Changu Narayan Dayhike...

This was one of those wonderful rambling days that makes traveling so sweet… A leisurely, scenic, spontaneous outing with family & friends, wandering through rice fields, villages, forests, temples and traffic jams, concluding in the “golden hour” of sunset strolling back through quiet cool farmlands on the outskirts of town…

We’ve always wanted to visit the Changu Narayan temple, but after many trips to Nepal, have never managed to do so. It’s well known as a UNESCO treasure trove of ancient stone carvings and fine woodworking, but it’s quite a ways out of town… most tourists never get out there, typically opting for the easier (and awesome) sites of Pashupatinath and Swoyumbunath (“monkey temple”) during their short time in the Kathmandu Valley. When I was leading treks, there was minimal free time… A day or two in Kathmandu, out into the mountains for a few weeks, then back to town for a quick farewell dinner, a day of shopping, and poof, fly home… This is what I am LOVING about our “Fall in Nepal” plan. Actually living in KTM for an extended period allows us to slow down, get to know our neighbors and neighborhood, and do those unusual outings with plenty of time to enjoy them…

So we hopped on a crowded local bus with our good friends, the Canapary family, and jostled and rumbled out towards Bramakhel. The kids LOVE standing up, cramming into crowded buses, riding on the roof (when possible), and just hanging on tight… local transport seems like a carnival ride for them, so they’re always game! Had to ask several locals where the trail was, and we were re-directed multiple times, but all the directions, accurate or bogus, are delivered with a laugh and a smile. We eventually found the trail, crossed the little bridge, admired the rice harvest, and newly planted potato crop… Well outside the chaos of densely populated Kathmandu, it feels so relaxed, refreshing and clean out here in the fields!!! This is what most of the KTM valley used to look like! Up a steep wandering trail, we chatted with locals, played with kids, and swung on a marvelous bamboo swing left over from the Dashain festival. Almost to the top of the hill, we were stalled out for at least an hour by “the cutest baby goats EVER in the world!!!” We had to work pretty hard to avoid adopting several… We just might have to become goat farmers back in CA. Our kids are SO in love with baby goats, that we made up a related hiking song: “Bahkra manparchha, bahkra manparchha, sano bahkra, tulo bahkra, bahkra manparchha!” It just means “I love goats, I love goats, small goats, big goats, I love goats.” Not that complex, but the tune is catchy. Finally we made it to the top of the hill, with wonderful views over the hazy valley, and headed into the narrow lanes of the village. Ate a nice late lunch, again significantly delayed by cute animals (this time puppies!), and finally entered the Temple complex. The temple is dedicated to Narayan (one of the incarnations of Vishnu), and is one of the oldest in Nepal… The courtyard is brimming with gorgeous stone carvings dating from the 5th-7th centuries; one famous inscription was apparently carved back in 464 AD. The temple itself is the classic Newari/Nepali pagods style building, with intricately carved doors, window, and roof-support beams… some of these are a bit horrifying, with gods dismembering demons or ripping out their guts by hand, while others have more erotic themes. I guess back in the day you might have brought your kids by and showed them what might happen if they didn’t behave themselves properly! There was golden metal-work on the doors, plenty of incense burning, and red tika powder and offerings on many of the statues. All of these works of art, like in much of Nepal, are priceless museum pieces. There is (or was) such an unbelievable wealth of outdoor shrines, carvings, temples, and statues scattered on every street corner in Kathmandu Valley, that the entire valley was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site… Some of the best bits have been stolen by art thieves, but it still amazes me how much ancient art can be found at every turn, on every street corner, and on the walls of random homes… A recently renovated house in the village had shiny new bricks, and was obviously mid-way through the construction project. But the 500 year old Ganesha figure had been carefully set aside during construction, and replaced on the outer wall of their house for passers-by to worship and do puja… just as they’ve been doing for centuries.

Another sweet thing about Changu is the quiet…. It is a bit remote, so even though there are souvenir shops lining the entry path, and we are here during the peak trekking season, we saw just a few tourists. So peaceful and mellow compared to some other swarming sites! Finally we descended the hill, with sunset approaching, bade farewell to the cute animals, and enjoyed strolling home in the evening glow… If we hadn’t lingered with goats and puppies all day, our timing would have been all wrong! Thanks be to cute animals!!! The harvest is coming in; one last load before dark. Locals stopping us on the path to say Namaste, and ask our names. Our girls skipping along the trail singing the goat song… A lovely evening in the incredibly picturesque Nepali countryside.

Manasarovar Academy - Tibetan Welcome Dances

Karen writes.... Life can be so surreal sometimes here in Nepal. What does that say about life at home I wonder? More thought on that later I promise…

Today at Manasarovar Academy was quite singular for me. We arrived at our usual time of 9ish knowing that the French reps from Graines d’Avenir, the main charity NGO supporting the school would be coming for a visit and that the students would be performing a dance for them. We knew that it would be a very important day for Bijaya and Tsultrim and that our teaching expectations should be nil. I just didn’t expect the range of emotion that I was privy to all day.

Upon arriving I asked what I could do to help prepare the students was whisked away to class #1 where no less than 25 girls were costumed and ready for their make-up! The colors!! Silky Tibetan dresses of every color combination imaginable filled the dim room. The girls were calm and excited waiting their turns as I (Mmm Hmm) powdered and colored each lovely young faces with colors to rival any spring blooms! Hold still…close your eyes. Open. Wider. I chanted as I applied eyeliner to their shapely eyes and bright color to their soft lips. The joy was palpable in the stuffy room, but what I noted with surprise was the complete lack of nerves. No anxious giggling, no edgy commentary. Just pure happiness to be where they were, and to be giving a dance to the French visitors. I also couldn’t help noticing that there were no parents in the room. Now this is no surprise here in Nepal of course, but the parents where I come from would NEVER have let their kids perform in any kind of show without their presence. But this show was one of the first times that I have really noticed how the kids really owned the presentation themselves. No doting, fussing parents here to take credit, hold expectations, give advice or set up their many tri-pods and video cameras in the aisles. Even when the boys came into the room to paint on their mustaches, the mood only got sweeter as the boys praised the girls with genuine admiration and maybe even a little awe at their new appearance.

The visitors were a bit late, but no matter for the kids. They were patient and very gracious when the important guests arrived. There were brief greetings, the ceremonial gifting of "kata" scarves, and then everyone took seats and the show began. Music played by a gentleman on Tibetan stringed instruments (called ???) accompanied the dancers who were truly flawless in their renditions of traditional dances. I could almost picture the farmers harvesting as the kids whirled their long silky sleeves and twirled their skilled bodies past one another in moving formations on the plains of Tibet. As I was noticing every kid confidently moving in unison and feeling moved by their cultural resurrection, I glanced up to the 3^rd floor balcony to see two smiling, toothless, old onlookers in maroon robes gazing down on the spectacle. I thought they were pleased with what they saw from the looks on their faces. I imagined that they were feeling moved as I was by the students’ rendition of the dances. In fact I felt them watching with memories flowing from some far away time and place where maybe even they themselves danced these same patterns. And maybe they were even feeling grateful for the fact that these dances were part of a great act by the teachers and students of this school to keep Tibet alive in tangible ways like music and dance and costumes. The way the kids owned these dances made me even more sure that these elderly spectators could not have missed these truths folded in to the event. My own tears made the kids sparkle even more than their make-up.

There were 6 or 7 dances by the junior and senior dancers and then 2 kids from class 5 did their own Bollywood solo performances and were quite good. The kids showed their respect and approval at the end of each and there we were. Full of chai and the emotion of a heart felt gifted performance. I felt it was a gift. Straight from the kids and teachers.

Paul was feeling sick and achey, and went home after the show, to everyone’s disappointment. (they LOVE him there of course) but the rest of us including other volunteers Melissa and Keiran, Olivier and Leika and kids, our kids, the French delegation and their friends – 2 Tibetan ladies, were all escorted upstairs to the boarding floor where a long table was fashioned from desks and chairs (from who knows where). The food was plentiful and delicious! There were momos, soup, bitter gourd, greens, more momos and chili sauce, the gooey fruity balls that I love so much, and curd. What a feast! All tasty and hot served by class 5 who carried all the items up & down several flights dark stairs to make it a special luncheon. I felt really honored to be there… More than at any 5 star restaurant, in the most elite company. These women really worked to make it wonderful. And again, without any visible stress. Just warmth. I am so touched…

Annapurna Circuit #4 - Pisang, Gyaru, Ngawal, Braga

After a spectacular morning avalanche off of Annapurna 2, we continued trekking.... ever upwards, ever changing life-zones and habitats. What a fabulous cross section of the Himalaya on this trek! In these next 2 days we climb through cool pine forests, cross some arid stretches, and approach the sub-alpine zone with it's shorter trees and low-lying flowers and shrubs.... An amazing transition from rice paddies just a few days back!

The girls are hiking strong, enjoying (almost) every minute, and bringing smiles to many locals faces! Plenty of trekkers and also lodge owners also ask, "will you take the small girls over the Pass? ...will you try the Thorung La?" We always reply the same way, as we've been prepping the girls from the start. We are hoping to make it over the pass, but if any of us (adults included!) has altitude problems, we'll turn back in Manang. The scenery is astounding on this side of the Pass, and if we got to see it twice, that would be a marvelous hike indeed! But we are also moving slowly, planning extra acclimatization days, and have plenty of time to change our schedule. We know the kids are strong enough to hike the Pass; the altitude is the only real unknown... We'll take it day by day, and see how we feel as we ascend.

Now the scenery is getting truly astounding! The snowy peaks and hanging glaciers are always present, and the jaw-dropping verticality of the landscape is mind-bending! We have to pinch ourselves sometimes to see if it's real. The hike into Pisang offers 2 options... Stay low on the main route, and find a lodge in trekker-oriented Lower Pisang, or ascend a long traverse to stay in less visited Upper Pisang. The upper option is certainly the better choice! What an amazing "real" village! Old stone houses, hundreds of years old... A couple of small crusty guest houses, surrounded by narrow alleyways, animal pens, stone walls, and countless prayer flags. It is a functioning town, with extensive agricultural fields all around, not dependent on the trekking industry. And what a view! Holy toledo.... I should just switch over to a few journal entries to capture the feelings of those sweet days:

From Paul's Journal - "Nice mellow 2 hour hike through pine forests to Bhratang, then some tougher uphills through trails cut into vertical granite cliffs. Ridiculous views of the massive "skateramp" glacial ridge "Swargadwari Danda." So smooth, so consistent, so HUGE! Up, up, up steep trails into cool birch, pine, and fir forests to Dhiker Pokhari. We got to Dhiker a bit early to stop for the day (2pm), so we gave the decision to the girls... They all wanted to push on to Pisang. As soon as we peeled off the main drag, with its pack trains, large trekking groups, mountain bikes, snack bars and trekking lodges galore, we were finally hiking on a "real" trail. Didn't see a soul for 2 hours on this narrow "single-track" path! Hiked leisurely along surrounded by edelweiss, juicy red rose hips galore, and marvelous bird sightings! Many times the kids remarked, "I love this place! It reminds me of Tuolumne.... or of Wyoming..." Suddenly you round a corner, and BAM, there is the authentic ancient stone village of Upper Pisang! Our little hotel, in the uppermost part of town, seems like an afterthought, built as a newer upper floor perched on top of a 300 year old stone house. Wouldn't do well in an earthquake, but so worth the climb to be hovering above this splendid village, hundreds of meters above the valley floor, with Annapurna 2 exploding 25,000 feet up into the sky right in your face."

The next day was the highlight of our year.... so far! Walking the "high route" traverse from Upper Pisang to Gyaru and Ngawal was one of the absolute finest hiking days of our lives! The ascent from Upper Pisang to Gyaru was also the steepest, most difficult push of the trek for the kids and adults.... but SO WORTH IT!!!!

From Eliza's Journal - "Have you ever woken up to the most unbelievable view of glaciers and Annapurna 2, and hiked the most incredibly steep "hill" of the entire trek that you thought you'd pass out?"

"Have you ever hiked into a medieval stone village with prayer flags on every roof flapping in the wind?"

"Have you ever done an incredible traverse with breathtaking views of the whole Annapurna Range the entire day?"

"Have you ever slept in a breezy village with barley and buckwheat growing all around, and awoken to the sound of cows and ponys and then seen your very first Yak!?"

From Paul's - "Ahhh... the arduous haul up 1,500' of steeeep switchbacks to Gyaru! Only "name that tune," frequent snacks, water breaks, and the Geography Game saved us! The kids were right on the edge of cracking, but they DID it! WE did it! And Karen even spotted 7 new bird species... After lunch, the traverse from Gyaru to Ngawal was T.H.E. highlight of the entire trip so far! Unreal views... Such a sweet hike! We felt so lucky to have earned those views, to be looking donw a couple of thousand feet to the river below, and then UP twelve-thousand-plus to Annapurna 2. What a ridiculous perfect afternoon! Mani walls on steep trails, falcons & lammergeiers soaring overhead, dizzying steep cliffs, astounding snow-capped peaks... Pisang Peak, Anna.2, Lamjung in the distance... Pine forests, alpine flowers... We felt SO grateful for today. Such a high it brought tears to my eyes a few times. The kids loved it, cruising all afternoon on a high traverse. What a sweet gift to be able to share this with them!!!"

Spent a fine night in Ngawal, another quiet town surrounded by crops being harvested, and huge herds of ponies, sheep, goats & yaks. The walk to Braga was mostly downhill!? Gaining altitude.... Losing altitude.... That's Nepal! The kids were getting hot and tired, begging for lunch or a rest, when suddenly their energy level soared! Another highlight for the girls was this surprise scree slope! Their lethargy evaporated, and as they scurried up and down the sandy hill for several whoooping leaping runs! "Can we stay here ALL day Dad? Can we come back here tomorrow too!?" They loved it! Rolling into Braga, we re-joined the main busy trail, and suddenly were back in the midst of crowds of individual trekkers, large groups with matching shirts, and pack trains hauling supplies. A shock after 2 days of quiet solitude... But Braga also offers a truly luscious bakery, and an amazing ancient monastery clinging to the ridge. We enjoyed the fine views up the wide river valley to Manang, where we'll spend a few days acclimatizing with a few day hikes. It's good to be at high altitude!!!

Maya & Dawn's Arrival!!!

Yeah! The big day has FINALLY come, and our girls are ecstatic!Our El Portal friends, the Canapary Family, arrived last night!!! Edward, Andrea, Maya & Dawn flew in from Bangladesh at night, and we had quite a fine reunion at the airport... They'll stay here in Nepal for a month and a half, volunteering at an orphanage, and then joining us for trekking, rafting, and elephanting in Chitwan. It is SO fun to greet friends in foreign countries! What a blast to meet them, and just whisk them "home" to our guest house down familiar streets and alleys.... We'll have a few vacation days from school, due to the Tihar holiday, so we can explore together.

As we were waiting for their emergence from the immigration and screening area, we were entertained by the presence of a huge dead rat.... right on the floor in the middle of the exit doors! About a hundred travelers walked right by, and over it, without making contact. It was astounding! No one would make eye contact with the Rat, but their feet, luggage carts, and roller suitcases all missed the thing by mere centimeters! Just to the left..... just to the right....

right over it with wheels, but straddling it on each side. When the Canaparys arrived, they ran over to our waiting girls, danced around, hugged & squealed.... but never squashed the rat. It could still be there. Watch your step when you fly into Kathmandu!!!