Thursday,
November 13
A moment in Kathmandu Valley
Glimpses
of Nepal waking as we left Kathmandu. One image to me summarizes
all that we saw along the road: there was a sprawling morning
glory vine that was coated dirty white with dust from the
road. But the beautiful purple blossoms had just opened and
were spectacular and immaculate.
Like
the people who live along the road, in little houses, some
of them made of stones, which are plentiful. The houses share
public water sources that were spaced along each side of the
road. These consisted of a horizontal concrete slab and at
the back of it, a vertical slab with a faucet emerging from
it.
People bathed at these faucets, minimally clothed. One young
woman wore a thin simple dress and washed completely in what
must have been very cold water, there in public view. But
then, there is a different standard of privacy. They washed
dishes there in plastic dishpans, and they collected jugs
of water to take back to the houses for cooking. The stoves
were simple clay boxes with one end open, where small logs
with one end burning were inserted.
More
of this day
The next day
this
travelogue is part of the subside
travelzine
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