Kathmandu

In June, Maki and I, along with our friends Eric, Liz and Don, went to Nepal for a weeklong trek in the Himalayas. We stopped in Kathmandu on the way there. It is a vibrant and easy city, located in a broad valley south of the mountains. Here is a view of the hazy valley from the surrounding hills.

Although Nepal is primarily Hindu today, it was the birthplace of the Buddha, and many temples and much Buddhist iconography can be found. We hiked up a steep hill to this magnificent Stupa.

Here's a river that meandered through the eastern part of the city, it was the most plastic choked waterway I've ever seen.

And here is a busy streetscape in Kathmandu - cycle rickshaws, advertisements, and the bustle of life.