the heat was hot and the ground was dry but the air was full of sound

We got lost today. It was a nice change from the city, because we ended up on this winding road through the fields, where there was no pollution (in the city traffic cops wear masks because the pollution can get so bad), and the streets were free of garbage. We were surrounded by the green hills we had seen when we flew into Kathmandu. We spent a good hour or so following this road before it dropped us next to a temple where there was a wedding being held. The bride was dressed in traditional red sari, and both the bride and groom had on collars of peacock feathers. Admittedly, the bride looked not very happy. We slipped past them into the temple only to be ejected, as it was supposed to be Hindu’s only, but the guard had been preoccupied with the wedding when we entered. The temple was gorgeous, and it was too bad we got ejected before we got to get a really good look at it. It was covered with ornate metal work and art, and it was incredible. On the same note of amazing architecture, we also visited a Tibetan monastery, and the art and decoration on all the buildings was so vibrant and beautiful. It was all in bright reds, yellows, blues, greens, and white. It was so cheerful and striking.

We also wandered onto the cremation ghats, which had been our original destination before we got lost. We somehow ended up on the small trail the locals used though, which dropped us onto the terraces above the temple and cremation ghats, which afforded us a spectacular view of the river and the pyres and the inner part of the temple, which non-Hindu’s are not allowed to enter. The smell from the cremation ghats is indescribable and unique, unlike anything I’ve ever smelled before. The smoke wafts upriver, presumably depositing some ash into the river. Many people swim and bathe in the river, in spite of this.

We managed to catch a micro back, which was quite crowded (public transportation vans) so as to not repeat our long walk in the sun,. Traffic was quite bad today, and it took us a while. We had attempted to catch a taxi, but they were all charging ridiculous prices, presumably because we look like easy targets, being white. Prices are tripled or even quadrupled automatically for a white face. Mzungu price they called it in Tanzania. White person price. Petrol here has been quite bad recently though – it is poor quality, and as such is bad for the engine, and getting petrol can be quite the challenge. The lines outside gas stations stretch for a good mile or more frequently. Hence why they pack 20 people onto micros. It’s more cost effective.

Anyway. Today was supposed to be a laundry day, but it turned into an adventure-and-learn-to-make-spring-rolls day. Maybe tomorrow. For now, there are spring rolls to attend to.