Kathmandu Day 92: Durbar Square

Els últims dies aquí a Kathmandu han estat mes aviat per organitzar el trek, quedant amb l'Anil (amic salvador de la Txènia que m'ha aconseguit bon desconte amb tot i m'ha deixat motxilla, mapes i sac!!) i comprant material (Thamel, barri de Kathmandu on estan tots els backpackers es un gran centre comercial per comprar material de trek). Avui dia per visitar Durbar Square, centre històric de Kathmandu (avui si que he pagat ja que no hi havia altre remei, pero per a futurs viatjers, el ticket val per tota la teva estada, un cop comprat bitllet aneu a taquilles generals i amb una foto us deixaran visitar tot el complex fins que se us acabi el visat!!!!).

My last days here in Kathmandu have been more about organizing my trek, meeting with Anil (savior friend from Txènia who has found me good discounts and lent me a backpack, some maps and a sleeping bag!!h and buying material (Thamel, neighbourhood in Kathmandu where all the backpackers are is a big mall to buy trekking stuff). Today was time to visit Durbar Square, historical centre of Kathmandu (today I did pay the entrance as there was no way around, but for future travelers, the ticket is worth it for all your stay, once you buy your ticket go to the general offices and with a picture they will let you in the complex until your visa expires!!). 

The monkey temple I visited yesterday - el temple que vaig visitar ahir

Palau dels nou pisos des d'on es veuen les vistes de la ciutat - Nine storied palace from where you can see the views of the city

Kathmandu Day 91: Swayambhunath (aka Monkey Temple)

Monkey Temples are always located on top of a mountain/hill in India, so this one is no different!! As a good backpacker after climbing all the stairs to the top they asked us to pay the entrance fee (200 ruppies!!! (less than 2€)), but back in the hostel they told us there was a way round the back to go in for free, so we climbed back down and went up the other side, where we were able to enter for free!! Nice stupa and nice views of Kathmandu. I'm always saying a temple is a temple (and I'm sure I'll say it again), but as these are different from the ones I've seen around India, it's exciting to see them!!!

Els Temples dels Micos estan situats sobre una montanya/turó a Índia, i aquest no es diferent!! Com a bon backpacker després de pujar les escales fins a dalt ens han demanat de pagar entrada (200 rupies!! (menys de 2€)), pero al alberg ens havien dit que es podia anar per darrera i entrar gratis, així que hem tornat a baixar i pujat per darrera i efectivament hem entrat gratis!!! Stupa ben maca amb bones vistes de Kathamandu. Sempre dic que un temple es un temple (i segur que ho tornaré a dit), pero com que aquests son diferents dels que he estat veient per la Índia, es emocionant veure'ls!!!

Aquest joc t'hagues molta ari, es una mena de billar pero lliscant les fitxes!! El noi de vermell era molt bo!!

This game is a kind of pool but with these pieces instead of balls and sticks!! The guy in red was really good!!

Kathmandu Day 90: Bodhnath Stupa

Matinada del segle per arribar d'hora al mati (hi erem a les 6.30 del mati) per veure aquesta Stupa que de bon mati te una bona activitat de gent donant-t'hi voltes i pregant!!! Ha estat bé anar-hi per començar a activar-me per comensar el trek!!!

Waking up to get really early in the morning (we were there at 6.30 am) to see this Stupa which that early in the morning has a lot of people going around it and praying!! It was good to go to start activating myself to start the trek!!!

Day 87: Nepal

Time to go to Nepal!! #postdocindiacontinues

L'hora d'anar cap a Nepal ha arribat!!

#postdocindiacontinues

New Delhi Day 86: Red Fort

Últim dia de visita a Delhi, temps de pujar a la Vella Delhi per visitar el Red Fort i la mesquita (la mes gran de la India, no es permeten fotografies).

Last day to visit Delhi, time to go up to Old Delhi to visits the Red fort and the mosque (the biggest one in India, no pictures allowed). 

New Delhi Day 84: Humayun's Tomb and Connaught's Place

Interessant i sorprenent dia a Nova Delhi, esperava una ciutat caòtica i bruta (el que havia vist en la meva breva hora de transit de Amritsar a Jaipur), pero tot el contrari!! Ordre i cues al metro sense masses empentes (segueix sent índia), carrers nets i passejant pel centre gentada que no et molesta i fa la seva (interessant com les corredisses al metro son pels seients del mig i no els de la punta!! Aparentment els i agrada l'escalfor humana!!!). Visitat la tomba Huyamun (q va servir d'inspiració pel Taj Mahal). Havia sentit molt a parlar-ne, poder pq he vist el Taj Mahal abans (i sense treure-li mèrit a aquesta tomba), no te punt de comparació amb la bellesa del Taj Mahal (el Taj brilla i te detalls, mentres que aquest s simplement gran). De tota manera interessant com el rei va fer enterrar el seu barber preferit amb ell. Després a Connaught's Place (rotllo Plaça Catalunya), amb una gran bandera India rotllo plaça Colón a Madrid, botigues i control de seguretat per entrar a la plaça (des dels atacs a Mumbai estan molt preocupats pel terrorisme crec). 

Interesting and surprising day in New Delhi, I was expecting a chaotic and dirty city (what I had expeienced in my brief hour of connection between Amritsar and Jaipur), but all the opposite!! Order and queues without too many pushes (it's still india), clean streets and people walking around downtown and minds there own business (interesting how the running in the metro is to get the center seats and not the edge ones!! Apparently they like human contact!!). Visited Huyamun's Tomb (served as an inspiration for the Taj Mahal). Heard about it p, maybe cause I saw the Taj Mahal first (and without undervalueing the tomb), it has no possible comparison the beauty of the Taj Mahal (the taj glows and has detail, while this is just big). Interesting how the King buried his favorite barber with him. After to Connaught's place (downtown), with a huge Indian flag, shops and security control to get in (I feel that since the attacks in Mumbai they are really worried about terrorism).

New Delhi Day 83: Night out

Casi ploro en arribar a Nova Delhi i agafar el metro per arribar a l'alberg!!! Es graciós com no podem negar la nostre naturalesa bàsica, per molt que m'adapti, jo soc un urbanita, un habitant de la jungla d'asfalt!!! Despres de 3 mesos recurrent la India mola agafar el metro i sortir a fer unes cerveses a un bar AMB MÚSICA!!! 

I almost cried when I got to New Delhi and got the metro to get to the hostel!! It's funny how you can't deny your own basic nature, I can adapt as much as I want, but I'm a city mogul, a citizen of the concrete jungle!! After 3 months goon around India it's cool to take the metro and go out for a few beers to a bar WITH MUSIC!!!

Pushkar Day 82: Sunset

Pushkar es un gran mercat pel que passejar, i te un racó maco on tothom es reuneix per veure la posta de sol mentres gent toca música!! Molt bon ambient!! Després de casi dos setmanes toca despedir a l'Angeline i l'Arnault, interessant les amistats que fas viatjant!!

Push kart is a huge market to go around, and there is a nice spot where everyone gathers to see the sunset while people play music!! Good vibe!! After almost two weeks time to say goodbye to Angelina and Arnault, interesting the friendships you do while traveling!!