After spending an entire year in Kathmandu, you can imagine how much we wanted to get out and explore. With so few options, we have really started to dig even deeper into the areas surrounding the Kathmandu Valley. I always felt like we’d seen so much of the city, yet it never disappoints with an […]
Book Review: The Dalai Lama’s Cat by David Michie
Every year for my birthday, my husband buys me a book. This year, we somehow found ourselves adopted by a sweet little street cat. Yes, you read that right. She adopted us. She decided our home was her home, and we never had the heart to tell her it wasn’t. That’s how we got Dani, […]
Ehee Newari Ritual: Why Nepali Girls Can Be Seen Marrying Fruit
One of my favorite things about living in Nepal is that I get to experience the culture in a way that I never did as a tourist. I feel like every day I get a deeper understanding and more insight into life here. This year, my boyfriend’s niece was set to be married. The thing […]
Chautari: Photography & Symbolism of Nepal’s Banyan Trees
It seemed that all of my favorite photos from my recent trek through the Kathmandu Valley were of trees. But, they weren’t just any trees. Each photograph was of chautari, which are ubiquitous throughout Nepal. These often giant trees are surrounded by a small stone retaining wall, which creates a kind of seating area. What […]
Namo Buddha Monastery: Temple Guide and Photography
Namo Buddha Monastery is a Buddhist monastery located just a couple of hours from the capital city of Kathmandu. It’s a great day hike from Dhulikhel and is worth visiting if you’re interested in learning about Buddhism. You can stay at the monastery guest house and eat with the monks and attend their chanting sessions […]
Thangka Painting in Nepal: Significance & History
After traveling for months on end and meeting countless people, it’s rare that someone is able to surprise me. Rare, but not impossible. I met my friend Kichaa Chitrakar while trekking the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal. After knowing him for months, the topic of painting came up. “You can paint?” I asked casually. As soon […]
Seeing an Astrologer in Nepal: What it’s like
The sweet smell of rotten fruit fills the air. Probably offerings to the gods left in the Kathmandu heat for too long. A baby goat is tied up nearby, and a man wearing white linen clothing sits close while chanting. Dust churns in the air as motorbikes speed past, honking at one another to signal […]
Book Review: Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse
I downloaded Siddhartha by Herman Hesse after a friend recommended it to me. To be honest, I didn’t really know what it was about and had wrongfully assumed it was the story of Buddha. My friend had described it as “simple but profound” and he was right. Siddhartha tells the story of a boy (who […]
Watching Cremations at Pashupatinath Temple in Nepal
When you ask your friends their vacation plans, you’ll rarely hear one tell you that they are spending the day watching open air cremations. In Kathmandu, Nepal cremations have become a bit of a tourist attraction, and while that may sound appalling, it’s actually extremely spiritual. Pashupatinath Temple in Nepal is a UNESCO World Heritage […]
Book Review: Buddha by Deepak Chopra
On my quest to learn about other cultures, I’ve become truly fascinated by Buddhism. The principles are simple and at the same time are so difficult to follow. Personally, working towards being less attached to physical items has been extremely challenging for me. After living out of a backpack for almost three months, I’m starting […]