A few weeks ago I was able to visit Pokhara on a work outreach trip. Pokhara is about 45 minutes by air from Kathmandu, Nepal but what a difference in lifestyle and beauty. On a clear day it’s like the mountains are right in your face. Gigantic and beautiful. Pokhara is the gateway to the Annapurna region, which is where most people start out on their treks to the Himalayas.
Like Kathmandu, there are many statutes, temples, and gumbas that both Hindus and Buddhists use as places to worship. There are also many great places to eat and shops to visit. It’s a slower pace than Kathmandu, however, one thing I learned during this trip is that the pace is picking up and the tourist landscape will be changing very soon if an international airport is built. I’m glad I got to visit at this time because it really was a welcome respite from the rat race of Kathmandu. We stayed in a guesthouse in the touristy section of the city. This area sits along the lake which is fed by many rivers. It makes the area seem even more like a vacation spot.
The people are the same, just fewer of them and the pace seems a little slower.
If you want to have an even deeper retreat while staying in Pokhara, then I would give a high recommendation to Fish Tail Lodge. I did not stay here because I was on a work trip, but if I go back this is where I will stay. It was built in 1969 and when you visit there (we had lunch) it feels like it’s still around that era. You have to take a pontoon to get there. One of our guys even pulled the entire pontoon over by himself. Great service and good food. You sort of feel like a star. You have great views of the river/lake at night as well as views of bathers, boaters and other guests staying or just coming to eat on this little sanctuary. This “hotel” sits on what feels like an island, surrounded by lake Phewa and some hills and it’s so very lovely.
My final set of photos from the area fit in nicely with Ailsa’s travel theme: Rivers. You need a river to make a lake. There are several rivers flowing into Phewa Lake. The Seti River is the most prominent river and is actually known as the vanishing river. It goes underground and actually disappears in many places.
A man of wisdom delights in water. — (Confucius)
In this sometimes turbulent world, the river is a cosmic symbol of durability and destiny; awesome, but steadfast. In this period of deep national concern, I wish everyone could live for a while beside a great river. — (Helen Hayes, Actress)
We grow up hearing so often that a straight line is the shortest distance between two points that we end up thinking it is also the best way to get there. A river knows better—:it has to do with how it dissipates the energy of its flow most efficiently; and how, in its bends, the sediment deposited soon turns into marshes and swampy islands, harboring all manner of interesting life, imparting charm and character to the whole waterway. I would defy you to find a river on this planet that prefers to run straight, unless it has been taught so by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. — (Tom Horton, Bay Country)
Other river posts I really enjoyed.
- Travel Theme: Rivers | Edge of the Forest
- Rivers of Dreams | alien shores
- Jungle Born | Writing Between the Lines
- Hutt River walk : Travel theme :Rivers | scrapydo
- Ouch!! My back hurts!!
- On the move on the Congo River | Tish Farrell
- Cleaning up the River | The Beauty Along the Road
- “Riverdance” | Le Drake Noir
- An Adventure on the Maha Oya | The Wanderlust Gene
- 5-10-14 Travel Theme: Rivers | The Quotidian Hudson
- Weekly Photo Challenge -On the Move | Travels and Trifles
- 5-12-14 Travel Theme: River Redux | The Quotidian Hudson
Wow how peaceful and beautiful.
It really was very cool.
Looks lovely… must be time for me to get out of the city!
It’s always time to get out of the city…
The this is the longest stretch for us… so really ready!
Remember you are always welcome to pop over here.
Thanks 🙂 Right now no passport so I feel trapped… soon as I get it back (or my new one) school will take it to get my Visa so it is ready for the summer break. We;ll have to look into the October break. 🙂
Well good luck with that.
We are lucky the school does it all, so makes it easier, but takes long time.
Thank you for the pingback. I also enjoyed following along on your Nepal river adventure. It appears that light blue is a very popular color for boats. I am am always intrigued by communities that spend part of their life on the river as part of their lifestyle (vicariously so, since I live in the mountains and our rivers are usually non-navigable).
The 2nd post I posted here on the river theme was of my time in Venezuela.. now that had some amazing river scenes.
An excellent post! Your photos are great, and your description is eloquent. I have a new destination to put onto my to-do list.
You really should visit.. some great photo opportunities in and out of the valley. Hopefully my 2nd year I will see more.
So many lovely images, Christine! My favourites are the mountains 🙂 What a time you are having!
So funny, you are the 2nd person to call me Christine in a week.. it might be my twin.. haha.. The mountains were amazing for sure.. it’s been great.
Oh dear! Prompt me, because your Christian name just won’t come to mind? Very sorry 😦 Rfljensky’s a bit of a mouthful (though I should talk- my maiden surname was Szustakiewicz)
Haha.. only teasing.. I am SAM SAM I am.. (short for Samantha) No worries, I am terrible with names so it’s forgiven.. your maiden surname sounds like a country or something..
I just love the shots of the boats today.. Let just say I am in awe what an amazing adventure you are on… Would love to have the black and white one of the boats for my home…Thanks again for taking me with you.
Fran you are always welcome on my trips. I have about 2 that you want on your wall.. I would love them to go there.. I’ll have to see how I can make that happen.. I’ve been terrible at follow-through.