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Dear Kathmandu

12/4/2014

1 Comment

 
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Ah, exotic Kathmandu!

Home of shopping, momos, old buildings and fake northface jackets!

How you have grown sooo much, and become sooo crowded and dirty and dusty and polluted since I last visited 14 years ago.

You are still beautiful, don't get me wrong! I love your durbar square and how around every corner there is a new temple or stupa, usually with a market stall on it, just waiting to be photographed.

I love how, no matter how much I buy, there always seems to be more I want to buy..

I love how for such a big city, you are still quite clean, and you still have good quality local food. You haven’t let yourself become completely over-run by tourist cafes.

But we need to talk.

I think, you have become a little greedy…

I can understand charging a small entrance fee for some historical monuments. But charging 750 rupees just to walk through Durbar square?! When there isn’t really another way around it? And per day?? And 1000 rupees to visit Pashipatinath temple? Come on. That’s a little much don’t you think? Not to mention every other temple in the city has an entrance fee around 200 rupees as well! It’s all a little much.. And frankly, makes me feel like you are using me.  We actually decided not to enter Pashipatinath because it was just too expensive. I’m sure it was beautiful. I remember it being gorgeous last time I visited when it was free. Why do you need to charge so much these days?

And then there’s your health.. I think you need to see a doctor. You can barely breathe. After 1 week visiting you, I also lost the ability to breathe. So did Roh, So did Gypsy. Almost every tourist has the same “Kathmandu cough.” We met one guy who started coughing up blood after 5 days of visiting you. You really should try to do something about that.

Thank you though for providing a sneak peak of the Himalayas! It was nice to see them, even if it was through the haze that has encompassed you like a safety shield.

But, dear Kathmandu, I dare say I won’t be back. You were fun and all, but I miss your authenticity too much. I want to cherish the memories I have from the first time I saw you. When you were more city and less shopping mall. 

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1 Comment
    Travelling Nepal is never dull! Especially when you have a toddler!!
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