Exploring Bhaktapur with a Friend
It was my last day in Nepal and my mind was elsewhere as I ran through my early morning flight the next day and the thought of finally being reunited with my family and boyfriend after five long weeks apart. I had, however, made plans to visit Bhaktapur and meet a friend of a friend there. Trudging over to Ratna Park bus station in the morning sun I felt exhausted and a little overwhelmed by the bustling streets and honking horns that I had become accustomed to over the last few weeks. After being crammed into a corner of the local bus for an hour I unfolded myself out onto the streets of Bhaktapur and with a cup of milk coffee in a local cafe, I shook off the anti-social feeling festering inside of me.
Half an hour later, I met Rose and her friend next to the sprawling fruit and veg stalls in Suryabinayak and my anti-social mood soon evaporated. True to the infamous Nepali hospitality, Rose instantly made me feel like I’d known her for years. She suggested that it might be nice to visit some less touristy spots to begin with and as she too was new to the area, a little exploration might be a bit of fun. So, we walked for half an hour up to a Temple hidden in the dappled shade of sprawling trees, all the while chatting and chuckling like old friends. We then climbed further up the dusty track to a small temple terribly damaged by the Earthquake that seemed to remain standing only by defying the laws of gravity.
After more chattering and chuckling (and of course photographing) we slowly made our way towards Bhaktapur’s famous Durbar Square with a stop off for some Nepali lunch in a traditional eatery. Its appearance was.. well, dark and dingy and not the sort of place a tourist would likely find without the expertise of local knowledge. Despite its perhaps unpromising appearance, the food (once again living up to my experience of Nepal over the last few weeks) was absolutely delicious.
This short post is not just to show a few pictures from my day trip to Bhaktapur but to thank Rose for making my last day in Nepal a memorable one and taking my mind off the homesickness that had began to consume me!
