b's Travel Pages: Nepal

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Greece Italy Turkey Nepal Egypt	Originally used to mark a place where some relic from the Buddha was enshrined, the stupa is getting a fresh coat of white paint from the young boy standing at its corner. The snow capped peaks of the Himalayas make a thin jagged line at my elbow pointing to Mt. Everest. We are above the Kathmandu Valley, enroute to Lal's village. We make it there just in time for the monthly full moon festival. I can still taste the clear liquor and the chunky brown Chang "beer".
		I'm standing with my porter, cook (Nyema), and trekking guide (Lal Bahadur Tamang). He would love to take you on a trek, email me if you are interested.
	Pashupatinath, Nepal Pause ye visitor, you gaze upon the most sacred stretch of an already sacred river, the Bagmati. For the devout Hindus to die and be cremated here is to be released from the cycle of birth and death. Flames consume the mortal remains ceremoniously placed on the ghats along the river. Smoke rises from the burning flesh. The ashes will be deposited in the river.
	Women no longer extinguish their lives on their husband's dead bodies.	I doubt the authenticity of the claim, but I was told that Bob Dylan composed "Knockin' on Heavens Door" on this spot.
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