Streets of Kathmandu

     Going out on the streets of Kathmandu is unlike anything we have ever done before.  There are lots of people going lots of places all of the time.  Nepalis start their day early.  Since we are on the 7th floor, we can look out and see the people walking or motorcycling or riding to work no later than 6 in the morning.  When it is light outside, this city is on the move.  However many shops do not open until 9 am or 10 am.
      The other couple that is here doing water projects took us out for our first "shopping" trip.  We didn't go to the tourist shopping area but instead they took us to where the Napali shop.  The streets are narrow and pedestrians do not have the right of way.  We bought nuts and raisins from a local vendor.  We moved down the road a little and bought these macaroni looking things that you fry in oil and they supposedly pop up like potato chips.  There are huge sacks of these macaroni things in all shapes and in all colors.  You just tell them about how much you want and they scoop them into a bag and weigh them.  They are pretty inexpensive.  We haven't tried them yet, but we will.  We are still popcorn eaters and if we are going to "pop" anything, it is more likely to be popcorn.  We go down another alley like street and move inside to a series of small shops.  You don't go into these shops.  Their products are just lined up along the side of the sidewalk.  You can buy any type of random item like flip flops, pans, blankets, and kitchen items to name a few.  We bought $.25 cent movies - Thor and Captain Phillips.  There is no guarantee the movie will be complete or even work, but for a quarter it is worth a try.    Thor worked on our television, and we have not watched Captain Phillips.   At a random street intersection is a random Hindu temple.
     You never know what you will see as you walk.  Cows and goats and chickens and monkeys roam free.  There are dogs everywhere but they do not seem to bother anyone.  Most of them are sleeping on mats near a shop entrance.  I know why they are sleepy.  At about 10 pm you hear the sounds of barking dogs all over.  I don't know if they are running in packs or not, but I do know they are up for the evening.  Who ever said that just cats were nocturnal.  These Nepali dogs are definitely nocturnal.
      There is no hiding my blonde hair or white skin.   It is not uncommon for me to have an older Napali woman stop and hold on to me and speak to me in Nepali.  I have no idea what they are saying and they are not begging.  I just think they like my fair skin.  Today it was two women all dressed in robes with nose rings and other assorted piercings who followed me back to my apartment.  They just smiled and smiled at me.  I would have tried to talk to them, but alas, my Nepali is very poor.
     We are headed to Chitwan this weekend for a wheelchair distribution.  LDSC which is our charity organization purchases wheelchairs, crutches and canes for the disabled.  Another charitable organization that is Nepali who works with us, collects the names of people who are in need of these types of apparatus.  Wheelchairs are fitted to the person.  The wrong wheelchair fitting can do harm so there is some work involved in getting the person the correct wheelchair.  Chitwan is up in the jungle and this will be our first time out of Kathmandu.  I have no idea how I can handle the jungle when I can barely navigate around Kathmandu, but we have hired a car and a driver and will spend 3 days out of the city.  We will post pictures on our return.  So the adventure continues.  Someday living in Nepal will be no big deal,  Right now it is still classified as our great Valentine adventure.

This is not the way we shop in the states.

The shopkeeper was very nice.  He had lots of choices of nuts and raisins. 

A small Hindu worship temple in the middle of the shopping.

Shopping for movies.  I sure wish Jim would warn me before he takes a picture.

Motorcycles carrying goods throughout the market.  They load them up until the driver can barely see where he is going.

The flags are Buddhist prayer flags.  They put one up for every year.  

Typical Nepali wiring.

On our way home and after we left the market, we found Baskins and Robbins.  We just had to stop for ice cream.  It was just a little taste of home.