The Nirvana Peace Home and Kathmandu

from Swayambhu, the 'monkey' temple. not meant to call it this, though. otherwise i get smited.

Now i see how so many people get sucked into Kathmandu, it's like a multistorey black hole, there's so many levels and ways of getting trapped here. In the heart there is Thamel, a backpackers heaven and hell, tiger balm touts at every corner, rickshaws wobbling by and hundreds of pashmina, yak wool and singing bowl shops. If this isn't what you came looking for, the dusty outskirts are perfect for exploring, there seems to be something different around every corner. I found a communist/socialist garden the other day, with naked people diving into the water and big red flags everywhere. Then of course there are the mountains, the hikes and walks which supposedly are some of the best in the world. Hopefully i should fit one in before i leave.

Decided to change my hotel, and immediatley found the perfect place, jsut around the corner, the 'Nirvana Peace Home'. Booked five nights on the spot. It's pretty much what you would expect from the name, a much more family type, locally run hostel, and smaller, which makes the guests feel like part of a family, or group of friends, rather than a paying foreigner. The lounge is the place to meet people, a bamboo covered balcony with chairs, rugs and low tables which surround a circular bookcase with cds and speakers. Only thing is, it's very, very hard to leave this place. Have already met plenty of fascinating people, one, for example is Benjamin, a french guy, dreadlocks, beard, looks a bit like Funky Jesus, who met Manu Chao playing guitar by a pool in argentina, got ordered by the Nepalese Princess to pull the rickshaw for him, and is currently building a mongolian yurt on the rooftop of his friends house. We went to see it. Currently only bamboo frame, but looks like a project and a half.

Momo is my food of the moment. The nepalese equivalent of Spains tapas, Chinas dimsum, or perhaps Englands digestive biscuits (?), its pretty much anything wrapped in a parcel which is either deep fried or steamed. Very delicious, very greasy, but i've found the more greasy they are the more delicious they tend to be. Have so far tried fried vegetable momo, fried chicken momo, fried buffallo momo, steamed vegetable momo and steamed buffallo momo. Steamed is much nicer.

I'm incredibly hungry now, and am going to get breakfast. Noodles i think.


again from Swayambhu, part of something going on there. i know not what.