Nepal 17, Baktapur

Back to Kathmandhu, via the anciet city of Baktapur.
I said goodbye to SanchaRam and wished him well with his father. I have his number in case I wish to do another trek, which is quite likely.
My driver Ram said he would be happy to escort me around Baktapur if I didnt want to hire a guide. Well how delightful was that? He spoke to me in Nepali, slowly and clearly as we walked around the ancient buildings, the town was not quite awake so it was really pleasant.

Its a town of potters it seems and I was fascinated by the black clay, I couldn’t quite work out if it was dug up that way or dyed.
The term Durbar means ‘palace’, so there are a number of Durbar Squares, in Kathmandhu and one still in the city but called Patan Durbar Squre,(I’m saving that one for later, like rich cake there is only so much one can have).

Baktapur had the largest Durbar Square in it’s time, nearly a hundred courtyards of which there are only 15 left due to various earthquakes over the centuries. Its still very impressive though.
Feeling a bit ‘Templed Out’, I bought Ram a coffee and we chatted away about his family, his brother a Gurkha, had been stationed at Aldershot! His English was at about the level of my Nepali, it was perfect a real confidence boost!

On our way back to the car I saw these little girls dressed for a Newari Celebration and they were happy for me to photograph them. Or should I say thier parents were, they looked completely fed up!

I always ask but, often they don’t want me to. I found out the reason for this is that, I generally want pictures of the women and children working and they would prefer to be dressed up! Their pride, my curiosity, they all seem so beautiful to me, Hey Ho!
Eventually I returned to my guest house in Thamel and was given my old room, all spick and span again, it felt like coming home, which was really good feeling but, I really prefer to be out of the city!