One of the aspects I enjoy most about Kathmandu is the very real sense of history as you walk around the streets whether it be Newari or otherwise. There's still great original Nepali-style buildings and architecture, there's also a carpet of food and fabric traders almost stitched into the footpaths as you walk around the streets, human drawn rickshaws, a dusty hustle of endeavor - it's chaotic and without predictability or pretentiousness, it's unsterilized!



Some of my once favorite destinations in Asia are becoming the mirrored false advertisement of western prosperity, in the process eroding an authenticity and uniqueness that was once inherent to the cultures and on full display. Sure, there's still the fundamental character or nature of these societies at the core, but they're becoming smothered or hidden behind an ostentatious illusion of glitz and glamor. This westernization is happening everywhere - the world is becoming homogenized.



Of course you can't begrudge people wanting a better quality of life for themselves and families, but I'm just not convinced western-style capitalism is the way to go. Don't ask me what the remedy would be because I don't know.

A few pics from this morning's walk. I had a pleasant chat with a one armed Holy man, neither of us understanding what the other other was saying of course. I suspect the Baba was asking me why I was bothering him. I gave him some candy/sweets/lollies I'd just bought from a street vendor as compensation which hopefully appeased him. He seemed pleased.



I made an application for a bank account with Nabil Bank today and here's what's needed first- patience!

Documents Needed
Passport
Passport photo
Visa
Account application form

The process is straight forward however there's a lot of paperwork asking pointless questions like 'What are your grandparents names?' 'Where does your father live? ' etc. If receiving some type of pension/social security into the account they ask the name of institution and amount to be received. They also ask your annual income and an estimate of how much you will receive into the account over the course of a year. I answered the family information asked but didn't give any information pertaining to financial institutions I'm connected with or superannuation/pension funds. This was responded to with a polite head bobble and a "This is not a problem, Sir." I now wait four days to receive my account numbers which will be emailed to me. then a further ten days to get an ATM card.

The whole process took around 30 minutes.

Suyass is a recovering drug addict and ex Kathmandu gang member who has spent most of his life fighting turf wars and dealing drugs. If you look closely at his left arm you’ll notice the scars of defending machete attacks which has left this limb disfigured and partially disabled - he has other scars.

After leaving that life behind some years ago, and with a little help from others, he opened a small coffee shop behind Durbar Square which serves as a meeting point for other recovering addicts and ex gang members.

I met Suyass five years ago when I was walking around and came across his great coffee, and after daily visits over a period of months, he told me his story and that of his other customers - they all now changing their lives for the better.



This little coffee shop tucked away on a side street behind Durbar Square offers Kathmandu ex gang members and recovering drug addicts a meeting point and support network as they move forward in their lives. The cafe as well as its customers is very music oriented and you can sit in there all day listening to Nirvana, Soundgarden, Zeppelin, Hendrix and other great rock bands while enjoying the company these guys offer very graciously.

When you first enter the coffee shop you might feel a little intimidated by the appearance of some of its occupants, but very quickly you understand they are warm friendly hosts with the kindest of intentions and only want you to feel welcome and comfortable.

The large portion of profits goes toward the ongoing support of people with a particular past as they try to make a better life for themselves.

I enjoy coffee every day at Namaste Coffee when in Kathmandu.

neat, will check back in on this.

Apologise if covered already but how much longer are you there?

I enjoy the shorter straight to the point with a few pics style like this, no fluff!

cheers

JUDGEDREDD wrote: ↑Sat Sep 30, 2023 6:19 pm

Apologise if covered already but how much longer are you there?

Undecided.

Kung-fu Hillbilly wrote: ↑Wed Sep 27, 2023 10:09 pm




Grog prices are up with a 600ml (650?) Carlsberg costing 300-350 rupees ($US2.50) from a mom and pop shop, 480 rupees ($US3.60) from western style liquor store, to 850 rupees ($US6.50) at a restaurant in Thamel. I was originally quoted 500 rupees for the big bottles of Tuborg I was drinking with the bag makers, but after exchanging cigarettes, buying a few rice wines for them and hanging out, that was reduced to 400.

Heading back out with a bit of a glow up .

So The Everest 'Irish' Pub is charging nearly $7 for a beer? I can cheaper in Bahrain. Wow

More than a few guys have said they didn’t believe there would be many beautiful women in Nepal - one even suggesting he thought Nepalese women would all be bow-legged, wide hipped, short, dumpy types - which sounded as if his only exposure to local females had come from a ninety sixties National Geographic documentary on Himalayan yak herders.





The fact of the matter is Nepal has just as many beautiful women walking the streets as anywhere else in the world. On a daily basis my male instincts are triggered by many captivating women who are above average appearance by any measure. And while it’s true you won’t see any short skirts, plunging necklines, or outwardly sexy attire worn by local women, there’s no shortage of attractive females in Kathmandu.




I also find Kathmandu women to be very approachable which I put down to the Nepalese seemingly innate predisposition toward hospitality as well perhaps a certain naivety or innocence. Yesterday I stopped two young women and asked for directions with both interactions resulting in lengthy conversations on the side of the road about nothing in particular. If one was thirty years younger and considerably better looking, dating could be a tiring affair.

Purple Haze is the premiere live rock music venue in Kathmandu and walking past it this morning it looked as if they were switching out some of their desks and amps (by the size of the desk it might be foldback gear). If there’s a particularly good group playing or an international act, the tight lanes around the club are heaving with people before doors open forcing you to take a detour. It’s surprising to walk inside and see the the space open up before you as its entry is deceptively small off a ratty little lane.


Not my pic of inside Purple Haze.



Turning any corner in Kathmandu presents the walker with something of interest (for me at least) and the unlikely prospect of finding a man having a cigarette while minding his ducks just after looking at a modern music venue and its desk gear isn't that unusual and shouldn't come as any surprise. Compare this with the predictable sterility on offer from Perth with its shiny steel and glass city landscape, as well as the predictability of many of its residents, and it's not hard to understand why some of us prefer it out here amidst the colorful dust and noise of Asian capital city chaos.



Kathmandu is also one of those places where you can often discover something new after walking past it for years. This group of fruit shake vendors occupy a small lane I’ve passed countless times but never realized they were there but have been apparently for years.

May your pumpkins be particularly bountiful this year.