Monday: monkeys and temples

So on monday we dragged our asses out of bed at 5 a.m. to hike half an hour, and then climb over 400 stairs (no, seriously) up to a buddist temple (Swayambu) for the sunrise. It's known as the monkey temple because, well, lots of monkeys live up there. They eat the offerings that people leave at the shrines. No one seems to mind.

Monkeys!

This is a giant prayer-wheel, mid spin. There
are hundreds up there. There are thousands of written
prayers inside the wheel, so spinning it is like saying a
prayer thousands of times. Convenient, no?


Sunrise over Kathmandu

This view does not capture either the steepness, or

the sheer number of stairs. The top of the picture does

not include the horizon, just to give you a better idea of

the angle.

Swayambu. Those are the eyes of Buddha, watching

over the valley. One represents wisdom, and one

represents compassion.

Lots of little shrines. People leave seeds, coloured paste,

and flowers. Then the monkeys eat it all.

Then later that night we went to a pub in Thamel: Tom and Jerry's. We played pool most of the night. And guys, you have never played pool like the pool in this pub. The tables are all ripped up, and a series of plastic pipes run from all the holes. But the pipes are pretty rickety, so sometimes balls fall through cracks, or get stuck. Then you have to walk around the table, shaking all the pipes, or dropping other balls down to knock them through. Kathmandu billiards is quite the game of patience. I got a few good shots, and was dubbed a "#1 warrior"! Also I've never been in a bar before where you can argue about the price of drinks after you've finished them. Or where the Nepali instinct towards super-hosting makes the bartender insist you have "just one more, please, little one, please". Hee-larious.