Back in the Thamel District

I visited India and Nepal for the first time on a Buddhist pilgrimage led by Shantum Seth in 2007. The following is from my 2008 trip to India, Nepal, and Tibet. This excerpt is about Kathmandu, Nepal.

Stupas, a stray dog, and monkeys at Swayambhunath

After visiting the breathtaking Boudhanath and Swayambhunath temples, we returned to the Vaishali Hotel, and the travel agent Naresh told me that my visa and all would be ready at five pm. I was happy to hear this after all the waiting. We walked back to his office, Blue Bird Travel. With my terrible sense of direction, I still wasn’t entirely sure I could find it for myself later, so he said he’d go to the hotel rather than let me get lost looking for his office.

I’m eating lunch in the hotel restaurant. I ordered something experimental and, as it turns out, scrumptious: dumplings made from vegetables and nuts in a sauce reminiscent of hummus but more watery and hotter, with cilantro floating in it. I had two pieces of roti, which I broke up and dipped in the sauce. I asked for water because I wished to conserve my big bottle of water so it would last until the next morning (which it did). In hindsight, I should have purchased two bottles. The server brought a small glass of hot water.

Only two other patrons, both men, occupy the restaurant. One speaks fluent British English and the other is less coherent. The loquacious older one with the…