Getting lost in Kathmandu, or the time I was asked if I wanted a gigolo

After visiting the Monkey Temple, I decided to walk around Kathmandu and explore it a bit more deeply. It's a beautiful, busy and colorful city and I wanted to see what I can find.


Now, I'd like to point out that normally I have a very good sense of direction. I generally walk and figure out exactly how to get back to where I started, so I never get lost. I've traveled to 26 countries and have never gotten lost, minus a brief ten minutes that I took the train the wrong direction in Vienna.

So, when I went into the cafe, I fully intended and knew I'd be fine once I got out. I ordered a milk tea (obviously) and rested my feet for a few minutes. But when I got out of the cafe, I was completely disoriented. I thought I needed to go right, but that was false. Thinking that I needed to go right led me into an unknown location, filled with bright colors that looked similar to all the other bright colors and suddenly I was lost.

After what felt like hours, I finally managed to get my way back to the Durbar Square, which was one location I knew I could get back to my hostel if needed.












I went to try and walk across but was told I needed to buy a ticket to cross, which is the entrance fee for the square. It was $7.50. I felt this was a bit too much to pay, since I wanted to go take more pictures the following day and didn't want to pay $22.50 total to walk through the square. I try not spend frivolously as I travel. So I decided I'd attempt to find my way around, which proved to be difficult. At this point I was feeling flustered.

Jennifer Aniston in Kathmandu

Of course, this was also the point that a man who was at least 60 came up to me and asked if I would like a gigolo.

In my shocked and startled state, I said, "What?"

He said, "Do you want a gigolo?"

To which I obviously said, "No."
He said, "Come on, we'd have lots of fun."

I said, "No." He did not back off and I ended up yelling no.

A few people laughed but he backed off.

To say I was alarmed would be an understatement.

I hurried off in the opposite direction and almost immediately, Kersten from Germany asked me for directions back to her hostel, which was in the general direction of my hostel and we agreed to be lost together.

We stopped into this square on our way back and took pictures. The little kids asked to be in my picture and wanted to look at their pictures, which I of course let them be. Kathmandu is really a beautiful city.

We continued to be ridiculously lost until Toby from England led us back to the right place.

We finally found our way back to our two hostels and decided, since we were both traveling alone, to go to dinner together. We chatted about travel and had a lovely time. She worked for a small company that makes documentaries and was on a solo trip to Nepal because her husband was on a boys trip to South America and she decided to go trekking in Nepal, rather than wait around for her husband in Germany. I got briefly lost one more time on my way back to my hostel, but managed to get there without being intercepted again. The next day, I headed to the temple where they do the cremations in Kathmandu, but that will be the next blog.

The Monkey Temple, where I took my favorite picture ever.

I headed next to the Monkey Temple, which is also known as Swayambhu, which means "sublime trees" because of the variety of trees along the hill. The monkeys at the temple are considered holy. It's one of the oldest religious sites in Nepal, which is saying something, since Nepal has so many old religious sites. It was founded in the 5th centurd AD/CE.

The temple itself is considered Buddhist, but is revered by Buddhists and Hindus.

While it was officially founded in the 5th century, there are myths dating to the 15th century BC. This is the myth: "A collection of legends about the site, the 15th century Swayambhu Purana, tells of a miraculous lotus, planted by a past Buddha, which blossomed from the lake that once covered Kathmandu valley. The lotus mysteriously radiated a brilliant light, and the name of the place came to be Swayambhu, meaning 'Self-Created or Self-Existent'. Saints, sages and divinities traveled to the lake to venerate this miraculous light for its power in granting enlightenment. During this time, the Bodhisatva Manjushri was meditating at the sacred mountain of Wu Tai Shan and had a vision of the dazzling Swayambhu light. Manjushri flew across the mountains of China and Tibet upon his blue lion to worship the lotus. Deeply impressed by the power of the radiant light, Manjushri felt that if the water were drained out of the lake Swayambhu would become more easily accessible to human pilgrims. With a great sword Manjushri cut a gorge in the mountains surrounding the lake. The water, draining away, left the valley of present day Kathmandu. The lotus was then transformed into a hill and the light became the Swayabhunath Stupa."

The temple itself is beautiful and has amazing views of Kathmandu. I was there on a fairly clear day, so you could vaguely see the surrounding mountains through the clouds.

I do not enjoy monkeys. They are dirty and I've witnessed many a monkey in a touristy area steal things, including a pair of flip flops from a woman's feet.

The people watching at the temple was fabulous as well.

There were also a lot of puppies wandering around, which was adorable.

On many of the stupas around Nepal (and most likely other places that I haven't been) there are eyes on the stupa. According to the same website as above, "On each of the four sides of the main stupa there are a pair of big eyes. These eyes are symbolic of God's all-seeing perspective. There is no nose between the eyes but rather a representation of the number one in the Nepali alphabet, signifying that the single way to enlightenment is through the Buddhist path. Above each pair of eyes is another eye, the third eye, signifying the wisdom of looking within. No ears are shown because it is said the Buddha is not interested in hearing prayers in praise of him."

Here I am!

Unfortunately, this temple also sustained damage during the earthquake, which I am not surprised about. I don't know how much damage was sustained.

This picture here is my favorite picture I've ever taken! It has so much culture and I loved the people of Nepal.

I also love this picture of these women looking out on the city.

I loved this man, who hung around the same spot for my entire time at the temple, watching the people and the monkeys.

I had a great time watching people trying to throw coins into that little pot, which I believe means that you'll have good luck. The people throwing the coins were having a fabulous time.

This is one of my other favorite pictures that I've ever taken.

This is another one of my favorite pictures I've ever taken. That older woman was having such a fantastic time.

After the temple, I headed back to the area around my hotel and wandered around some more. I also got lost and asked if I wanted a gigalo, but that will be my next blog.