Monkey Temple

For our first outing in Kathmandu, Gelu took us to Swayambunath Stupa otherwise know as the Monkey Temple (http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq229/Cecilwolf/Picture003.jpg). It is one of the oldest stupas in Nepal. It sits on a hill west of the city that provides a panoramic view of the Kathmandu Valley (http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq229/Cecilwolf/Picture015.jpg) and it contains a Hindu temple, a Tibetan monastery and other shrines. So it is an important place of worship for both Buddhists and Hindus. While we were there we witnessed the start of a Hindu ceremony. Tala was very excited about all the monkeys and very shortly after arriving we witnessed an adult monkey's attempt to steal something from a vendor. There were also several dogs living at the temple as well. However, they did not seem as well off as the monkeys. Most were thin and mangey. We walked around the stupa, clockwise as is Buddhist custom, and spun a few prayer wheels which surround the base. We briefly stepped inside the monastery for a look and this was the first time we were required to remove our shoes before entering a building. When we departed, we took the steep eastern staircase down. The stairs were well worn and seemed to slant forward. This along with the steep decline made the decent a little precarious. Later in the afternoon Tala and I braved the streets and walked to Durbar Square. Thanks to my new compass watch we found it with little difficulty. Navigation of the streets is difficult because few streets have names. I am still amazed drivers know how to get around. The Square is a complex of many temples and shrines. For our trip back to the hotel that day we decided to take a cyclo/rickshaw. It was a fun little ride for us but seemed like a lot of hard work for the driver. He actually had to ask a taxi driver at one point for directions. I couldn't blame him. I certainly didn't know where the hell I was.