Christmas in Pokhara

We spent a few days over Christmas break in Pokhara...Nepal's 2nd largest city and the starting point for treks through the Annapurna mountain range. 

Part of the Annapurna range. Here you can see Annapurna II, II and IV. Several of these peaks are more than 26,000 feet high. Without being there, it's hard to imagine how majestic the peaks truly are.

Our most fun experience by far was paragliding, a first for all of us. Sangarkot (the peak in the foreground) is our jumping off point (literally) for paragliding.

So THIS is how Santa Claus gets all those toys to boys and girls all over the world.

We visit a Tibetan community (Tashi Pakhel). Tibetans first came here after they were expelled from China in 1959. This was one of their original settlements. These Tiebetan refugees are just short of completing a new monastery. The art work is exquisite. Here you see the detail of a painting on the wall. In real life, it's an inch high.


Getting a shave is a cultural experience--one that we want to share with Ben. Here he is getting lathered up. He gets a haircut, along with a head, neck and shoulder massage...all included in the same price. The head massage is brutal and involves heavy clapping and slapping. Somehow in the end, it all feels pretty good.

We spend Christmas morning at Mike's Breakfast, looking over Lake Fewa and listening to Handel's Messiah.

This is a view from the lake. We use a very, very inefficient paddle boat to get to the middle of the lake. But the views are spectacular. Here you see a paraglider above the lake.

Our last day in Pokhara, Betsy and I get up early and take a canoe across Lake Fewa to Chisapani.

We then hike for an hour to this peace monastery. Later, we repeat the hike with Lucie, Eli and Ben.

Each side of the monastery has a statue representing one phase of Buddha's life.

We also hike well beyond the monastery and are rewarded with great views.

Here is Macchapuchree from my hotel room. I was 6 steps and one flight away from my front door when I took this shot.

I am amazed how hard Nepalis work; hoeing, shoveling (one works the shovel into the hard ground and the other pulls on a rope tied to the shovel to help move it with greater force), and carrying heavy loads.

While in Pokhara, I stop by a restaurant for “Maxican” food. I order veggie enchiladas but am given something much more akin minestrone soup with a tortilla. It’s not bad for “Maxican.”

The construction of a Nepali sentence is quite different from one in English. For Nepalis with limited English, I find it easier to switch the order of a sentence to mimic the Nepali structure. For example, to ask “Are you going to Lakeside?,” it is easier to communicate if I say “Lakeside you are going?” But then I begin to sound like Yoda.

There are no words to describe this peace: the birthplace of Buddha.

On our second day, we visit in Baglung district. It’s small enough that I can’t find it on the map. Like yesterday, this day is filled with pleasant memories: clear blue skies, lots of friendly people, elevation and more elevation! At the beginning of our walk, we cross the highest suspension bridge in Nepal. A river runs 135 meters (450 feet) below. I’m not afraid of heights and the bridge seems quite secure (cables, metal platforms, etc.) but the swaying makes me nervous. Still, it’s a lot of fun.  

Several amusing signs I’ve seen: 1) magic finger beauty salon (the massages can’t be too thorough if the masseuse uses just one finger), and 2) confidential hotel (enough said).

Here is my “office” for the day. Despite the opportunity to be in such an idyllic environment, the job is not without its challenges. Our first field visit is to Sigana. Our Save the Children minivan is no match for the roads. Those in charge of logistics have hired a driver and 4-wheel drive machine. Good thing because these are among the roughest roads I’ve ever been on. When we climb over a particularly hard section of the road—rocks, rivers, mud—my Nepali colleagues cheer particularly loudly. I find it nice to drive in the country…no blaring horns when we round each corner. Just the low, constant growl of our Indian-made Mahindra.

Here the children are impeccably dressed in their school uniforms. This surprises me given the poverty we see all around us. Every time we step down from the car, we hear children’s voices filling what I thought would be a quiet void. The Shree Sigana school is impressive. There are 300 students here and they are well-behaved and bright. Likewise, their headmaster is well-spoken in both Nepali and English. While we wait, children form neat rows and sing the national anthem.

Shree Sigana must have one of the most beautiful settings for a school yard anywhere. I ask which mountains these are but most children and adults don’t know. Later, several well-educated gentlemen indicate that the peaks are Annapurna South and Annapurna I. At 26,545 feet, Annapurna is more than a mile higher than Mt. McKinley (the highest peak in North America at 20,320) and is more than one-half mile higher than Aconcagua (22,841 feet), the highest peak in the Western Hemisphere. 

Here we are meeting with women who belong to women’s groups and are learning about optimal infant feeding practices and other ways to make families healthy, including proper hygiene.

Rather than taking the 4-wheel drive two hours home, we cut straight down a path that leads to our starting point. But the walk is time consuming nonetheless. No matter, we enjoy it. Our journey is nothing short of a traverse through life: we meet a midwife who tells us about the babies she delivers; a school where children learn reading, writing, arithmetic and what it means to be Nepali; a health post that restores health to children and parents alike; a wedding; a politician; and talk of death.

We also meet a renaissance man of sorts. He teaches at the local school, is the head of the Village Development Committee (an administrative unit composed of several villages/wards), a doctor and a farmer! He walks with us a from the school to his house (about 45 minutes). He wants to know whether I’d like an orange from his tree. “Sure” I say, expecting he’ll give us one each. Instead, he invites us to his courtyard where we chat for 45 minutes. A friend climbs his tree and fills a bag with sweet mandarin oranges. We eat a few then save the rest for later. His wife offers us a large bag of spice that she’s been drying.

Nepal reminds me that when it comes to play, children are exceptionally resourceful. For example, from a dozen plastic bags, children construct a football; from a sandlot, a soccer field; from a hoop, a toy that will entertain for hours; from nothing more than a small flat stick, a “shovel” that can be used to carry dirt from one side of the road to the other. Nepal also reminds me that kids are kids all over the globe.

More decorations for Christmas

The reason for the season.

Felt nativity.

The joy of Christmas!

Christmas peace.

Betsy, the kids and I went shopping today to fill our bare tree. Kathmandu has some wonderful stores, we discovered, with lots of fun paper products. jewelry, carpets and so on. Here are our favorite Christmas ornaments.

Preparing for Christmas

Here is our feeble attempt to get ready for Christmas. The tree is small but I like it. I think it is quite cute and about the size Christmas should be. I'm looking forward to avoiding all the glamour and glitz associated with Christmas. Seems like that way we can focus on what's really important.

Sunday in Durbar Square, Kathmandu

Candles at a shrine

Between temples

Several of thousands of pigeons near one of the temples

Same place, two different sentiments

Same place, two different sentiments

Boy with pigeons

Centuries old bird's eye view

People and places we'll remember from our first few weeks

Fruit seller, Patan

Street scene in Patan

Back side of a fruit seller's cart, Patan

Young boy, Kailali District, Terai

Cart wheel, Patan

My favorite photographic subject, bikes!

A friendly man we met in Kailali District, Terai

Dogs are ubiquitous.

Detail from a sidewalk carving, Patan.

Wall with multiple layers of paint.