Around the Kathmandu valley

So the strike was finally over after 7 days.

How is it possible that a group of people can decide that the only way forward is to decide that the country is on strike? So far I did not meet anyone in Nepal who found that the strike would affect the country in a posititve way. As a European it is very hard to understand the whole concept of a full on strike- just remembering how the icelandic volcano ashes caused chaos to Europe a few weeks ago and everyone complaining how it was affecting us, then imagine not being able to buy food, medicine or travel anywhere...

The problem with the bandhas as they are called, is also that noone knows how long they will last.

The last few days in the mountains we were starting to realise how it affected life even there, hardly any food was available any more and the last few days we had to live on the national dish Dal Bhat. So imagine the relief when finding out that the strike was over! We did not have to walk back to Pokhara for one day in the heat but could happily join in the public transport where the passengers were singing with an even bigger smile than usual.

Homeless boys searching in the Swayambhunath stupa for food during the strike.

The last days we made sure to see what we had missed during the strike. The biggest stupa ( buddhist monastery) in the world is close to Kathmandu and is something I will never forget. Many Tibetan refugees live there and the place is full of small stupas. There is a serene atmosphere which makes it even harder to hold back the tears when you think of what many of these people have been through.