Bhaktapur is a very pleasant town a short drive east of Kathmandu. The traffic free streets make it a great place to wander round and give it a very medieval feel so I thought i'd tackle the Microbus (6p to cram into a 10 seat Toyota minivan with 20 other passengers...) and head down from the hills. Walking round Bhaktapur's cobblestone streets was well worth it, and a welcome change from both my hillside village, and the Kathmandu chaos. Walking through the city gate, Durbar Square (another one, read "Royal") provides a grand entrance to Bhaktapur, as well as the first of many impressive Hindu-Buddist temples scattered about the town. Following the Lonely Planet walking tour proved a good move as I wandered between temples along narrow alleyways amongst the bustle of everyday life, the quirky side streets actually providing some welcome relief from the irritating chaps in the main squares all offering their expert local knowledge, for a fee. Incredibly, they all seem to have a friend in London, the remarkably popular John apparently. The old town centre at Tachupal Tole provided more interesting cobbled streets and temples whilst the square at Taumadhi Tole was the most impressive, with the Nyatapola Temple the tallest in the Kathmandu Valley. Whilst it was particularly nice to wander along streets without constantly jumping out of the way of traffic, it was even nicer to stop here, enjoy a cold Lassie and watch the world go by. A cracking day out, most appreciated as you hit the mayhem again on the road back into Kathmandu.
|  | 
|
