We welcomed them with very open and excited arms on April 30th, so glad to see each other after an almost 9 month separation. After settling into our apartment, the unpacking and gift-giving began (thwarted only by one missing bag, which was later recovered, and a spilled shampoo bottle, which made all our books smell like plums...could have been worse). It was like a little Christmas in April!
The next few days were spent seeing the sights of Kathmandu (and there are plenty of them). We only got stuck once, in a labor strike, but nothing else deterred our plans, thankfully! We visited all 3 of the city's Durbar Squares (Patan, Kathmandu, and Bhaktapur), taking in the ancient temples and palaces, the people, the animals, the crowded buses, and the, um, "aromatic" streets. We walked through Freak Street, visited fair trade handicraft stores, shopped in Thamel, lounged in the Garden of Dreams, and enjoyed some of the lovely restaurants of Kathmandu (without too many stomach issues). We visited Swayambunath Temple (aka Monkey Temple), chasing monkeys with our cameras and haggling with merchants for souvenirs. We hiked to Kirtipur, a picturesque Newari village where our friends live, and had a delicious Nepali meal together. And Amos and I scrounged up the small group of friends we've acquired and had a rooftop bbq--Amos and my dad grilled together while mom and I made apple pies. It was a lovely evening.
During the time my parents were in Nepal, the already shaky political situation was made even more precarious after the prime minister resigned. We were not sure what to expect with this--strikes, unrest, curfews--but thankfully Kathmandu remained (and still remains) fairly peaceful. We're hoping and praying that the situation will be resolved peacefully too.
The 2nd week, we hit the very curvy, very long, very scenic road to Pokhara to spend a few days relaxing. Pokhara is a popular tourist destination, but since it's the end of tourist season, it was even more peaceful and quiet than usual. We spent our days there hiking, then recovering from hiking by swimming, boating, reading, shopping, visiting the museum and enjoying some good restaurants in town. Our last full day there, we rose before dawn and went to the top of Sarangkot--a high hill in Pokhara famous for its breathtaking mountain views. We reached the top to see the sun rising, illuminating the Annapurna Range with brilliant reds and pinks. It was a magical moment. On the way back down, we had a memorable breakfast at a tiny bungalow that could barely pass for a restaurant, served by a lovely village woman and her young daughter--the best breakfast we've ever eaten!
Sadly, all things must come to an end, and we had to say farewell this morning. We woke to cool air, dark skies, and unexpected rain--somehow it was appropriate for a good bye. It was so difficult to say good bye (again), knowing we won't meet again for over a year, but we will feed off the joy of their visit in the months to come. It was absolutely wonderful! Amos and I are so immensely thankful for my parents, and for the love that sent them halfway across the world to us!
Bhaktapur
shopping in our neighborhood
lunch in Kirtipur
a lovely dinner out
the Garden of Dreams
Phewa Lake in Pokhara
romantic hiking
quiet breakfast after the mountain sunrise
1 comment:
hurray for parents visiting!!!
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