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THE LAND OF NONRANDOM MEETINGS
OR rINGED BY aNNAPURNA

chapter 6. MOVABLE FEAST

Last days in Kathmandu were spent in searching presents for friends and relatives and also cheap food. Especially we succeeded with the second point. We had found cheaper and what was interesting tastier momo. As far as Tamel had bored us a bit already, thereafter most of our itineraries often crossed less tourist districts like Chhetrapati and Jyatha. It was quieter and simpler there, it was possible just to walk and not to straggle importunate offers. There we were looked not like at the potential clients, but just with amazement. And only these days the thought that it would be nice to go to Kathmandu and spend here a month occurred to me. This city has no superior in concentration of interesting people. I had the desire just to stay in ‘Yak’ and sitting at the restaurant on the first floor to write down all impressions from this nonstandard city and its citizens and visitors.

The ‘Yak’ lodge deserves being described separately. For us it was the best variant at any rate. Firstly, I just liked the people who worked here – Tibetans. And that’s necessary to say that by the end of the trip I’ve already a bit imbued with the idea of liberation of Tibet , and I was impressed with the signs ‘Free Tibet’ and the portrait of Dalai-Lama. There was not expensive internet, international phone, restaurant with tasty Tibetan food and not high prices in addition to the huge rooms in ‘Yak’. Very often it was overcrowded at the restaurant in the evenings. We were told that in eighties that was one of the most expensive restaurants in Kathmandu.

Yak Lodge. Tamel, Kathmandu

Yak Lodge.
Tamel, Kathmandu

I don’t know what caused the decrease of the prices, but definitely not the quality of the food. Local ‘thukpa’ (Tibetan meat soup) is the best I’ve eaten in Nepal . More likely that flow of the tourists out of the country caused the decrease of the prices. We often happened to hear that three or four years ago Tamel was teemed with foreigners, but now that was not the same at all. Possibly Maoists’ moving nearer to the capital also influences to the flow-out. Though for me that produces only more interesting atmosphere, kind of tensed and dangerous situation like to be at the breaking point.

Last evening in Kathmandu we spent talking with Pasha and Yulia about future projects and plans, listening to the nostalgic music Yanny and drinking whisky with very symbolic for Nepal name ‘Everest’...

Yak Lodge window view

Yak Lodge window view

I really don’t know why, but I remember Kathmandu similar to Paris . That Paris which used to bring inspiration to Hemingway . That Paris , which could be either excitedly noisy like bee hive or romantically quiet and poetic just like secluded pond. Paris which stayed Paris either it was peaceful time or during the war. I agree, that it’s very strange comparison, but precisely these feelings and associations Kathmandu arouse in me.



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