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Worldwide renowned travel advisory website--the tripadvisor.com--has listed Nepali capital Kathmandu in its top 10 best places to visit in Asia.Headquartered in the USA, the travel website, which operates internationally, including the UK, France, Germany, China, Spain, India, Canada, Australia and Russia, has recently released
Where my mother grew up was only 120 miles from Kathmandu, she took me there when I was 3 but I don't remember much about it except mountains, busy streets, and rain. From the family pictures my parents took there-- it looked amazing.
Although technically I've already been, it's a place I'd like to back to and see this time and remember it for myself.
Kathmandu from what I know of it and have heard of it, appears to be a terrific city.
I don't like reading this, Kathmandu one of the top places to visit in 2013, as I prefer to have this interesting, beautiful city remain largely undisovered for my own selfish reasons, as this city tops my lists of places I'd want to re-visit. It's the 21-22 hour flight which stops me, today, from going back there.
We all know what happens when the "sheep" travelers finally discover an undiscovered place in the world to visit, as they have a way of destroying it.
The internationally-minded hippies discovered this city back in the 60's/70's and they even have a street there dedicated to those visitors back then: Freak Street!
I don't like reading this, Kathmandu one of the top places to visit in 2013, as I prefer to have this interesting, beautiful city remain largely undisovered for my own selfish reasons, as this city tops my lists of places I'd want to re-visit. It's the 21-22 hour flight which stops me, today, from going back there.
We all know what happens when the "sheep" travelers finally discover an undiscovered place in the world to visit, as they have a way of destroying it.
The internationally-minded hippies discovered this city back in the 60's/70's and they even have a street there dedicated to those visitors back then: Freak Street!
You aready can't walk through the Thamel area without hearing an Australian accent or German language or Japanese with cameras. Even over a decade ago when I was there it was spoiled by touts such that you couldn't walk ten feet without someone pestering you to sell tours, tiger balm, or mini chess sets. It is definetly not "undiscovered"...although I know some place in the Kathmandu valley that are (those I will keep secret).
Well, I will be there for a couple days next week, I suspect it will be even worse. I love the place, but the touts are quite possible worse then any place I have been before (a close second is Bali).
I haven't been to Kathmandu, although I have relatives there who I skype with. I've been to Darjeeling and the surrounding areas, however, and I can say that I highly recommend the Himalayas as a tourist destination. It's like being alive in heaven.
Last edited by BigCityDreamer; 01-17-2013 at 09:28 AM..
Kathmandu itself is not a bad city, but isn't really remarkable, either. There are a few places outside the capital that are very nice, and a few that are not so nice. Nepal seem like a big country when you start trying to get around on roads and buses that are pretty third world.
Quote:
Originally Posted by tijlover
We all know what happens when the "sheep" travelers finally discover an undiscovered place in the world to visit, as they have a way of destroying it.
It's not the tourists that destroy a place -- it is the local people creating an infrastructure that will appeal to and exploit them. And, of course, the multinational hotel chains.
I don't like reading this, Kathmandu one of the top places to visit in 2013, as I prefer to have this interesting, beautiful city remain largely undisovered for my own selfish reasons, as this city tops my lists of places I'd want to re-visit. It's the 21-22 hour flight which stops me, today, from going back there.
We all know what happens when the "sheep" travelers finally discover an undiscovered place in the world to visit, as they have a way of destroying it.
The internationally-minded hippies discovered this city back in the 60's/70's and they even have a street there dedicated to those visitors back then: Freak Street!
So I though Kathmandu had been discovered years ago and that it was already fairly touristy(with the requisite guesthouses and tourist touts)--though stil interesting.
Is it being re-re-discovered or is it now just going to get an even bigger influx of tourists?
On my trip, way back in Jan. 1996, I wasn't bothered with touts, can't even remember encountering them. The only in-your-face touts I encountered on that combined India/Nepal trip was Agra/Taj Mahal.
But that was before both the Indian and Chinese economies took off like missiles, and it's not surprising these wealthier tourists would eventually discover paradises in their backyards.
I've always been one to travel to the undiscovered places in the world, and I feel fortunate I saw those places before their discoveries or re-discoveries.
OK I just got back, 2 days in Kathmandu tagged unto a Delhi business trip -
-Harrasment from the touts seem to be down, this could be because I was outside typical tourist season. Maybe the police started cracking down on them.
-Seems to be more of a political wind in the air, political speaches near Durbar square, motel owners discussing current Nepali politics. The monarcy is gone, Maoist in seats of power. Of course the average Napali sill earns only $1 a day or so
-Many of the toursits sites that were free you now pay for. 750 rupees to Durbar square? A travesty.
-If you were there before 2006 save your currency with the king displayed on them. The king is dead, long live the republic and all that. Currency has changed. I am told the old currency are now collectors currency.
As someone said - Kathmandu should be your gateway to the Himalayas, not a destination in itself. Although they do have some magnificent temples.
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