11/25 HAPPY THANKSGIVING Sadly it was cloudy yet again in Pokhara, so no views of the mountains, and maybe just as sad, no Conrad and Whitney to celebrate turkey day with this year, but not all would be lost. Walked from Lakeside to Damside to get my ACAP permit for my next trek. Then walked to Devi’s Falls which is a waterfall that disappears underground and is named after a Swiss fellow who fell in and of course never returned. This year for Thanksgiving I meet up with Sam the Colorado gal who has been living in Pokhara for quite some time working at the orphanage. Since she knew Pokhara well, she took me on a culinary tour of Pokhara. I brought the Nepalese wine (even me, the opposite of a wine connoisseur could tell that the Nepalese haven’t quite figured out what wine is yet. First stop was a restaurant w/ good curd (a type of yoghurt made from yak milk). 2nd stop was a fresh juice place. 3rd stop was apple pancake and potato cheese momos, and apple strudel. Next stop was a fresh Lassi. The following stop was an amazing egg/eggplant/cheese moussaka. Last stop was chocolate apple crumble pie after which we felt stuffed enough to call it a successful Thanksgiving.
11/26 Up at 5am to go for sunrise at the Peace Pagoda. Went w/ 2 chinese women I had met on the bus back from trekking. I was happy to share the cost of the boat, and they were happy to have someone row them. We first paddled across Phewa Tal (lake), then climbed up to the big pagoda on the hill. It was quite cloudy in the distance, so we only got a few glimpses of the big mountains and also foggy over the lake below. But I did have a nice breakfast with the Chinese ladies on the hilltop café by the Peace Pagoda. Spent the rest of the day doing some exploring and hiking around Pokhara Lakeside and Damside and lots of eating at bakeries and yoghurt shops as well as reading.
11/27 Up at quarter to 5. This time no Chinese women to split the cost of the boat, so I walk to damside, catch the first local bus to Chhorepatan to then hiked up to the peace pagoda from there. Bc of waiting for the bus and the longer hike, I am not quite as early as yesterday and this time I am also hiking up the west facing side of the hill. As soon as I make the crest of the hill, I my eyes are struck in the eyes with the bright peak Annapurna range rising over the fog sitting over Phew Lake. Gorgeous! I then visit the Peace Pagoda for even better views of the range as the sun rises and paints the mountains gold. Then it is breakfast at the great rooftop viewpoint restaurant. While eating breakfast, I got to watch this really cool bird that seemed like a parrot and had a cool long tail that it maneuvered funny as it flew. I had been living quite the relaxed travel life for a few days in Pokhara with the bad weather, but now it was back to the normal travel me again. After breakfast I hike down to damside via a jungle trail in which I see some monkeys along the way. By this time, fog has lifted on the lake, so there are nice views of the lake and Annapurnas from the shore. I then hiked back up to the peace pagoda via the jungle trail and now the views of the snowcapped Annapurnas included Pokhara and the blue lake below as the fog had burned off Breathtaking! Just amazing b/c some of the mountains are above 8150m (26,730ft) and Pokhara sits at 884m (2900ft) so that is a rise of 7270m/23,845ft. Compare that to Denver at 5280 ft looking up at Longs 14,250 ft or even like east of Ft. Collins at 4000ish ft where you get a 10,000ft height increase and you can get a better idea of the scale here. It is like looking from Longmont up to Longs Peak and doubling the height and still adding another 5000 feet on top of that as well!! I then walked down to another part of the lake for some views and to read. Then I hiked back up to the Pagoda for sunset and to have some chicken tikka masala from the view restaurant. This was sorta like Déjà vu. Eating at Nepal’s Café in Estes, I always have chicken tikka and admire the views of pokhara and the annapurnas that they have as posters on the wall. My previous boss Judy and my mom Judy used to treat me to Nepal’s and when the Judies took me, I used to look at those pictures and dream of going there so much, which is why it was particularly important for me to wait for good weather here.
11/28 Up at quarter to 5 again. Rented a motorbike and drove up Sarangot hill, a hill between Pokhara and the giant Annapurna Massif. There was a very, very brief, but glowing sunrise b/c high clouds blocked the sun. Everyone had come up in a taxi and they all left in somewhat disappointment. I looked up at the clouds moving rapidly parallel to the mountains w/ blue sky far away, so I waited, and a couple of hours later was rewarded with perfect blue sky, light on the mountains, and light on the rice fields and river valley far below. On the way down, I was invited to an arranged marriage by a Nepali, but I respectfully declined as I had some fresh curd and muesli waiting for me and figured the wedding would be a bit awkward for me. In Pokhara, the mtns were clearer than they had been the whole time I was there, so I took a boat ride on the lake with the mountains towering in the distance. Good views from Pokhara town itself as well. Had a relaxing day around town, then hike in the jungle for a viewpoint of the sunset.
Pokhara is a great town. Quiet, adventure-filled (A Nepali boulder—mtn biking, hiking rafting, kayaking, paragliding access right from town with big mtns nearby) It is a good place to be stuck with cheap and good food and bakeries and a good vibe. And of course those amazing views. Wish when I was waiting for my Lukla flight and sick that I was here instead of in nasty Kathmandu. I am having a bit more of what the brits call a ’holiday ’ here, which is sort of unusual for me. Lots of relaxing and just chilling. Dad’s kind of place with all its newspaper reading, crosswords, bakeries, yoghurt, and tasty tasty chai.
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