Visit to Nepal, February 17 - 24, 2007
by Suzanne Friedericks
Saturday, Feb 17
We flew all the way from Hong Kong today. Our flight from KTM to Pokhara was scheduled for 2:30. We got to the domestic terminal which is as chaotic as ever. Everyone was trying to shove to the front to get checked in. Finally the guy said the plane was leaving at 4:30 and to wait. Some guy tried to push in front of us. I told him in Nepali that the back of the line was there. His mother was so amused by what I said, she kept laughing and good naturedly sent her son to the back of the line.
We finally got checked through and sat in the waiting area for around 2 hours. We had chai from a machine – Nescafe machine – at a little store. It was actually very good. Almost as good as the real thing. The store keeper was very sweet to an old lady who had lost her voice. He made her some tea without milk and told her to sit nearby. The language he used was very respectful and kind. She was talking about all her aches and pains.
We flew on Yeti Airlines with about 30 people total. An INF lady was on the plane – Mrs. Bradley. Her husband was head of INF when we left. She didn’t recognize us and we didn’t say anything to her. I don’t have much memory of her. I guess it was when we were in KTM and didn’t have much contact with them.
Pokhara has grown so much I don’t recognize much anymore. The airport waiting room reeked of urine. We got our bags and a rickety taxi to Hotel Barahi. At the hotel they were very hospitable with orange squash to greet us while they registered us.
Our room is pretty basic but clean. Two rock hard single beds with one blanket and bedspread on each. I was cold in the night. There is a resai (heavy comforter) but it weights a ton. I wrapped up in my blue shawl and was warm enough.
I woke up early and opened the curtains and watched it get light. Lots of chirpy birds…but I’m ahead of myself.
After we checked in to the Barahi Richard tried to call Kiran but we couldn’t get ahold of him. The manager of the hotel called around and finally found out that the party was at Kiran's swimming pool and aerobic center which is where his old cloth factory used to be above Mahendrapul. Meanwhile, I had a lovely hot shower before the electricity went out at 6:00 and was off until 9:00. Richard cleaned up and we took a taxi with a complaining driver to the swimming pool. Richard had told the guy to go to Gaira Patan which is the area above Mahendrapul. He kept trying to stop and saying we weren’t paying him enough to go there. We finally got out of the taxi and found the swimming pool after asking a few people.
Kiran and Gita were sitting on a platform like a wedding couple in throne-like chairs surrounded by flowers. Enthroned like god and goddess or king and queen. The place was crowded with lovely ladies dressed in their beautiful saris and handsome men. Everyone came to greet Kiran and Gita first. The swimming pool had chairs lining one side and the buffet at one end and a man making jalebis at the other end. Pinju and Kapil (their sons) greeted us – very handsome, gracious young men. We milled around and finally ate some food – good dal bhat with fish and pieces of goat and chicken.
After awhile there was a cake ceremony – one heart shaped that said “Kiran and Gita together 25 years.” The other one was a tiered cake like a wedding cake with K & G around the sides They cut the cake and did a little ceremony of feeding each other and Gita, playfully, put some on Kiran’s nose. Then they fed Kiran’s mother, Rashmi’s (Kiran’s sister who lives in Canada) son who still lives with Kiran and Gita, the two sons and another family who must be cousins. Quite a different Nepal from the one we used to know. Much bigger party from Kiran and Gita’s wedding when I was huge pregnant with Elizabeth and Kiran kept wanting me to dance!
Kiran asked his friend Sundar Shrestha and his wife, Soba, to drive us home. They own the Kantipur Hotel at the lake. They drove us home and invited us to the hotel for lunch the next day.
Next Day - Sunday
The reason for the visit - Kiran and Gita celebrating their 25th Wedding Anniversary in a very big way! There were over 500 guests.
This picture reminds me of a bazaar icon. They were actually married again earlier in the morning.
Ah, the jalabies were hot and fantastic!