Wandering 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. I arrived that day in Kathmandu.

A building near Swayambounath Temple

I wandered the narrow, medieval, dirty, and potholed streets, full of white Western tourists and colorful shops. While I stood in front of a tiny shop and bought bottled water, the electricity went out. Despite the rain…