Thursday 23rd, day for reflection. To allow the whole experience to settle down Rajesh takes us sightseeing. Since the unification of Nepal, Kathmandu Valley has become progressively ‘Hinduized’, abandoning the original monastic form of Tantric Buddhism, but if you ask a Newar whether he’s Hindu or Buddhist he’ll answer ‘ Yes’.
Prayer flags bear mantra and wishes for compassion which are meant to be picked up and spread by the wind.
We walk admiring the beauty of the place and taking in the tranquillity of the town way of life, and I am not looking forward to going back to the madness of Kathmandu tomorrow.
We see a woman venting grain.
A lady receiving a massage with oil.
people spreading seed on the streets to dry under the strong Nepalese sun,
a lady making a traditional mat
the blacksmith in action
children playing the Nepalese version of hop scotch
the local barber
a whole family peeling maize
a woman weighing her goods on scales
and a man all dressed in white, sign of mourning and respect , he will keep on wearing white outfit for a year after his father or mother had died
We pick up Almudena’s dress , she puts it on immediately and wears it with accomplished elegance
It’s our last night in Dhulikhel , I buy mango juice, peanuts and other delicacies and I cook a Spanish tortilla for the family. Children love it and we all have a great evening in spite of the early power cut. To improve our integration process we decide to skip our daily wash under icy cold water on the roof today and that gives us a great sense of transnational solidarity.
