Flashback: Big Street (Aug 3 - 21)

About 3 blocks away the streets were big enough that I could have a taxi bring me to my area to here at least. I just call this the big street.

Here is a 3 picture set of the corner I came out of. We see a bicycle rickshaw. Like lots of things in Nepal it requires a big step up. This shuts me out. I guess if you are a Nepali and can't live in the mountains, you make your own mountains. Many steps are 12 - 18 inches high. There are some stores I just don't shop at because of this.

My apartment hotel also has a huge front step. Fortunately, I made it up, which surprised me. I had to pull with both arms. What surprised me is that my left arm didn't hurt when I did it. It hurt a lot when I did the same thing getting into a bus in Kuala Lumpur 3 months ago. So, my left arm is gradually healing. Fortunately, my apartment has a side entrance for little old ladies and me. So, I use it. They are used to  it and come to the door to unlock it when they see me approaching.

Being able to pull myself up using my left arm, as well as my right arm, will be necessary when I take the bus to school in February. They have few curbs here. So, it is a big step up into a bus.

I just noticed that as I took the 3 pictures one after another, you can see the same guy (pink shirt, light blue pants) in all 3 pictures as he walks along.

The second picture is after I turn 45 degrees left and you see the parking lot, which is motorcycles, the predominate mode of transportation here. Because of the 250% import tax for vehicles, motorcycles cost about $3000 for a smaller one (250 - 300 cc's). A small $15,000 car is $52,500 after taxes. That is why there are so few and are expected to run forever. Car parts are not taxed that way, so fixing a car is much cheaper than buying one. This means the taxis are used forever.

The third picture shows how huge this street is. This is an amazingly wide street for Nepal.

I did a lot of shopping on this street. The ATM was on the right side. On the left side were the pharmacy, the bag store, and a shop that now carries peanut butter because I was disappointed they didn't have it. Next time I walked by, the lady held up a bottle and yelled at me, "We have peanut butter!"

Notice how little their trucks are. Their vans are the same way. With such a cheap truck/van, they can get one for $20,000 - $25,000 after import tax.

Namaste from The Top Of The World

Flashback: Freak Street (Aug. 3 - 21)

The first driveable street from the little street of my first hotel was Freak Street. As it happens, they were having the annual Freak Street Festival. Lots of decorations during the day and bands at night.

This is looking north from the intersection toward Durbur Square. They kept the area mostly free of motorcycles by using cops, so pedestrians could walk the festival area easier. Top: Festival week. Bottom: Post Festival week.

On the bottom picture the yellow round sign is Falcha Cafe. I ate Fish and Chips about every third day there (no salad nor salsa, only cooked food.) I also had 1 or 2 Americanos each time.

This is looking out from Falcha Cafe as I watched the people walk by. You can see 3 restaurants across the street, left, right, second floor windows. There are zillions of little businesses here. One of the restaurants, Kumari's, is where I think I got sick the first time. I never went back.

At the corner, Mario and some other creature made an appearance. People rushed to take pictures in the street blocking traffic for a few minutes. The drivers honk continuously. But, the picture takers just ignored them, as did the police.

Looking south from the intersection you can see the local cyber cafe, 20 rupees per hour. It is also where I got my phone card.

Looking east from the intersection is a street that leads to a bigger street where you can catch a taxi (see big street post.) That shop on the corner is a bakery. I was so happy from walking around that day, I bought a cake for the hotel staff, guests, and me. I got sick a second time, either from the cake or a coffee I had at the hotel with the cake. So, no more cake and only cooked food and bottled drinks from the hotel. And, I haven't got sick anymore in these last 4 weeks.

This is looking west, back toward my hotel The last 50 yards opens up. That Ginger cafe on the left is the second place I ate about every third day. For 240 rupees I got eggs, toasts, fries, and a bottled sprite.

Namaste from The Top Of The World