Day 17 ~ Minnehaha ~ Little Italy ~Word

Posted on December 7, 2020 by rfljenksy

One thing I love about Spokane, Washington is the numerous hikes you can take. So much nature. So many outdoor activities. All so close to where ever you live in the city. During a recent trip home, I hiked Minnehaha. This is a park that is on the outskirts of what I recently found out to be “Little Italy”. I had no idea that I had spent most of my childhood being raised in an Italian neighborhood.

I hope you enjoy the views from my hike in Minnehaha.

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The rest of the photos are from newspaper articles and others who posted to a group I belong to about the area. I just can’t get enough of the old pictures and data that these folks have been providing. It’s like revisiting my childhood. There was the school I went to, the library I visited, the store across from the school I shopped at, and the park I played in. With no parental supervision. Those were the days. I mean, maybe they were and maybe they were not. Great memories!! Enjoy.

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timro man mero lagi ghar ho

Posted on August 2, 2014 by rfljenksy

You can never tell what you might see when you are on a hash in Nepal. At the mid-point of the first hash I have been on in several months I was very surprised and delighted to run into this group of boys sitting on top of a hill and playing their guitars and singing. They actually offered to sing this song to our group. Very pleased indeed. I hope you enjoy.

Other pretty things on this unexpected hash.

Other posts I have recently enjoyed about zigging and zagging.

Kirtipur, Pharphing and other day trips

Posted on February 16, 2014 by rfljenksy

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.