Today we hiked to a ridge top to visit the World Peace Stupa, a big Buddhist shrine. We spent a little time walking along the Siddhartha Highway, which leads to India - 178 kilometers away, the guide said. It was a tough hike up the ridge -we had to follow some incredibly steep and long stairways to the top. It was interesting, there were great views of the Pokara Valley and we passed through some small villages, but I think we easily climbed 1000 feet or more in an hour. WHEW!!!
The Stupa itself was beautiful. (I think Stupa is another word for a large temple - I'll look this up
when I have a keyboard without sticking keys.) There was a small sanctuary but there was a ceremony going on so I only glanced in and moved on. There were also statues showing different parts of the historic Buddha's life. He is supposed to have been here, and our guide said that was true. As far as I know it is. Yes, I took pictures and will post them - yes we will!
The hike down the ridge was fabulous. We went through a thick forest of rhododendrons and ferns. Many of the deciduous trees were sal, a fairly common species around here; I am not sure of what the others were. Again, some local birds were singing and singing and singing.... We ran into a large troupe of monkeys, adults and babies on the way down!!! Many of them scurried up trees and made faces at us. I got much better monkey pictures than in Costa Rica and I'll post them!!! I promise!!!
Our guide was, again a really nice guy who had a sad situation. He'd been bitten by a monkey and didn't have money for a doctor. He had a huge bandage on his hand, and seemed to be in pain part of the time. We paid him well, gave him some aspirin and told him to see a doctor - I hope he does. It was interesting that he wasn't upset when we ran into the monkey troupe; he seemed to think they were funny!
We'll be here for two more days, then we'll head for southern Nepal to spend four days around a rain forest. I will miss the mountains a lot, but this will be interesting too. I don't know if we'll have access to the Internet down there, but I'll post the answer when I know.
Happy New Year! PG
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1 comment:
Wow, I am in total travel envy of your trip. Complete.
No news from here. Only 20 more days till inauguration. Yeah!
Don has a cold. Zach is in Ohio seeing his girlfriend, and Emily is home but going to the 'burgh for a New Years Eve party. We are staying in, of course.
I guess it is well into the New Year where you are!
Safe travels!
Ellen
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