Nearly time to say goodbye to Nepal!

It has been several moths since my last update and I will soon be leaving Nepal, time has gone too fast. I am trying to make the most of every last minute. Eating lots of MOMOs and drinking plenty of Nepali tea.

Here's a bit of a catch up from the last few months....

Holiday time!

On route to Pokhara, the views of the mountains that day were amazing! Floating in the clouds, but perfectly pronounced peaks, the photo doesn't do it justice,

Peaceful Pokhara and very clean air, a great break from fuming KTM

Friends we met in Pokhara

Paragliding, more pics to follow on this from up the air! Stunning views but unfotunately for me (and my pilot) I was very sick! I advise not to eat Breakfast should you do any paragliding, just in case ;)

Gerry, ready for take off! Just after seeing a girl trip and fall as she ran down the hill!

Serene Boudha stupa on a lovely sunny day

Beautiful Buddha eyes, they paint these daily

Boudha

Had a great time when Gerry came to visit, showing him the wonders of Nepal.

Tihar Mandala, every house in Patan had one of these outside their house, it is good for your soul to make one of these.

 A very artistic mandala in Patan

Tihar celebration ant my friend Manish's house

Making our own Mandalas to celebrate ourselves for Tihar

Ryuzo's finished Mandala, this is very tricky to decorate with the sand I have to say and a lot harder than it looks!

Didn't understand this bit as much but at the end we destroyed them with a brush.

Panauti with these lovely people!

Festive bells! Almost Christmassy

The dragonfly landing of the cloths of a body that had been burned nearby. All the belongings of the body are thrown into the river when they are burned.

Sacred Panauti,sacred confluence of the Roshi Khola and Pungamati Khola rivers

Panauti wood carving on the shrine

I wanted to show this as its one of the sadest things about this some of these amazing natural sights in Nepal, rubbish is just piled onto the river bank and flows into the river

Picnic with the workshop girls

Lots of dancing

Cool spider

One of the best things about Nepal, your walk to work is always varied with different processions, festivals or rituals. This one I think was prayer and festival for a Buddist god and some very important and wise looking priests had joined.

Visit to Bhairahawa

Bhairahawa vist, in a predominantly indian village, as it is so close to the border, hanging with the buffalo.

My Bhairahawa friends, little Mousa, I loved these two, such clever animals and as you can see they got comfortable in my scarf

Lumbini, the birth place of Buddha! So many monasteries, over 100 in  Lumbini and counting

So there's a quick catch up on what I have been up to, It impossible to capture the magic of this country on camera but I suggest you visit! 

A month in Nepal

So I am still in Nepal making Jewellery and enjoying life. I have fallen in love with my local little Patan area and all its never-ending wonders. 

Sadly since my last post my camera got rather wet in a downpour and didn't survive. But luckily I still have my phone. These photos are a bit of a mix of camera, pre soaking, and the phone, I think you can tell which is which. 

The stunning Durbar Square, Patan. I am lucky enough to walk through this everyday on my commute. I never get tired of this place. 

One of the Temples in Durbar Square, the birds particularly love this roof.

Adventure to Namo Buddha, a Buddhist monastery up in the mountains.

Namo Buddha, getting soaked in the terenchal downpour with Sony and Vince. Great day!

Namo Buddha, we ducked into this little shed to get dry by the fire and they were making Raksi, a very strong local spirit. The smell was amazing, the old lady making the spirit tossed a little Raksi into the flames to prove the strength, strong stuff!

Climing Nagajuna with Edmund Hillary. Concurring pesky leaches, many mosquitoes and many steps. 

Amazing dead bug! I have a growing little collection.

At the top of Nagajuna, Tibetan flags and Stupas at the top, always a colourful reception when you reach the top.

Golden Temple, Patan. A buddist temple with typical prayer wheels and bells.

Cool little fella just hanging out on the side of the shrine

Nagajuna again from the top of a tower

Nagajuna View over Kathmandum Valley

Monsoon Begins

The little gold speck is actually a big Buddha that I see everyday on my bus ride up to Godavari.

 Went to visit this fella a few weeks ago, with a few of the workshop girls, its not too far from the workshop (though lots of steps for a hot day) it had some stunning views when we got up there.

A few of the workshop girls and the workshop baby. 

Dolma with the happiest little baby. I can't spell her name but she visits the workshop often.

Brief run through Durbar Square, need to go back and take some more photos of this ancient place, but for now here's a colourful monkey.

A busy street in Durbar Square

View from the Buddha 

The monsoon has just started (sort of) I love this photo of a crow staying undercover, he made his way slowly along the wire and cocked his head out every now and then to see if it had stopped yet.

I am really enjoying life in Nepal and its starting to feel like home. I am all moved into my new place, more on that in the next post, I have started learning Nepali and I am working on new designs of my own, inspiration at every turn here.

Really bad news though! Mango season is ending!!!!!! :( It was good whilst it lasted!

Will post more soon!x