The Garden of Dreams and the Monkey Temple

We are back in Nepal! My 6th time and Andrew's 7th.

We only had a couple days in Kathmandu before heading to Pokhara, where we will be paragliding for two weeks, so we went to our favourite places . . . the Garden of Dreams and the Monkey Temple (more formally known as Swayambhunath). And the monkeys are considered holy because "Manjushri, the bodhisattva of wisdom and learning ... was supposed to leave his hair short but he made it grow long and head lice grew. It is said that the head lice transformed into these monkeys."

Other favourite things . . . fresh lemon soda, banana lassi, prayer flags, and very friendly people that make Nepal what it is.

Fresh lemon soda at the Garden of Dreams

This sign outside a restaurant gave us a laugh! Anyone who's had to choke down dal bhat for weeks on end on a climbing expedition can relate! 

Any electricians in the crowd that would like to tackle this mess?
It's like this on every street corner! 

Just a couple of the many monkeys on the long flight of steps leading up to the entrance of the temple.

Only half way there!

Prayer wheels

Construction work

Waiting to business to pick up

Climbing up to string a new line of prayer flags.