All Of
Where do I begin? Nepal, what a week it’s been already. The Vipassana retreat centers throughout Nepal are booked until mid-May so I’ll be looking into sessions in Northern India. I had also planned to do some trekking while here but unfortunately sprained my ankle walking down the sidewalk. I’ve found other interesting things to do without much trouble. I went to a soccer match between Pakistan and Nepal. Pakistan won 2-0. I went out with a couple Brits, a Swede, an Australian and a Brazilian. Tomorrow I plan to volunteer at a school. I’ve also been following the monumental election coming up on April 10th. The country is holding it’s first constitutional vote in its history and things could turn ugly. The Maoist commies run their campaign with violence. There are quite a few UN representatives here now and the ones we’ve spoken with have assured us we have nothing to worry about. The border to India will be closed for a few days and since we are traveling overland to Darjeeling we’ll wait it out until after the vote. Don’t worry Mom.
I decided to pay the extravagant amount of $150 to take the “Everest Flight” on Buddha Air. I couldn’t bear the thought of being so close and not viewing it with my own eyes. The high mountains can only be seen early morning this time of year and most days not at all. I just happened to luck out and hit it on a crystal clear day. Bluebird. The pollution over the city visible from the air was abominable. I thought driving over the San Bernardino Mountains looking down on LA was grave. Not even a close second to Kathmandu. As soon as we cleared the murk the Himalayas became visible and there are no words that come close. It was hard to believe it was real. Alaska is far and away the most stunning place I have ever been. I grew up surrounded by imposing mountains like Denali, the tallest in North America at 20,320 feet but these towered above the Alaska Range. As far as I could see were white tipped rugged peaks in a straight line jutting out against a backdrop of blue sky. I understood why the range was called the Crown of the World. The foothills looked like the Rockies. The plane flew along at 25,000 feet as the stewardess pointed out each peak - Gosain Than: 26,290, Melungtse: 23,560, Cho-oyo: 26,906, Gyachungkang: 26,089, Nuptse: 25,771, Lhotse: 27,940, Makalu: 27,766, Kanchenjunga: 28,170 and then Sagarmatha…Everest at 29,028 feet…the top of the world. All I could do was shake my head in disbelief at the raw beauty.
Kathmandu is huge, crowded and polluted while simultaneously quaint and beautiful. The children capture me. I could live off bread, water and their smiles alone. The country of Nepal is predominantly Hindu, the minority Buddhist. All Nepalese despite their faith visit the temples and religious sites. Ariella and I climbed the hills to the Swayambunath Stupa, among the oldest religious sites in Nepal, better known as the monkey temple. There are 365 steps to the top and Ariella and I were resting when two young boys approached us.
The kids in Nepal know how to work the tourists. They each have a sob story. Some try to sell you trinkets, some are aggressive most are not. They try pouting and sulking in hopes that you’ll feel sorry for them. There are also a lot of glue sniffers who beg. It can be tiring if you let it get to you. I enjoy them all and spend time with as many as possible. One of the boys we met on the stairs impressed us immediately. He was very articulate and gentle. He asked if he could walk with us and practice his English. He explained the history of the temple as we walked and we asked him about his life. His mother had died and he and his seven month old brother lived with their Aunt. He wanted to go to school but had no money. His plans were to become a monk. We spent an hour with the boys and threw coins into the monkey bath for good luck.
While walking down he asked if I would buy some milk for his brother. I had been waiting for them to ask us for something so wasn’t surprised. He suggested I go to the store with him. I tried to give him money. He had given us a great tour of the temple so I felt he more than deserved a little cash. He wouldn’t take it. He said that money was bad for children and made them want more money and forget about school. I was confused. We left the temple by taxi and brought the boys with us. We stopped at a store and when I asked for the milk the clerk said it was 750 Rupees which is about $10-$11 US, a lot of money in Nepal. (Our hotel room cost about 500 Rupees.) I was floored. I immediately thought he was trying to scam me. A local told us the children beg for cookies and then sell them back to the stores. I asked him if he planned to sell it back and told him I didn’t trust him. He insisted I open the milk so he couldn’t resell it and asked me if I’d please come back to his home so I could see that he needed it for his brother. I didn’t know what to think. I bought him the milk. Why hadn’t he taken the money? Why was he offering to take me to his home? Why did he let me open the milk so it couldn’t be resold? He asked if he could come to town with us for lunch and I told him no. He said thank you and walked off with his milk.
I am still thinking about this boy days later. I’ve asked about five Nepalese if the boy was working a scam or if it was a real story. I met two young guys who argued for ten minutes over whether the boy was just really smart or whether he needed the milk. I keep repeating the story and the locals all seem to be torn about his motives. I spoke to one guy today who said he thought it was a real story and then asked me why I cared? He said whether he needed milk or money what difference did it make? It’s in the past, it’s done.
It is done. I continue to give money. I buy the children chocolate and cookies when they ask. Several boys came up to me today and asked if I would give them money for a soccer ball. I wanted to buy one for them on the spot but had to restrain myself. The people I talk to say the kids will say and do whatever they can to get money from tourists. On one hand I feel like a sucker and on the other hand I can’t say no. Am I really helping is the question? And then I think…what harm is it buying four boys a soccer ball? I think I should get used to feeling like a big sucker.
"Staring up into the heavens, in this hell that binds your heart, will you sacrifice your comfort, make your way in a foreign land? Wrestle with your darkness, angles call your name, can you hear what they are saying? Will you ever be the same?"
I walked up to the first temple not knowing what to expect. I stepped inside the ancient doorway and was overtaken by a mysterious feeling. It was inexplicably electrifying. Man made artifacts and ruins don't normally evoke such emotion in me. I am more taken with natural wonders, the castles and temples of our planet. I question whether wondrous civilizations are built on energetic ground or if the location emotes spiritual energy because a once great civilization lived there? I really felt something powerful.
I knew absolutely nothing of the history of Angkor Wat before going and very little about Cambodia with the exception of Pol Pot, the leader of the communist Khmer Rouge movement. (I didn't know that Pol Pot was alive and well in a Cambodian prison awaiting trial, or so say the locals.) I met two Brits in Indonesia (Hello Ken and Gerald!) and we had a interesting conversation about English and American stereotypes. One of the stereotypes about us crazy Americans they found to be true was that we generally know little about a country's history or current affairs before traveling there. So true. So true. I most definitely fit that stereotype perfectly. I can however, say on my behalf, that I enjoy learning about the history and culture while in country and I did learn a bit about "the lost city." The temples were originally Hindu, not Buddhist and were constructed by the Khmer empire from AD 880 to AD 1225. They were isolated from most of the world for many years by thick jungle and the location in the center of Cambodia. The French colonists were the first westerners to travel there after hearing rumors from the local population about "temples built by gods." The Khmer Rouge controlled the area for fifty years and were responsible for a lot of the destruction. One guide explained the reason most of the statues were headless was due to bombing.
I thought the temples would be the highlight of Cambodia until I met the children. The children are running the streets. The parents send them out to prey upon tourists by teaching them to put on their most convincing pouty faces until someone buys a necklace or postcard. I had a great time mocking them until they smiled. They understood the humor immediately and tried to keep their sad faces on as long as possible. They were smart too. The six year olds quizzed us on the capitols of the world. I got Washington D.C.
One girl I met made a huge impression. I was entering a temple and noticed her sitting on a ledge drawing. I sat down next to her and she drew me a picture. I was unsure whether or not she expected payment because the kids are usually working an angle. I asked her if she wanted money and she said no. I sat with her a while longer and she drew me another picture. I told her I loved her bracelet and she immediately took it off her wrist and slipped it on mine. I tried to protest. She had obviously been wearing it for a long time, it was well worn. She said no no, it is for you. I couldn't stop second guessing her. It was unbelievable to me that this young girl with so little would give a tourist the bracelet off her wrist and expect nothing in return. I can't imagine, if the situation were reversed, doing the same. She taught me something. I walked away a little teary eyed.