3-09-11

3-09-11
Today we had a day off. In the morning some went shopping in the city center and others went for a walk through the streets.

We decided, as the schedule recommended, to go to Durbar Square in the old part of Kathmandu. When we arrived, we had to pay to go in and see the temples. We met a 13-year-old local boy who at first asked us for Danish crowns, because he collected them, and he wouldn’t accept Rs. He offered to give us a tour through some of the temples and didn’t require any payment of any kind. He told us his dream was to become a professional guide when he grew up. He was very humble and kind, and even when Camilla offered him some licorice he told us that he would give it to his younger sister.

Later we decided to take a break and have a drink and a snack at a restaurant where we sat on top of the roof with a great view over the city and the mountains in the background.

On our way back to Durbar Square we passed a parade with a lot of people who were celebrating an old man’s “birthday”: he was turning 77 years, 7 months and 7 days. Further down the street we also passed a parade, but much more different since it was some sort of funeral, where many people were mourning over a dead person who was lying on a wooden board carried by relatives and friends. The corpse was covered by a yellow embroidered sheet and only the feet peeked out.
Some then decided to take a taxi back home to the platform and other continued to walk down the streets for some shopping. We walked by several regular shops but also went to a smaller market.

When leaving Durbar Square some of the girls decided to take one of the small busses back, which usually only drives along a particular route, but the drivers accepted to make an exception and drive us to the city center. We were sitting tight, but the ride was fun and a bit different from a taxi-ride.