Sunday, August 3, 2008

Hong Kong

I am in my favorite airport in the world, totally kidding. I am not so in love with Hong Kong.

I kind of just ran around with Arya and Vivek for my last 2 or 3 days. I asked for their help shopping (dealing with the shopkeepers) and checking out of my hotel and fixing my airline ticket and checking luggage etc.

I can't believe I am gone. Weird. I am sad and it seems really surreal. Better now that I'm in Hong Kong, but I was so so SO sad last night at the Kathmandu airport. I am exhausted at the moment, too tired to write much. I love that city. Very much. It is so strange, and so frustrating at times. Actually, at times I wanted to kill it and everything in it, just get things over with and set the whole damn thing on fire. But, truth be told, I love that city. Absolutely love it. And Asia seems so very different than the other places I have traveled, like Europe and Central America. Kathmandu is a little like an "Austin" of Asia. It's an international smelting pot, as a small port between China/Tibet and India, heavily influenced by both. This added with the influence of trekkers, and other white people from Europe or South America seeking their luck with the Himalayas, accounts for a very eclectic spot. It's also Asian, without the heavy emphasis on communism (like China) or strict Islam (like Pakistan). Hinduism lends the place a very liberal air... I mean very explicit tantric scenes are openly displayed on even the most holy temples.

-by the way, I was wrong before about the meaning of the word "Himalaya." Not mountain but Hima = snow or ice, and laya = abode or home.


Oh, hahahaha, one of my friends made a good point before I left saying, "Look around, everyone here is so absolutely chilled out. They just sit around all day, so laid back. How in the hell is our country ever going to develop?"







Gohonopokhari or "diamond pool"












Produce vendor on his traveling office.













Lainchour












Japanese bath in Lazimpat
















Club Fire











Dinner with mom










Talking about Talbot and how excited I am to see him. I went on and on about Talbot, of course, being my "favorite." They cannot pronounce his name and call him Tablet or Tabloid, which I thought was pretty hysterical.













Last minute errands and breakfast.














Thamel















View of central Lainchour from my balcony. It allows for perfect observation of neighborhood life. The open area in the middle is the neighborhood common space and has recently- I mean in the past few days- been converted to some sort of oversized badminton/ undersized tennis court. Communal recreation.







My room is on the 4th floor, the one covered in this view by trees. Maoist graffiti on the building to the right.



Leaving guest house for the airport.

No comments: