My welcome garland

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The Nepali banquet and meeting the orphans

Wednesday 17th April
Last night's dinner turned out to be a very authentic experience.  The restaurant was an old palace of the kings of Nepal with wonderful old ceilings and carvings although the toilet was a bit like the krypton factor with a traditional Nepali locking system.  I had to come out and ask our courier for help. Also they leave a pair of slippers outside the toilet for you to put on before you go in as you do not wear your shoes inside in Nepal.  Some places have western toilets but most have the hole in the floor, so obviously you don't want to go in in bare feet.

We had rice wine and a seven course meal, apart from the rice, popcorn and fish, everything else was curried - cauliflower, spinach, mushrooms, chicken, dal, momos. I had a large Everest beer to help it all along. Everything was served in brass cups and dishes which added to the flavour.  But the best part was the ethnic music and dancing group. Half a dozen dances and songs from different parts of Nepal.  I particularly liked the one where a boy passes a girl in the country and throws stones at her.  He does this every day until she throws them back.  Then they fall in love.  I think I'd report him to the police.

When we left it absolutely poured with rain with thunder and lightening but the next day it was hot and humid.  We were collected and taken to the orphanage to meet the chairman and a lady committee member who explained the philosophy of the foundation, which is the child, women's empowerment and the environment.  the children are taught self sufficiency from an early age so they wash their own clothes and bedding among other things. imagine teenagers in the UK doing that without complaint. The children are there sometimes because their parents have died or because their parents can't keep them financially.  Some are just left there and because they don't know who their parents are they are given the name of the orphanage as their surname.  We were shown round and met quite a few of them as their schools were closed for a holiday.  The little ones were very appealing and were having a writing lesson at which they were very good.  The older girls were helping them and the older boys were playing chess or just sleeping, so obviously staying in bed is international for teenage boys.
In the afternoon we had a language lesson in Nepali.  Obviously we couldn't use their script but we did learn some useful phrases.  Bathroom kahaa chaa?  Ma curry kantu. Ma mero Sue ho.

We called in at a very nice coffee shop, like a big Nepali Starbucks and back to the hotel.

PS am struggling to post my photos.  If anyone has any advice to offer, please post it.