Views of Kathmandu

Michelle writes: 
I took a taxi into Kathmandu from the yoga center outside town. The driver's English was very good. Kathmandu has doubled in size over the last 10 years. The pollution has increased, and resources are stretched. Apparently, electricity and water aren't as reliable as I have witnessed, mostly with electricity, as it is off portions of the day. 

Recently there was a woman's festival, where the ladies wear red saris and dance in the streets, creating traffic issues. The taxis have a difficult time driving to the airport at times like this, so the rickshaws do well and get paid well. Then the rickshaw drivers drink up their profits by consuming homemade liquor. My taxi driver said he also makes "roxi" (the wine), but only drinks after work. Here, drinking and driving is increasing, but there is little tolerance. If one is stopped and given a breath test, any amount of alcohol results in punishment. 

My cabby paid 900 rupees 10 years ago for an apartment. Now, it's 3000 rupees. As we were walking in the countryside by the yoga center, we could see new apartment complexes. The cabby said they are for people with money who work in the city and have motorbikes. Urban sprawl!  We talked with a local man from the village who accompanied Caroline and me so he could practice his English. He said the neighborhood is changing, and they aren't happy. Sounds familiar. The yoga center guy wouldn't even address the issue, just shook his head, in that yes/no way they do.
Tourists abound this time of year. Tthe amazing thing is that most are here for months: 1 to 3 to 6 is very common. A lot are volunteers, trekkers, travelers--people in their 20s or 30s and then like me in their 50s. Here in Kathmandu and Pokhara, many languages are heard as you walk the streets. It's always good to hear someone speaking American English!

This is a bamboo scaffold. These guys are great climbers, balancing and using ropes secured at the knobs of the bamboo so as not to slide down. The yoga center is expanding, and more rooms are added, but it's a very slow process. A hard-working woman of a lower caste was carrying all the sand and concrete in a basket supported by a head strap.