February | 2014 | rfljenksy – Practicing Simplicity

Kirtipur (Nepali: कीर्तिपुर) – This is an ancient city that is about a 15 minute to 1 hour drive from my house depending on traffic. This little city was clean, charming and had a beautiful view of the mountains. It was a tranquil place in comparison to Kathmandu city. There were so many places you could just sit and watch the people and enjoy the scenery with no horns honking. Even the dogs were not barking.

A little further south is Pharphing, a different Newari town where you can hike, visit temples and see some great monasteries. You can stay at a small hostel or attend yoga retreats. My personal favorite thing though was to watch the people. Again, in comparison to Kathmandu the people were more relaxed and seemed to smile more often. The pace was much slower for sure.

Even though the Newari culture is still alive and well the culture and language are apparently fading away. Despite most everything being written in Devanagari, many English words have invaded the language. The Newari language is also being forgotten and there is a movement to try to bring it back. I provided a few links that further explain the culture and the language.

“Travel is the discovery of truth; an affirmation of the promise that human kind is far more beautiful than it is flawed. With each trip comes a new optimism that where there is despair and hardship, there are ideas and people just waiting to be energized, to be empowered, to make a difference for good.”
― Dan Thompson, Following Whispers: Walking on the Rooftop of the World in Nepal’s Himalayas

The following are some of my favorite photos from hiking in areas nearby Kathmandu. I found it interesting that for the most part the women are the ones hauling, pulling and planting. Despite some of the disadvantages of being in Nepal, the daily load-shedding, the unfinished roads and terrible traffic and the constant sound and stimuli that surrounds you every day in Kathmandu, driving even 15-20 minutes from Kathmandu Valley brings you to some peaceful and beautiful surroundings that truly calms the spirit and eases the mind. I hope you enjoy.