6am: bells are ringing to wake me up, what the hell these bells are?
Its cold now but I know it will reach 20 degree soon.

7am: Finally hunger got strong enough to overcome my strong desire to stay in a warm bed.

Outside my hotel offered breakfast for 300 NRP its a lot of money or is it not? My rule is to remove two zeros and u end up with the amount in dollars then multiply by 7 to get amount in EGP.
So 20le for a breakfast sounds reasonable.

While waiting for the breakfast I noticed the big number of dove – which I later learned is Holy as well as cows and monkies – the house in front of the restaurant has holes for the doves to get inside and nest. Wow

Green tea came first, it looks fresh here and not dried like in Egypt.

A nice meal came after: fried bread, yogurt drink with fruits inside, some yummy vegetables.
Tasty and healthy .. all for 20le? Cool


Nice friend bread, really taste good

As I was roaming in the street my eyes kept moving in all directions looking at all the weird things.

People here have the “khoo thfoo” (aka spitting in the road) thing although some just swallow it.
Worth mentioning that it really irritate me when they swallow it because after hearing the first part “khooo” few seconds passes slowly in my brain waiting for the “thfoo” to follow.
When I it doesn’t come out I start thinking where did it go, eww

People are friendly always there are questions like where are you from, is Egypt near Ukraine, and other questions of that kind.
But more than one time this uncomfortable conversation:
– where are you from?
– Egypt
– Muslim?
– No
– Christian?
– No
– No religion
– No religion
* silence *

I met a friendly guy who told me I am lucky cause there is a celebration today that happens only once a year.

He taught me many nice things on the way like that fact you should always walk on the left side of the street.

I love the human driven crate much better than the one with horses in Egypt.
I know its a job for poor people but its kinda cool to work and work out at the same time.

Now we go to a big temple in the middle of the market.

The guy explains to me casually that he do that guiding as a job i asked for price as I really wanted to see the festival he said 10000NRP, how much is that? Hmm 10$ equal 70le? Ok that’s fine.
Oh no wait a minute that’s 100$ no way!!
I said I would only pay 2000 – later I knew that was a rip off but I really wanted to see the festival – moving on …

The bloody bell that woke me up [ or one like it], actually there are many and random people hit it randomly although the hitting is more intense at early at morning and prayer time at around 10.

If you decided to leave Egypt because of the 5am morning prayer, I don’t think you will like Nepal – at least not Kathmandu –
Temple entrance

My “guide” says this is where women who cant have children come to pray – cause God forbid its never the man’s fault – .
Its a sex symbol where the upper part represent the male part.

God of fertility, cant remember which one of the two at the bottom.

If u have teeth problem hit a coin with a nail here and pray and your teeth will get better.

Strange western artifact from Greece, what is it doing here? The 2000NPR guid says it was a gift from a greek person who visited nepal long time ago.

Women temple

They have candles like churches and for the same purpose.

Krishna is god of money, is that’s why he is so popular in west?

Here you see some gifts given to him, doves and dogs and poor people will eat it when no one is looking.

Palace of some kind

At this point my 2000 rupee guide is telling me we need to visit the monkey temple, ride would cost 2000 rupee.
I don’t really care about the monkey temple, I want the festival so I told him no thanks, I want to see the festival.
He took me back to the main market – with the big temple – to a place were few women were singing and told me this is the festival.

Life lessons are never cheap.
But wanna know the worst part? he wasn’t even happy when I gave him the 2000 rupee and he kept asking for more.
I convinced him that by failing to take me me the monkey temple I should actually pay him less so he took the money and left.
Moving on …

I love the skeleton guy, I mean really.
Too bad I cant afford carrying more things.

They have political advertisement like us.

Nice statue

Back home for some rest, notice the strange power slot.

Went to lunch in a new restaurant, when given the menu I had to read it at least 3 times.
first to realize the fact that there are no familiar items on the menu.
second time to realize I don’t even know the ingredients of any item on the menu – except whether its vegetarian or not –
third time to decide the section which I will pick an item at random from.

Lunch cost less than 3$ in this restaurant and its was fine.

As I was ready to leave a saw another European guy staring at the menu flipping it from one side to another and immediately i realized he is as new here as i am.
Getting to talk to him was extremely easy, he intend to do 18 days trekking to Pokhara .. I said I’d like to join and exchanged contact.

Returning back to the hotel I wanted to buy a good jacket that is portable and rain proof.
I found a pretty one later I learned is filled with goose feather – you will it on me in all future pictures -. Man asked for 7000 I said I will see other shops then get back to him, he said ok 6700, I said ok but I still need to see other shops, he said 6000 then 5600 then 4600 then 4500 then he allowed me to go see other shops, could find something with same quality for less so I bought it. Bargaining was never easier.

As I approach my hotel I see a couple at the gate staring in a map, again it was easy to talk to them and agreed we split cost of taxi to monkey temple and we went.
Worth mentioning that we only paid the taxi driver 300 rupee split on the 3 of us not 2000 rupee like the amazing guide suggested.

Love the monkeys there and finally have someone to take some pictures of me.
Sorry guys monkey temple pictures in the next post.

Later I had supper with them, they said the 18 day trekking is dangerous that time of year.
I had reasons to believe that so I decided to join them instead to a shorter 5 days trekking in Pokhara