So a little background. I'm currently in Thamel, Kathmandu, which is where I'll be until I head out to the countryside, Banepa. Thamel is kind of the tourist district of Kathmandu. Lots of catering to Western tastes, it's kind of annoying, Not my favorite idea of a vacation, so I decided to just walk and see where I get to.
It's great to see less and less foreigners, and soon enough, I'm lost and lovin' it. Kathmandu is this giant sprawling town, the people are intense.
I just took in the sights and sounds of the city, and that's what I really love doing. There was nothing particularly exciting, but I wanted to write this for myself, so that I don't forget the "mundane" stuff that I did while I'm here.
I did however, get to see a funeral procession, which was pretty interesting. It's this huge line of people just walking through stark traffic mourning. The head of the line are the immediate family members, who are banging on drums and cymbals in a rhythmic fashion, signifying the procession. This was followed by the body itself, which was wrapped in an ornate cloth and surrounded by flowers and symbolic objects. The body was carried on a wooden plank by some of the family members. This was then followed by a long line of extended family and friends. It was really an interesting sight to see.
Alright that's it for now. It is currently 1:30pm on Friday June 11th. I'll probably head out to a bookstore owned by a friend. A writer/poet who came to UC Davis a couple of months back to give a poetry reading. I hope I can find it.
