Some bits and details about the old royal palace district from Patan, Kathmandu. It’s a great place to learn about the gods and goddesses – there is a small museum, where you can read about their attributes and representations, then you go out, observe, and try to figure them all out around the temple buildings. Crazy, big city, with all these treasures in the middle, in a small area where time has stopped for a little while. – And there are even a few lions hidden here and there.
I’d never taken so many photos in a city. I don’t like cities, not in that way. But what else could I do if I see photos everywhere that beg to be taken?
I sort of like how people “invade” the ancient monuments and it it their everyday living space. But of course…. given that these are all meant to be World Heritage areas…. it would be nice to do away with and prevent graffitis, clean up pigeon crap, and find some kind of shelter for the homeless human shapes sleeping in the temples…. Just like you don’t take of pics of the beggars and other wrecks of the inner city back home, I don’t do it here either… but it doesn’t mean that all these disturbing sights don’t exist…. all I can do is put them in mental quarantine, shut down. I always wonder how on earth people could love India so much, given that the scope of misery is out of proportions there, I still don’t know, I’m just on the way to find my way of coping, for the sake of all the beauty that is out there.
And I promise there will be photos of architecture and gods and goddesses, but for the time being, I’m more drawn to these people-pictures, even though I’m completely mesmerised by the woodcarvings. But you can sort of see them here anyway.
As for people…. yesterday I was stunned by the second-hand bookshops, the little conversations I had with the shopkeepers, all speaking excellent English, knowing how not to be pushy, approaching me with “May I help you, ma’m? Are you looking for a particular book?” instead of yelling “Cheap price, cheap price, looking looking.” Even the taxi drivers and vendors are funny and not too pushy. Too much time in Asia, I appreciate these things so much, being left in peace, not approached by semi-bullies all the time 🙂 And generally, it’s the kind of gentleness I remember from rural Thailand and Myanmar. Never ever in a big city. Very surprised.
Sorry if it’s too many pics. They are too dear to me, and I cannot cut any of them 🙂
The Fearful Dragon 