some time in a couple of favourite bookshops. I’m a sucker for spending time in bookshops and I have a few specialist areas in each shop where I tend to spend more time in than others.
One interesting area I often frequent is the travel section. So many places to go, so many interesting books about the journeys of others and so many maps. (I collect maps as a hobby.)
Yesterday I deliberately avoided the travel section. I have enough books and magazines to read already without adding to the several rather considerable piles awaiting my attention.
Besides that, when I look at travel books, atlasses and other maps I tend to get an uneasy feeling. Some people call it itchy feet. Others call it wanderlust. Catching the travel bug. Perhaps it is the call to adventure, of other places, of destinations not yet reached.
Perhaps it is time I went on a holiday somewhere.
No – I haven’t got time – I’m too busy reading the three books I bought in another section.