Day 28- Kathmandu, Nepal

Okay so I know I rave about each place I have visited but I REALLY like Nepal! It is a breath of fresh air coming from India (quite literally actually). The city of Kathmandu lies in a valley and though it is quite busy and rather polluted you can still feel the mountain air. Nepal is a huge destination for trekking because The Himalaya's are here and of course Mt. Everest. I was instantly in love with the green valley as we flew in. The culture is somewhat similar to India but also quite different. The predominant religions seem to be a mix of Hinduism and Buddhism. These are temples in the above photo.

Traditional hat the Nepalese men wear. Not sure the meaning yet but I love it!
Selling corn on the street. Not sure if it was her cow or if it was just visiting.
Riding into town. I promise we did not go very fast Dad!
Wow. What more can I say? I think the Nepalese are known for being able to carry big loads since many of them work as guides in the mountains.
This was a "healing massage" done through vibrations. (He was trying to get me to buy the bowl). At one point I was wearing it on my head while he banged on it. Probably would have been relaxing if I wasn't giggling.

Swayambhunath Temple. (Also called Monkey Temple because of the many monkeys that live around it). On a hilltop overlooking the city... very beautiful!
Prayer wheel at the temple.
Houses along the river in town.
Bicycle fruit stand. Great idea!

If all goes well and I can figure out how to get there I am going to spend the night in a village outside of the city that is supposed to have great views of the Himalayas and some decent hikes around it. Will try and post again before I leave for Thailand on Friday...