The long-awaited conclusion

*This post was originally sent as an email on the 26th September 2011

*Photos will be added soon(ish), I hope

Friends, comrades, etc.

I was approached by my coteacher this morning, who asked me if I minded terribly whether he could take my classes today, since the third graders have midterms this week and he has more material to cover. After going back and forth on the idea, weighing the pros and cons, I finally decided that I would be ok with having a day to relax, but only because I could use it to catch up somewhat on the longest ever to-do list, near the top of which is the necessity of sending a mass email to close out my travelling tales, and catch people up on where I am right now.

Monkey temple!

So, yesterday I took a long walk westward through Kathmandu, and climbed up a steep hill to reach Swayambunath Monkey Temple. The monkeys are super-tame, and one of the babies was chewing on my fingers, and playing with my hand. His mother found me an unfit playmate for her son, and made her displeasure quite clear.

You can see all over Kathmandu from atop the hill, but the temple and Stupa up top are far more interesting. Because it's summer, and monsoon season, I still haven't seen the Himalayas - hopefully I'll be able to see them when I'm halfway up a mountain...

Here are some pictures of the monkeys and the temple (but mostly the monkeys):