Kathmandu itself was a circus: saddhus, snake charmers, cows ambling through the streets. The Great Stupa at Bouddanath and the Monkey Temple of Swayambhu. A literal feast, too: pie shops in Pig Alley, mixed chow mein at the Tibetan Yak, vegetable fried tofu at Don't Pass Me By, Boris' borscht in the Yak and Yeti's chimney room. Papaya lassi and chocolate banana cake at the Snowman, peanut butter cookies and ice cream at Aunt Jane's. There were zonked discussions on the meaning of life in the jungle patio of Century Lodge. Music was everywhere: the Grateful Dead and Bob Marley harmonized with Nepali folk songs, the scritchy street violins, and, far into the evening, tablas, sitar and harmonium on the temple gazebos of Indra Chowk and Asan Tole. Here's the weird thing: it's still there. And it's time to go back! Kathmandu is waiting for you.
October 2003 Bridges-PRTD, in collaboration with the Nepal Tourism Board, is organizing BtK03, an international rock festival in Kathmandu. Featuring survivors from the dawn of the Age of Aquarius as well as contemporary Nepali musicians, this event has two goals:
|