On Saturday when we flew into Kathmandu it was sunny and crystal clear. (often foggy I am told) The view of the "hills" (10,000 feet high some of them) in the forground with the snowcapped Himilayas stretching out as far as the eye could see behind them was just breathtaking. The hills were dotted with houses and small villages perched on the ridges with no visible way to get there except climbing from the valley. This is where the majority of Nepalese live. Man's accomplishments seem small in the face of the majesty of God's creation in nature. I can see one snowcapped peak above the wooded hills from my hotel window.
Saturday afternoon I took the 10 minute walk to Thamel area where shops and stores as well as Internet Cafe's are located, with mutitudes of local shopkeepers and backpackers mingling together. A zillion gift shops and locals walking about and chasing me down the street trying to sell me everything.
The food is mostly Nepalese (not surprising) and Indian with a touch of western thrown in. The hotel bar pretends to be an English pub with Fish & Chips. But wonder of wonders, no McDonalds, KFCs or Pizza huts to be seen anywhere so far. Finally I have escaped, what a relief. I did see a Baskin Robbins but nothing else from a western chain.
Oh yes, the Yak & the Yeti, The Yak is a buffalo like beast of burden, big hairy and strong. The Yeti is the Himalayan Abominable Snowman (like the California Bigfoot). They have a giant (yeti) footprint in a rock found on the grounds out behind the cafe.