The UNM team minus the photographer (Alok). Jamison arrived a day later. From back: Jenn (UNM faculty), Patrick, Holly, Kelsie, and Kelly
KUSOM Kathmandu University, School of Management Building Our lecture sites and the home to our Nepal Study Center's branch office
This is the first day of our program. Professor KC of KUSOM (Kathmandu University School of Management) is giving a welcoming note.
Professor KC of KUSOM
Lecture Series on Overall picture about Nepal's economics, politics, and history (Dr. mahesh Banskota, Dean of Arts)
Dr. Banskota's graduate student giving us a lecture on the political scenario.
Students taking a break at the KUSOM cantina.
Cultural Outing: Basantapur Durbar Square at the heart of Kathmandu. It is one of the three kingdoms in the valley.
Cultural Outing: A temple near the Basantpur Durbar Square
Flying Garuda: Lord Vishnu's flying vehicle
Basantpur Durbar Square: carved window
Culture exposure: we hiked up the stone stairs to reach this marvelous stupa (Swayambhunath) on the top of the hill
Cultural exposure: Swayambhunath Stupa and a nearby monastery
Cultural exposure: Swayambhunath Stupa and some gift shops
Culture exposure: around the Stupa. Jamison is trying to catch his breath from all the stair climbing.
Cultural exposure: Swayambhunath Stupa, Jamison and Alok. Notice on the background some Hindu temples. This is the example of the blend of Hinduism and Buddhism in Kathmandu.
Smokeless Stove project: With the president of FOST at his workshop
Our lunch being cooked on the smokeless stove at the FOST workshop
Patrick and Mr. Shrestha at the FOST workshop engaged in deep contemplation.
Trying out FOST Prez's Vietnamese hat
Outside the FOST workshop with some briquette making equipments.
Mr. Sanu Kaji Shrestha of FOST demonstrating a container that keeps a pot warm for a long time. If done right, the container also cooks food by maintaining the internal temperature.
FOST workshop site and a group photo
FOST showroom
Stairs to heaven --Amazing visual deception: Dream Garden
Dream Garden: Three Fountains
Dream Garden
Rare manuscript at the Keshar Library. Long deceased, he was educated in England where he acquired a taste for reading, and fancy English style gardens. He was the third son of Prime Minister Chandra S. Rana.
Keshar Library: use of Gurkha knifes to create an imagery of the sun
Dream Garden at the Keshar Mahal
Visit to Dream Garden. This palace was restored to its original form after decades of neglect. It is part of a private library that belonged to a Rana Prince. This private library has 58000 books in its collection. It is now a public library.
Lecture series on environmental issues: Professor Khanal of KU with some valuable information on the science of the river pollutants
Lecture series on Environment of the Bagmati River and its ecology: Professor Khanal of KU
Lecture series on Bagmati and its Environmental Problem --Dr. Siddartha Bajracharya of the National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC) helped organize this series with the help of several of his scholar friends.
Guest speaker lecturing on various action plans about Bagmati River clean-up efforts
UNM group after the lecture: National Zoo
Cultural Exposure Trip: Patan Durbar, ancient water spouts
Entrance to the Patan Durbar (palace) museum
A guide bargaining to show us around the Patan Square
Patan Square: Water spout with a dragon head
UNM group photo at the Patan Durbar: Alok, Patrick, Jamison, Jenn, Kelsie, kelly, Sushila (KU student) and Holly
Bagmati River trek: Upper phase towards the Shivapuri National Forest (Holly)
A small Bagmati river dam: upper Bagmati phase
Bagmati River near Gokarna Village --upper phase-- and by a temple
On the way to upper Bagmati -- an interesting tree temple of Shiva
We begin our hike at the base of the Sundarijal Village (30 minutes drive from the valley). We were accompanied by two Nepali students.
Goats seen on our Sundarijal trail
A typical house on the trail to upper Bagmati
The vegetation began to look pristine as we climbed up the trail towards a wetland type pond on the top of the Shivapuri Mountain (we never reached the pond after 4 hours of trek, so returned fearing some weather change.).
Upper Bagmati: Shivapuri trek
Upper Bagmati trek: our trail
Upper Bagmati: the water is muddy but relatively clean
Upper Bagmati trek: resting for lunch at a resort on the way to that mysterious wetland called Dhap
Upper Bagmati Trek: Kelly finds some friends
Upper Bagmati: Jamison and Patrick
Upper Bagmati Trek: Bagmati water at the source looks pristine
Upper Bagmati Trek: some people even have begun to farm trout fish
Upper Bagmati: this colorful frog stole our attention for several minutes
A much deserving dinner at Dwarikas (a hotel under the list of world heritage sites). Traditional sit-down Nepali style feast. A bit pricey, but it was well worth it! It was our treat for the students.
Lecture series on health: Dr. Bruce Hayes of the Nick Simons Institute giving us an overview of his Institutes's mission to train local manpower.
Lecture series on health: Dr. Bruce Hayes of the Nick Simons Institute
Lecture series on Health: Dr. Bruce Hayes discussing the mission of the Nick Simons Institute (mid-level manpower development)
Lecture series on Health: Kelsie, Jamison, and Alok listening to Dr. Hayes
Nick Simons Institute roof top
Nick Simons Institute Office
Heading out to a sustainable project site Balambu: smokeless stoves
President of FOST in front of the smokeless stoves and briquette store. NSC's donation made this possible. This is the first such store of FOST.
Smokeless Stove Project of FOST: Being greeted by one of the members of the Seven Sisters of Balambu village. Holly seems quite amused. Putting tika on the forehead is the traditional way of greeting the guests in Nepal.
Kelly with Balambu's Seven Sisters. You can tell who Kelly is. Look about two feet up!
Happy Kelly
Kelly in action with the sisters trying to learn how to make briquette (Balambu, FOST project)
Kelly trying to get a hang of it (FOST, briquette making equipment)
Balambu: traditional lunch on a plate made out of leaves. Those roasted mushrooms were unforgettable.
Balambu: A village walk through.
Seven Sisters of Balambu and the UNM team
Balambu: A group photo
Balambu school: Everyone wanted to take a picture with one of our team members. Guess who?
Balambu Buddhist monastery: sleeping Buddha made out of grains.
Alok making a private donation on behalf of his family to the Seven Sisters Organization to cover some operational expenses for the store. Jenn also provided some financial support on her parents' behalf towards this project.
Smokeless stove project at Balambu: Saying goodbye.
Now we are heading out to a rain harvesting project site in the village of Dalchoki. Two Rotarians are accompanying us in this van. The rest of their team took another bus.
Of course, it would not be a memorable trip without a flat tire. And yes, he did not have a spare.
Rain harvesting project site, Dalchoki: Tika Bhairva village on the way. This project was funded with donations to NSC from Dr. Jeff Drope and Martin Ravin.
Rain harvesting project site, Dalchoki village and the school
A Dalchoki granny poses with Kelly.
Dalchoki students coming to greet us.
Dalchoki: A teacher performing his traditional greeting gesture. Garland and Namaste.
Dalchoki: students wondering about the meaning of these gestures.
Rain Water Harvesting Project at Dalchoki Village: This 10th grader was quite a fluite player with a swagger to go with it. This was quite a welcome for the UNM team at the school.
Dalchoki project: some dance items from the school students.
Dalchoki: A school choir.
Rain Water Harvest Project: Our UNM team getting into some action with the local students!
Dalchoki: A scene stealer at the site.
Dalshoki: this 5000 liter tank was donated for drinking purpose.
Dalchoki: 5000-liter tank
Dalchoki: A dedicate plaque in acknowledgment of our contribution. (NSC raised funds to build these rain water harvesting systems. Thanks to NSC's well wishers Jeff and Marty. )
Dalshoki: Alok and Kelsie making sure that the gutter does not warp
Dalchoki: Patrick on the roof top. This project was also helped by an ICIMOD expert (blue shirt).
Dalchoki: The project is getting finished.
Dalchoki: the school yard. Everyone eagerly waiting to finish the project.
Dalchoki: Jenn is trying to lure children into a game of rock-paper-scissors. She claimed to have defeated them every single time.
Dalchoki: Ms. Greta Rana and Alok Bohara. Ms. Greta Rana coordinated the whole rain water harvesting project. We are so thankful to her.
Dalchoki: Jenn is still at it teaching them the trick to play the rock-paper-scissors game. She wants a challenge match for next year.
Dalchoki: Trying to mimic some dance moves by Kelly (UNM) and Sushila (KU)
Dalchoki: Alok interpreting Holly's thank-you note.
Dalchoki: The Jawalakhel Rotary Club team
Dalchoki: Jawalkhel Rotary member Mr. Padma Lal Shrestha thanking the UNM team for our help with the project.
Dalchoki ran water harvesting project site: We were greeted with a set of great programs that included welcome speeches, dances, and tea. Oh yea, our student also put some finishing touch on the project. (A 2000 liter tank visible on the background. This is for washing hands. Another one under the other building is for the drinking purpose.)
Dalchoki: Jenn is also trying to replicate some of these moves.
Dalchoki: Now Jenn is really into it.
On the way back from Dalchoki
A typical village house taken from the moving van. Oh yea, the driver does not stop for anything as you can see from the blurriness.
Lower Bagmati: By a small lake known as Taudaha. It is a small urban wetland. We were accompanied by people from the Friends of Bagmati (and a faculty from the Tribhuvan University)
Lower Bagmati: Taudaha (We walked around the lake.)
Lower Bagmati: We hiked down to see the Chobhar Gorge, the end of the valley perimeter.
Lower Bagmati: The Bagmati River gushing out of the canyon
Lower Bagmati: a suspension bridge over the Chobhar gorge
Lower Bagmati: A Ganesh temple at the gorge
Lower Bagmati: A bell at the Ganesh temple
Lower Bagmati: Chobhar Ganesh
Lower Bagmati: The quality of water at the exit point was not that clean either.
Lower Bagmati: discussion
Lower Bagmati: Kelly volunteering to collect the water.
Lower Bagmati: hill across from the temple site at the gorge
Lower Bagmati: heading out to the Sculpture Garden restaurant at the top of the Chobhar hill
Lower Bagmati: Prayer wheel at the top of the Chobhar hill near the restaurant
Lower Bagmati: Valley view facing north from the restaurant
Lower Bagmati: Holly lighting a candle at the Buddhist monetary near the sculpture garden restaurant
Lower Bagmati: A monastery near the sculpture restaurant at the top of the Chobhar hill
Lower Bagmati: A Buddha statue inside the Chobhar monastery
Lower Bagmati: At the gate of the Chobhar monastery
Lower Bagmati: Sculpture Garden Restaurant
Lower Bagmati: Sculpture Garden Restaurant 2
Lower Bagmati: Sculpture Garden Restaurant, a window with a view
Lower Bagmati: Sculpture Garden Restaurant, waiting for food
Lower Bagmati: Sculpture Garden Restaurant, still waiting for food
Lower Bagmati: returning from the Sculpture Garden Restaurant
A walk through the Kathmandu street
Three hundred and fifty years old pond on the back ground -- Rani Pokhari. A Malla King constructed this pond to honor his queen's love.
Micro-finance project (Kiva-Nepal): President Ms. Ambika Shrestha of Federation of Business & Professional Women Nepal (FBPWN). She also organized a talk at her hotel (Dwarikas) to discuss the Bosque Ecological Monitoring Program for a possible implementation on the Bagmati River.
Micro-finance project, Kiva-Nepal: President Ms. Urmila Shrestha of Patan Business & Professional Women
Micro Finance Project --Kiva-Nepal's president, Ms. Urmila Shrestha being given a gift (digital camera) on behalf of an Albuquerque couple (Ananda and Snigdha Regmi)
Micro-finance project, Kiva-Nepal: volunteers / Patan Business & Professional Women
Micro-finance project, Kiva-Nepal: Jenn Thacher thanking the organization for partnering with th study abroad program
Micro-finance project, Kiva-Nepal: Ms. Urmila Shrestha explaining the Kiva program status in Thecho village.
Micro-finance project, Kiva-Nepal: Thecho village walk through with Padma Lal Shrestha (Jawalakhel Rotary member)
Micro-finance project, Kiva-Nepal: Ms. Shrestha heading the Thecho village tour
Micro-finance project, Kiva-Nepal: A break for lunch at a village temple (Thecho)
Micro-finance project, Kiva-Nepal: A Kiva-Nepal loan recipient at work
Micro-finance project, Kiva-Nepal: All of us crammed in the attic, but we were having fun with some exciting conversations with the host and Kiva entrepreneurs.
Micro-finance project, Kiva-Nepal: Holly coming out of a typical Thecho house. We were all honored to have such private access.
Micro-finance project, Kiva-Nepal: A temple in Thecho
Micro-finance, Kiva-Nepal project: a loom purchased with the Kiva loan.
Micro-finance, Kiva-Nepal project: a grocery shop expanded with the Kiva loan.
Micro-finance, Kiva-Nepal project: a Kiva member answering our questions.
A typical Nepali sit-down dinner at Dwarikas.
Cultural exposure: Entering the Bouddhanath Stupa (White Stupa)
Bouddhanath Stupa (White Stupa), Patrick
A traditional market around the Bouddhanath Stupa
All crammed to take a picture at the the Bouddhanath Stupa
Bouddhanath Stupa
Bouddhanath Stupa: these pigeons certainly love to be here.
Inside the Bouddhanath Stupa Monastery listening to the drum beat and the Tibetan chants.
Inside the Bouddhanath Stupa Monastery: Monks doing their 2-week long prayer festival
Inside the Bouddhanath Stupa Monastery: a synchronized drum beat.
A door knob at the Bouddhanath Stupa Monastery
Bouddhanath Stupa and the prayer flags.
Middle Bagmati Trip: Pashupatinath Complex, one of the most holy sites for one billion Hindus.
Middle Bagmati Trip: Pashupatinath Complex at the entrance
Middle Bagmati Trip: Pashupatinath Complex and a well-fed bull. With Lord Shiva on his side no one messes with him.
Middle Bagmati River trip: Pashupatinath complex (A world heritage site)
Middle Bagmati River trip: The Bagmati River flowing by the Pashupatinath temple complex. Those platforms are for cremation.
Middle Bagmati River trip: Kelsie, Jenn, Kelly, and Holly.
Middle Bagmati River trip: a cremation ritual is being prepared by the holy river.
Middle Bagmati River trip: a bridge connecting the two temple complexes -- Pashupatinath and the Guheshwari temple complex
Middle Bagmati River trip: Sadhus
Middle Bagmati River trip: Some temples of deities in and around the Pashupatinath complex
Middle Bagmati Trip: Water treatment plant control room
Middle Bagmati trip: the water treatment plant
Middle Bagmati Trip: students watching the slush flowing in from the surrounding drainage system
Middle Bagmati Trip: The water treatment plant in action
Middle Bagmati Trip: treatment plant and some discussion about the capacity and the discharge policy. Notice the idle machine on the right side.
Middle Bagmati Trip: outflow of the treated water
Middle Bagmati Trip: testing lab at the treatment plant.
Interaction with the Friends of Bagmati (Ms. Amnbika Shrestha and Mr. Kedar B. Shrestha, President of FOB)
Interaction with the FOB: some complimentary drinks for the UNM team --thanks to Ms. Shrestha, the owner of Dwarikas.
The UNM team at Kathmandu University's main office building
Lecture series on environmental issues: Professor Khanal of KU
Lecture series on environmental issues: Professor Khanal of KU (Jenn Thacher, hari Katuwal, Alok Bohara, and Professor Khanal)
Lecture series on environmental issues: Kelly, Jamison, and Holly
KU library
KU campus tour
Official photo op
Official Photo Op 2 Kelsie, Holly, Patrick, Jennifer, Kelly, Jamison, and Alok
On the way back from KU, Dhulikhel: lunch at the Baba Resort at Khawa, 3 KM east of Dhulikhel.
Baba Resort entrance
Cultural exposure: Bhaktapur Square entrance discussing about the entrance fee.
Bhaktapur Durbar Complex
Bhaktapur Durbar Complex: A lion
Bhaktapur Durbar Complex: the 55-window palace
Bhaktapur Durbar Complex: the 55-window palace and the armed guards protecting this world heritage site.
Bhaktapur Durbar Complex: famous Newari carved windows
Bhaktapur Durbar Complex: snake spout
Bhaktapur Durbar Complex: snake spout 2
Bhaktapur Durbar Complex: entrance to the 55-window palace
Bhaktapur Durbar Complex: a recently restored beautiful structure
Bhaktapur Durbar Complex: beautiful structure
Bhaktapur Durbar Complex: all made out of stones.
Bhaktapur Durbar Complex: Patrick stealing the show
Bhaktapur Durbar Complex: temple steps
Bhaktapur Durbar Complex: street scene with the famous 5-story temple on the background
Bhakatpur Durbar Complex: the famous 5-story temple, Taleju
Bhakatpur Durbar Complex: thinking about climbing the famous 5-story temple, Taleju
Bhakatpur Durbar Complex: they did climb the temple steps.
Bhaktapur Durbar: Jamison always trying to strike a bargain.
Nepal Study Center (UNM)'s branch Office at KUSOM
NSC Office
Putting it all together: The final day of discussion seeking feedback from the students and informing them of the writing requirements
Final Day: Interaction with KU students
Interaction with KU students: one-on-one
Interaction with KU students: hatching a game plan?
Final day at the Jawalakhel Rotary with the President of the Rotary (Mr. Gadul S. Rana)
Evening at the Rotary discussing ways to continue the collaboration with the study abroad program
More discussion at the Rotary
In appreciation, the Jawalkhel Rotary giving us some memorabilia
This was the final day of our trip. Ms. Greta Rana, a fellow Rotarian, hosted us that evening with home cooked dinner and a cake. It was quite an honor for the UNM team. Thanks Greta.
Our UNM student Kelly did some post-trip adventure in Kathmandu with our program coordinator Sushila Adhikari (KU student), who is also a yoga trainer. Hmm, let me guess! Kelly seems to be doing some yoga perhaps.
