a day in Kathmandu

Hi all
Here is the next instalment from Kathmandu. I met with the group and our guide last night. There are currently 9 of us but another girl is joining us tomorrow. 4 are from the UK and the rest are Australians, only 2 men. The guide is from Rajastan and is very helpful and interesting to talk to. I am learning a few useful Hindi and Urdu words to use.
We went to a restaurant last night which obviously gets a lot of tourists and trekkers, it was covered in notes from trekkers and everest climbers. Best of all the food was good - especially if you chose nepali or indian style food.
Today we went for a tour of the major Kathmandu Budhist temples - both were really amazing and big. the first nicknamed the monkey temple because of all the monkeys that live around it is on a hill overlooking the city. We had a nepalese guide with us to explain everything, only he had such a very quiet voice so we all kept individually going up to him to ask the same questions. Obviously he has no idea how quietly he speaks and just thinks that we are all very poor listeners. The monkeys were all over the place but weren't threatening. There were also lots of dogs, pigeons and kites. Around the temple buildings are monastries and little shops and stalls. I seem to attract street sellers like i do mosquitoes, they buzz around me with a persistence which is astounding. Eventually I bought a couple of bracelets, a rather interesting incense holder and a necklace which hopefully will have been enough karma for turning down the music bowls and tiger games etc etc from all the other sellers.
The other temple we visited was very large and circular with other temples and monastries surrounding it and again shops and stalls. the others in the tour group don't seem to attract the sellers like I do. Obviously I am a standout sucker. the Budhist temples are much better maintained than the Hindu ones in Kathmandu. \They have lovely colourful paintings on them and amazing prayer rolls. I have rolled a few prayers.
The streets are very narrow here and cars, motor bikes, cycles and people sort of dance around each other to get anywhere with the occasional traffic jam with lots of horns blaring. Sometimes it feels a bit like a movie set for Indiana Jones or some such.
I did some shopping this afternoon with Rita my roomie. Later when I went to change some money I got lost which was a bit freaky. I eventually got a cyclo to take me back to the hotel. So all was well.
the weather is quite pleasantly warm during the day but gets really cold at night. Luckily I have all the right clothes and now i even have a new pashmina jumper and some Yak shawls.
We head off to Chatwin National Park tomorrow. I am looking forward to seeing the countryside. I shall post more from there.
\Ellie best of luck with your flight tomorrow, I hope there are no delays. Have fun in San Francisco and Yosemite. I hope there are plenty of good sales for you , especially at abercrombie and fitch. I love you and miss you. take care
love to all
Cathy