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Category Archives: Nepal

31st October – Leaving Kathmandu, Young Mother and Sunset Over Europe

1 Leaving Kathmandu for Delhi very early in the morning, as people are going to work and the sun is coming up through the trees.

Sun coming up in Kathmandu

People off to work very early

2 This beautiful young mother was waiting to fly with her tiny three week old son.

Another lovely person willing to talk to me and happy to have her photo taken

3 As we flew West for eight and a half hours we were flying into the sunset for such a long time. The colours were so intense and so beautiful.

Above the clouds

Sunset over Northern Europe, the colour being caught in our vapour trail

And a 4th today – being met by our beautiful daughter.

4 Comments

Posted by mybeautfulthings on November 2, 2012 in art, environment, family, India, Nepal, photography, postaday2012, senses, travel, Uncategorized

Tags: Delhi, Kathmandu, nepal, sunset

30th October – Sunrise Over The Annapurna Mountains, Dashane Swing and Lake Phewa

02 Nov

1 Up in the dark again today and it was worth every minute! A short drive and then a climb, all in the dark and finding our spot to watch the sunrise but first the full moon had to set behind the hill. The sun rising over this range of mountains was so incredibly beautiful. Just look at the photos.

The full moon setting over the hill

Sunrise beginning over the Annapurnas

The beauty of sunrise

Layers of foothills beginning to appear

Sunlight just reaching the peaks

Sunrise

2 We’ve been lucky enough to be in Nepal during a very special festival, Dashain, a festival of Prosperity, Happiness and Belongingness. I think that is so beautiful! We have been greeted many times with the tika, the red mark on the forehead and I was lucky enough to be given one of the special ones when we crossed the bridge the other day.Have a look here.

Another feature of the festival is the constrution of huge bamboo and coconut rope swings. We’ve seen them in every village that we’ve driven through in Nepal. It is considered good luck to get both feet off the ground during this festival. “There is a tradition to swing at least once in this festival. People say if you leave the ground swinging in Dashain, the swing will take away ill feelings and replace it with newness and rejuvenation inside oneself.” You can find out more here

Bamboo swing

3 Being rowed across Lake Phewa with the snow topped mountains towering above was yet another wonderful experience. I can’t quite believe we’ve been doing all this!

Lake Phewa

Some of our group on the lake

Nepali family enjoying a day out

The dragonfly is the same colour as our boat!

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Posted by mybeautfulthings on November 2, 2012 in environment, family, nature, Nepal, postaday2012, senses, travel, Uncategorized

Tags: Annapurna range, Festival of Dashane, Lake Phewa, moon set, mountains, nepal, Postaday, postaday2012, sunrise, tika

29th October – Drive to Pokhara, Street Scenes and Shops

02 Nov

1. Long and bumpy ride to Pokhara with views of the fascinating countryside. Many of the houses are painted beautifully and corn can be seen drying under the eaves. Women have been up early doing the washing which is hanging colourfully on the balconies to dry.

These photos are all taken from the moving coach.

2. This vehicle caught our interest, they’re used to transport all manner of things including bamboo poles which were being accidentally sharpened as they were dragged along the road. People carry enormous loads in these baskets. Gurkha soldiers in training carry the baskets full of rocks at speed up a mountainside!

Bamboo poles being transported

Poles being sharpened!

3. It was lovely to find a super bookshop and to talk to the family in a clothes shop. The people here are so lovely – welcoming and wanting to know all about our visit.

2 Comments

Posted by mybeautfulthings on November 2, 2012 in environment, family, Nepal, postaday2012, travel, Uncategorized

Tags: bookshop, Gurkha soldiers, nepal, Pokhara, Postaday, postaday2012, Shopping, street scenes

Elephant Safari, Rhinoceros and Nepalese Flowers (Weekly photo challenge-foreign)28th October

30 Oct

1. Up before dawn again and up onto the back of an elephant, through mist covered fields and spiders’ webs to the jungle – a magical experience, the dawn sunlight catching the trees and some spotted deer, some hug deer, peacocks in the trees, a jackal and then…..

2. A rhinoceros and so close!

3. There are some beautiful flowers at Chitwan. I don’t know their names.

Just look at how beautiful the ear of my elephant is.

14 Comments

Posted by mybeautfulthings on October 30, 2012 in animals, birds, flowers, nature, Nepal, postaday2012, travel, Weekly photo challenge

Tags: Chitwan National Park, elephant, elephant safari, nepal, Nepalese flowers, Postaday, postaday2012, rhinoceros, wildlife

Nepalese Fighting Lion, Suspension Bridge and Indian Elephants

27 Oct

1. There were two of these magnificent sculptures outside our hotel.

Outside our hotel

2 I summoned up some courage and went across the suspension bridge. In fact it felt safe and I had a lovely time! Over the bridge there were three beautiful young women who were putting red marks, tikas, on those who wanted it. For the festival this is made of red colour, rice grains and yogurt and is put there for good health and happiness so, of course, I had one done! Everyone around has one, children, women and men because this is day 8 of the festival.

This beautiful young woman offered to give me a tika

Me with a tika

3. I so love elephants and to be so close was magic! I fed one one of their sweet treats then they said Namaste by curling their trunks up. I am in heaven!

13 Comments

Posted by mybeautfulthings on October 27, 2012 in Nepal, postaday2012, sculpture, travel, Uncategorized

Tags: elephant, nepal, Postaday, postaday2012

From India to Nepal, Our Welcome and Room Service

25 Oct

1. The flight was only 40 mins from Varanasi to Kathmandu but we were at the airport very early and on arrival in Nepal were two hours in the queue for our visas so we arrived too late for any sightseeing today. The good thing about this was that we all talked to each other in the queue and had lots of laughs! Our first sight of Kathmandu and the mountains from the plane was beautiful indeed.

2. Our welcome in the hotel was lovely as it had been in India. There were bowls of flowers throughout the lobby.

3. After such a long day which was tiring despite doing nothing, we opted for room service which we have never done before. Our very simple meal was so beautifully presented on a trolley which became our dining table. Tomorrow we get up at 4.30 am to have our flight over Everest! I can’t quite believe we are really doing this trip!