Bhaktapur

Visited the third of the big three cities in the Kathmandu valley today - Bhaktapur.  Yes, it is also a World Heritage City as there are too many incredible, ancient structures to name any one of them a site.

I found a guide who was willing to give me a full 3 hour tour for $2.00 - needless to say, I paid him more at the end as it was a fascinating glimpse into the history of this city.  Much more peaceful than Kathmandu and Patan, Bhaktapur does not allow cars through its gates, only scooters, so it feels much more relaxed here.  There are too many squares and temples to count. It is characterized by narrow brick roads and unusual medieval ponds constructed to store water for drinking.  Some still work and people line up to get water from them (natural springs) - particularly at the end of the dry season when water is not plentiful.  The Monsoon season starts in a couple of weeks and the rain Nepal gets for the next 2.5 months is critical for the rest of the year, whether it be for human consumption or agriculture.  The wheat harvest is going on right now, so it is everywhere!!

After Bhaktapur, we drove to the Changu Narayan Temple about 6 km away, but high on a hill - it is also a World heritage site and rightly so, as the statues and the temple are true historic works of art from the Licchavi period - somewhere around the 5th century I believe......more picture to follow......