Katmandu

Shop keeps, motorcycles, Buddhist monks and dogs napping….. Welcome to daily life in Katmandu. Everything is small tiny shops selling whatever they can.  They are everywhere.   And motorcycles honking their horns driving everywhere but between lines, mainly because their are no lanes.  Buddhist monks in their red “flowing robes” (yes, a caddyshack reference) and dogs, mangy dogs napping everywhere ignoring everything.  The simplicity of their lives in that they nap where ever they choose obviously feeling safe is offset by, from the looks of them, the harsh existence of surviving in the streets.  But what is most shocking is the meat markets where meat is sitting out covered in flies. 

Here in Katmandu at night and immediately you notice the lack of lights.  It’s erie. No street lights and only the dim lights in front of open store fronts.  Dogs and cows roam the streets.   Motorcycles everywhere buzzing about like annoying gnats.  And dirt….and garbage.   And dirt.  Did I say dirt?   Everything is shadows and people moving about but never quite in view.  And dogs barking in the night.  And then the power does out….but comes right back on.  No one reacts.  It’s obviously a normal occurrence.  I count. 7 dogs barking in the distance.  And then my waiter brings me an Everest Lager.  The special limited edition.  And the waiter, like the people, is the nicest man probably in the world.   Everest lager rocks.  Life on the other side.