After work yesterday, Steve and I made our way up to Swayambhunath, better known perhaps as the monkey temple. It is one of the oldest religious sites in Nepal and while considered a Buddhist site, it is also important to the Hindu people. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Listed site. There were indeed plenty of holy monkeys and, my favourite, a whole lot of steps (some say 365) to reach the top. We had a clear afternoon and amazing views across Kathmandu as we made our way to the top.
My Life: Grateful | Gratitude | Thankful After work yesterday, Steve and I made our way up to Swayambhunath, better known perhaps as the monkey temple. It is one of the oldest religious sites in Nepal and while considered a Buddhist site, it is also important to the Hindu people. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Listed site. There were indeed plenty of holy monkeys and, my favourite, a whole lot of steps (some say 365) to reach the top. We had a clear afternoon and amazing views across Kathmandu as we made our way to the top. It is hard to imagine how life is for the Nepalese people living in Kathmandu. I imagine there is a large disparity in incomes and lifestyles for the Nepalese people. As we travel around the suburbs life appears very much lived in the open and it is difficult to reconcile another person's way of life with that of my Western lifestyle; particularly a lifestyle so different to my own. As an outsider their life seems to be pretty tough, but is that just my perception based on my upbringing and experiences? It is hard to suspend ingrained belief structures to understand a different culture. But it serves as a reminder that luck/fate is all there is when it comes to where one is born - what an impact on one's life.
3 Comments
Nita
27/11/2013 08:41:08 pm
I loved spinning those prayer wheels - we came across plenty of them during our hikes and I made sure to spin every single one en route. It kind of became my good luck charm.
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valmae
28/11/2013 08:44:38 pm
You must have been busy with all those prayer wheels! I've seen lots of them. Steve's glasses were safe! Not as cheeky as the monkeys in Bali :-)
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Nita
28/11/2013 04:49:32 am
PS. You are right about the open living. The family of four we sponsor live in 1 room- the size of our lounge room - which includes a kitchenette, 2 double beds, display cabinet and TV. They say they are lucky to also have the luxury of a (very) small balcony. They share bathroom/toilet facilities with several other apartments in their building.
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