I wasn't able to blog yesterday due to the recurring black-outs here in Kathmandu (internet has been down for hours), like it has always been. Good thing, my hotel has back-up generator to keep the light on.
The other day, i went on a trip to the far less popular destination in the valley fringe called Kirtipur. And i must say, it's one of the most beautiful towns i've ever seen in the country. The faded glory of Kirtipur is slowly following the footsteps of the more popular cousins nearby, with now a tourist center established. I loved that traveling here only meant that i'm the only non-local visiting. When i arrived, there were hundreds of Gurkhas surrounding the peaceful town as the prime minister was coming to town guarding the place. I think there's an earthquake summit of some sort.
Walking up the hill in the cobbled steps lead me to forgotten temples and amazing Newari style built houses. All were amazing to my eyes, coupled with the friendly smiles of the locals. Kirtipur is such a quiet place to visit. As the sun slowly faded on the horizon, more old men and women sit by their houses entrances and just watched the day go by. I've earned more smiles here than anywhere else i've been in the valley, that says a lot about the lack of tourists this side of town.
After hours of walking up and down the town, i rewarded myself with a cold Nepali Ice beer which was extra strong, so that made my afternoon more relaxing. In Kirtipur, the air is cleaner, and temperature usually drops to -10 degrees celcius at night, so i couldn't fathom staying there overnight.
The view from the top of Indrayani Temple is simply sublime. From east to west, you could view the whole city of Kathmandu. I stayed on top for about an hour, just watching the clouds hover over the city on one side, and the rice terrces tended by locals on the other side.
One of the more rewarding trips i've had so far is the visit here. I'll write about Chobar, and how i crashed a birthday party, on my next post as i'm rushing to head to Universal Tours travel agency for yet another plan in my head. I'll share it with you once everything's sorted out. I might head to Kakani later today to trek a little, so i could have better views of the Ganesh Himal Range.