The Monkey TempleOctober 20,
1998
Swayambhunath or the Monkey Temple is an important Buddhist Center located high on a
hill west of Katmandu. Geologists believe that the Katmandu Valley was once a lake and the
hill was an island in that lake. An inscription on the Temple indicates that it was built
around 460 CE. To approach Swayambhunath you climb the monstrous and intimidating eastern
stairway guarded at the bottom by figures of Ganesh and Kumar and decorated with intricate
stone work including several Buddha scenes and pairs of lions, garudha, elephants, horses
and peacocks, the vehicles of the Dhyani Buddha's. Check our the photographs to see why
its called the Monkey Temple (they are everywhere).
Bhaktapur
Wednesday, October 21, 1998
Bhaktapur, the third largest city in the Katmandu Valley and in many ways the most
midiaeval was the captial of the whole valley during the 14th - 16th century. We walked
the cobblestone, automobile-free streets and saw how life exists in this almost timeless
city. We saw the tallest temple in Nepal, a pottery square, where they use pottery wheels
on the ground that they spin with a large stick, and an incredible city wide parade for
the Dipawali (New Years) festival.
(thank you Lonely Planet for some of the facts)
