DAY 154 - KATHMANDU

154) MONDAY, 28 NOVEMBER 1977 : 0KMS. - KATHMANDU

 

I wrote some letters and prepared slide films of photos we took  for mailing back to the lab to be developed in Germany. 

KATHMANDU Street - Photo : wikimedia.org / Bing images search

In the evening, we went to  see 3 Tibetan Lhasa Apso  puppies at the Tibetan restaurant. They are about 1 month old and so cute. Tilo appeared to be interested to have one, the owner asked for the price at  NRS. 250 - 350.-  To have a pet while traveling, I was not sure whether it was a right thing to do…..

DAY 153- KATHMANDU

153) MONDAY, 27 NOVEMBER 1977 : 0KMS. - KATHMANDU

 

It was rather late until I could fall asleep last night. It was almost 1.00 a.m. as I felt very strange with dizziness, chest pain, eye socket a little stiff and sore. They were like my symptoms prior to the surgery of the tip of my left lung before leaving Germany. It is the sign to be careful about my health again. 

 

Eyes of Swayambhunath, KATHMANDU - Photo : nepaltrekinfo.blogspot.com / Bing images search

Because I could not sleep so my thoughts flashed back to my past  experiences and my life in Germany as well as my future when I would return to Thailand. For more than four years that I left home and  never returned to Thailand at all. In the end, I have come to realize of  letting it be as it should be. I like the Chinese proverb "Enjoy your life before it's too late than you think" , I do not care about others’ business. A man’s life and his body are like a car or a boat that one takes it to the first definition  and to jump into a new one and go further until it bring us to reach the final destination. During the journey, one should grab any chances to enjoy it to the fullest extent.  A life is a destiny of oneself….why to worry about what that is not yet happened …

 

DAY 152 - KATHMANDU

152) SATURDAY, 26 NOVEMBER 1977: 0KMS. - KATHMANDU

 

I did nothing today except walking up to the top of Swayambhunath to enjoy the nice view of KATHMANDU and returned our campervan.  I went to bed  a bit early.

Swayambhunath, KATHMANDU - Photo : tripideas.org / Bing images seasrch

 

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DAY 151 - KATHMANDU

151) FRIDAY, 25 NOVEMBER 1977 : 0KMS. - KATHMANDU
 

Today, many people came to the temple along with their incense-sticks, candles as well as many articles and  food containers  (full of food). I understood that they came to make merit in offering food to the monks at the temple. I walked up to see the ritual ceremony, similar to ritual sacrifice, a non-Buddhist ritual but rather Buddhist mixed with Hindu or Brahmin. A ceremony conductor chanted while moving his hands in various forms and movements.  I  tried to interpret hand signals but I could not understand at all.

 

Oil candles, Swayambhunath - Photo : viajar-a.net / Bing images search

There were tiny oil lamps, in which cotton wicks were dipped in oil and lit up, being  placed in rows. I saw rice bowls filled with rice grains for scattering as well as  offering to the monks.  I did not see people offering ready meals to the monks like in Thailand (it might be done inside the building but I could not see as I did not enter inside).  Casting the Vajara  scepter, bell ringing and scattering of flowers around the ceremony seats were performed during the ceremony. What I have seen today should be the ritual practices of Watcharayan sect of  Buddhism (of Nepal and Tibet), worshiping  the Buddha  as a god  with a focus on individual rather than his preaching.

 

DAY 150- KATHMANDU

150) THURSDAY, 24 NOVEMBER 1977: 0KMS. - KATHMANDU
 
 

I walked up to pay homage to the stupa of Swayambhunath.  It is believed  to be about 2,000 years old.  At the base of the top part of the stupa, one pair of eyes were painted on four directions. Around the stupa there are  Buddha images in four different postures, one in each direction.  The Vairochana Buddha image is in the east. On the right of Buddha of the east, there is the Lama temple near the stupa. The Swayambhunath is also known as the Monkey Temple as there are herds of monkey living around the area.  I do not hate monkeys so much as being  afraid of them.  We must be careful when walking around.

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In the evening, I  looked to the east seeing  the Himalayas far away on the horizon (I thought the Everest summit was included, but the people there told us differently), reflected with the sunlight in pink and red. As it was close to the full moon, we could  see the moon rising from the mountains. It was getting late in the evening and the sky became  blue and red. It was like a  beautiful  painting !

 
 

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In front of us, I saw a mother  monkey and its baby sitting  with their backs to us, they were  looking towards the moon. It seemed they were appreciating the beauty of the evening.   

 

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Suddenly  I felt homesick and would  love to fly back home immediately.  I stood watching the moon rise till late. It became windy, with the touch of the cold wind  I had to walk back downhill to the parking area below.