Travel to Hope Kingdom

Who in life heard – Tibet, Himalayas, Shambala – He knows what feelings, the images they cause. There is something invisible that it firmly connects all of us with these places, regardless of whether we were there or only we are going. We do our journey mentally.

Relax, sit comfortably, close your eyes and imagine one minute: in a day or two, there will be Saturday, you will sit on the plane and after 11 hours land in Kathmandu, the capital has gotten. At the airport, fast and simple paperwork, not annoying, purely formal checking your baggage, and here you leave the airport building. East, before you the mill, about which it is written a lot, it is said, but it remains not even enough fairy tale. You have a whole month ahead, mass of plans, tips and requests to bring something to memory. Leave plans, throw off the tips from the head, especially the advice of people who never traveled to Hepal.

The first step in Hepal and the boys rushes with a proposal to bring your luggage to a taxi. Be sure to trample about the price – these are the old rules of the East. After the road you need, of course, in the hotel. Drive in Tamat, this is a tourist quarter near the Royal Palace. It’s more convenient to live there, many shops, restaurants, it is more comfortable. More precisely, Tamall, ul. Yatta, Lhassa Guest House. There you will always meet a smiling Dilip – the main administrator of the hotel. Tell him that you are from St. Petersburg, and his Lubka will become even wider. He is a wonderful person, a wonderful caring owner, will help you solve all your problems. You are one or you two, order a room, just ask the number for two, for one, find out the price, it is 10–12 dollars per night accommodation. Ask a room that leaves the windows not to the street – from early morning on the streets boils life. Hopeers are tremendous hardworking people, everyone works, they are taken for everything that can imagine their country coming, guests.

First evening where to go? Go to the restaurant, there are many of them in the Tamame, ask where Italian "Pizzeria", it’s five minutes of walking from Lhasa. Wonderful place, you can dine in the inner courtyard in the air, especially since it’s almost always warm. The rains go from May to August, winter begins at the end of November and lasts until March, the rest of the time heat, in the afternoon plus 25, in the sun is still hotter. Carefully view the menu, even if you have a little more English, it will be enough, as a last resort, just show your finger to a string, where there is a name of some kind of dish. what do you like? In restaurants the choice is very rich, there is Italian, Mexican, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, European and, of course, Tibetan cuisine. In that restaurant, where we are sitting with you, perfectly prepare spaghetti, tuna salad, vegetable burger. Order beer, it in Hepali is unusually tasty, most likely due to water. We want beer, ask lemon tea, tea with jeanger, chamomile, fresh juice, milk cocktail, fruit lassi.

Already stembly, warm evening, low lean to the table of the thumbs of persimmon, burn candles, playing music, you are good, it’s time to forget about everything that left at home, about all our concerns. Feel the country aura, people, stop hurry, plunge into life around you. And she flows in his strict rhythm, no fuss, everyone knows where to go and what to do.

Well come back to the restaurant. You have dinner, asked the check and Bill – this is the bill, left 5–10 rupees for tea; It must be said here that the national currency of the country rupee, about 60 rupees – one dollar, exchange money is better in their hotel; And here in the street of the evening city. Lights, sounds and smells, shops and music, people around, you are offered something tutu, and you don’t need to argue, not to say – just smile and go on. The first evening is not for shopping, you are encountered by the Great Country, Her People. Go, look, feel, do not appreciate, do not be afraid to get lost – you have a visit card card in your pocket with his address, you can always take a rickshaw, a taxi, just ask where Tamat, Yatta, Lhassa, will tell you, and the boys are even spend for 10–15 rupees – these are their earnings, do not skip. In terms of our – 500–700 rubles, you will be grateful, and the joy in the eyes of a person, honestly earned their money, will be a reward. Go to bed before, the city wakes up and starts working with dawn.

Morning of the first day. You accepted the shower, got dressed, looked out of the window, does not rain go, warm on the street, the mood is raised. Then descend down or ask breakfast in the room – porridge, tea, eggs, toasts or what you love, and go to the city. If you already know what I would like to see, order a taxi through the hotel administrator – it is cheaper than to take the car on the street. Kathmandu the Old Town, many temples, saints for Buddhists, Hindus, Sivitis places, there are national shrines – the old royal palace, for example, there is also a museum of the ruling dynasty of kings. Buy a map, ask the hotel where you can go. If you have a little extra money, you can agree and take a guide that will be with you so much. how much do you need. Have a hurry, do not try to see as much as possible, Kathmandu is not an ordinary city, you can see temples, monasteries, pagodas everywhere. Little Stupa can stand right on the street – a reduced model of a large temple, but acting, the lamp is burning, they are offering, most often flowers.

You visited the central temples, climbed on Mankis by Mount, where one of the oldest Buddhist temples was located in the world center of Shivaizma on the sacred river Baggmati, saw the ancient cities – he did not always have been a single state, before he consisted of several principalities, sat on Steps of ancient pagodas, wandered around the narrow streets, listened to how the wind plays the bells in the pagoda of the Old Royal Palace, from where the magnificent view of the city opens.

Now it’s time to go shopping. What you need? Anything friends, to yourself. Kathmandu offers you souvenirs from wood, bones, stone, iron, clay, cotton, wool, silk and leather products. You want to bring the Buddha Action figure – please, but do not forget that you need to bargain, otherwise you do not understand, it is normal there is an element of communication. Any price called to you 2–2.5 times exceeds real. Slowly slowly, not offended by the owner, almost everywhere the goods of the same quality and if you go to the next shop, then you do not fit anything except that everything starts first. It is better to go to those shops and shops where you like the owner or a seller, where there is something that you liked. Figures from the sandalwood, fragrant tree, beloved Cobre tree, are more expensive, 500–700 rupees, depending on the size, manual operation, one figure does not look like another. Bone products – figurines, decorations, pendants, caskets, bracelets – cheaper, but – bargain, do not show the appearance that it is this thing that you liked the most, then the price will reduce reluctantly. It’s well aware that the country has had a poor, but not begging, for people any earnings – good, especially since it is invested in any thing, as a rule, manual work, skill, forgery almost no. The fact that in Europe is worth a lot of money, in Hepale, you buy calmly, and these things will be happy to please you and remind you of a happy time when you are carefree, pleased that you are taking you as you are, and to Tourists in Hepal are treated as close to relatives, were in this blessed country.

You love decorations from precious, semi-precious stones – please, jewelry shop at your service. Grenades, amethystists, tourmalines, turquoise, lunar stone, sapphires, emeralds, rubies, and all this magnificence for you, again cheaper than anywhere in the world. After all, near India, many Hindu in Hepalee live and engage in jewelry, and we since childhood we know that India is a country of gems. Yes, and in the Hepali itself is extracted by diverse and other stones. Prices are different, depending on the time of your visit to the country. In the tourist season, the price is higher, it is from September to February. At this time of year, climbers come to Hepal. Of the 14 highest peaks of the world 8 are in Hepale – Jomolungma (Everest), Annapurna, Himalayan Range. Hepal – Mecca Mountaineering.

You are a little tired of Kathmandu, but it is good fatigue, good. Now it’s time to see the mountains closer, swim, live two weeks in the resort. You are surprised, yes, in Hepal, there is your own resort – Pokhara. At your attentive host in the hotel, you order a ticket to Pokhara for a bus or a personal car, which is more expensive, or a plane. Depending on the selected transport after 11 hours, 8 or after 1 hour of the beautiful journey, you are in a fabulous place. Snowy Himalayan peaks frame green fertile valley, snow in good weather Even glitters, deep green lake, warmth, rhythm of life in Pokhara is much calmer.

If you prefer to just relax, meditate, swim, ride a bike, swim on the boat, you can’t find a better place. If you are a person who loving active tourism, then go to the tracking. What is it? This is a small journey in the mountains, usually it lasts 7–14 days, it depends on you. During this time, you will quietly reach the base camp under Annapurna, from which many ascents begin in the area, and return back. We are afraid, the conductor will go with you, a porter, about everything you can negotiate in Kathmandu, through the Lhassa administrator. On the way you will help, carry your things, cook you food. Highlighting your equipment can always be rented for a small fee. If the route is standard, T. E. will be held by central trails, where there are places for recreation, overnight stay and hot food you are provided, then in get the minimum loads and maximum pleasure. Clean air, fantastically beautiful landscapes of mountains, waterfalls, sunsets, sunrises, small mountain villages, smiles of locals – you will return to you, fresh perception and, God forbid, will not leave you.

But even if you do not want to leave comfort and you are good and calmly ride a boat, and the evenings are perfectly drinking tea on the roof of your hotel, then it’s too wonderful, by the way, I did not make a reservation – the roofs of hotels are flat, there you can dream, sunbathe In the morning, drinking coffee and breakfast, just sit and look at the sunrise and sunsets in those magnificent vertices that are from you so close, only 20–30 kilometers, and the impression is that I breathe on you cool; In the evening, when the valley was already dark, Annapurna, as it were, the weightless latter rays of the Sun.

The climate in Pokhara is soft, in September-October, the day is hot, the water in the lake is clean, warm. Want to make yourself massage back – take a boat if you don’t want to row – for a small fee you will be transported, and go to the other beach of Lake Fayva, go a little up in the stream and you already have a small waterfall. Stop it under it and after 5 minutes your body will be younger for 20 years.

Cute, kind and unusually young Vladimir Ilyich Tanklevsky – My companion in Hepal, acquaintance and friendship with me, I spent a few good moments under the waterfall every day. I did not rebel again, because the one who closely knows this person will say – age, and I will say: age is only a digit in the passport, no more. I did not accidentally introduce you to this stunning person. his example is an example of what we can. Hands His Lord always and everywhere, like all people who read and reads these lines.

You can talk about Hepali for hours, days, but it is better to see him. Then you will be in love with this country, her people just like me.