Historic Katmandu Nepal
Scenic, Breathtaking yet Sleepy and Enticing - a Nation Time Forgot
The word Katmandu, or Kathmandu, comes from the Spanish "Kasa/Casa" or house and "Madera" or wood. Literally meaning "House of Wood" Casa-Madera.
However, when looking at the town from the air it is easy to see that the Katmandu Valley has little wood remaining. Yet when flying into the area we see the equally inaccessible lower mountains, which make up the bulk of the Valley’s Rim: mountains plush with hardwood waiting to be exploited. My mind ponders the amazement early Europeans must have had when blundering into this magnificent basin. How would they tell the tales of snow covered trees in the mid summer’s heat? Trees that dwarf an English country-side house in areas tress should not exist?
Katmandu, Nepal
Located in the East-Central part of Nepal with Nepal located in South Central Asia, Katmandu is truly a world crushed by the outside. The Indian tectonic plate to the South is racing Northward at 6 inches a year while the Eurasian Plate to the North is moving North at only 0.8 inches per year. As a result the smaller Indian plated is sliding under the large Eurasian plate at a relatively fast pace. This boring of the smaller plate has the negative effect of “throwing” geological residue (like a dog throws sand behind himself while digging under a fence) south of the fault line: Katmandu is south of the fault line.
Nepal’s lack of significant exports puts a strain on the country and subsequently the Capital and largest city, Katmandu. While the herbal medicine and clothing exports industries, mainly to the USA, are increasing significantly; the country relies on its other two natural resources to sustain the majority of its population.
The Nepalese People
Namaste - a western traveler in Kathmandu could easily find himself like Gulliver in Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels. The Westerner is a giant next to the Nepalese Lilliputians and Blefuscudans. However, unlike the fictional characters, Nepalese people are extremely scrupulous, sensible and hospital. And while the occasional taxi driver may charge you a few extra rupees for your ride, you will know the fee in advance and can readily reject it.
The culture of the people is quite unique. As with their national location, situated between India and China, the physical appearance of the people is a cross between those two nations as well. Religion is a mix, with Hindus and Buddhists living side by side and often intermarrying. That is were most similarities stop. The hustle of India and the sternness of China never made it across the boarders. A slow and comfortable existence is the order of most days.
The Eight-Thousanders
A group of 14 individual mountains around the world which are higher than 8,000 meters (26,245 feet) above sea level. Tiny Nepal has a surprising 57% of all the world’s eight-thousanders. The vast majority of these surround the capital city to the North. Northeast of Katmandu sit #1 Everest (8,848m 29,029ft,) #3 Kangchenjunga (8,586m 28,169ft,) #4 Lhotse (8,516m 27,940ft,) #5 Makalu (8,462m 27,762ft,) #6 Cho Oyu (8,201m 26,906 ft,) but mighty #7 Dhaulagiri (8,167m 26,794 ft,) #8 Manaslu aka Kutang (8,156m 26,758 ft,) and #10 Annapurna (8,091m 26,545ft) are to the Northwest.
To put the size of the “eight-thousanders” into perspective; the highest mountain in the Alps is Mont Blanc, at 4,808m (15,774ft.) The highest mountain in the Rockies is Mount Elbert at 4,401m (14,440ft.) The highest Mountain in North America is Alaska’s Mount McKinley or Denali at 6,193.6m (20,320ft.) and the highest Mountain in the Andes is Cerro Aconcagua at 6,962m (22,841ft) These are impressive mountains but only bumpy hills when compared to Nepal’s mammoths.
The Himalayan Mountains
Created by the submarining of the Indian plate under the Tibetan Plateau and the larger Eurasian plate, a massive upheaval of earth has been pushing skyward at a surprising 4mm a year. “The Roof of the World,” the Himalayan Mountains are truly the highest mountains on the planet. With 8 of the 14 “Eight-Thousanders” and 7 of the 8 highest “Eight-Thousanders,” Nepal is truly a must see, one of a kind.
Mt. Everest
No discussion of Nepal would be complete without at least a word about Mt Everest. Beautiful, majestic, awesome are but a few words that come to mind for those of us fortunate enough to see this monument to the stars. As stated above the highest mountains in the rest of the world are dwarfed by Everest. The tall Aconcagua in the Andes is a full 1.2 MILES smaller than Everest. Everest is nearly twice as high as Mt Blanc in Europe and dwarfs even the USA’s McKinley by 1.7 miles.
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