Tomorrow is the day

It's pouring.

I woke up around 5 am and witnessed the town waking up to life in the morning. The markets are slowly getting populated, people were preparing breakfast in front of their homes. Women were laying out the pots to dry in the pottery square. And then, a little while later, I saw them picking up the pots and taking the away. That was the sign. Not much later it started to rain.

I enjoyed writing some postcards under the temple, keeping an eye on the activity below.
The whole peaceful scene was briefly interrupted by a convoy: a red van shouting Communist propaganda over speakers followed by many - way too many! - motorcycles, all holding and waving red Communist flags.
I'm sorry and worried for the Nepalis. I just hope they won't be taken over by Communists - they have no idea what it means. If they now experience - oops! they have spies everywhere! They must have heard my thoughts as the light just went off. I'm thankful for the generator - if they now experience so many problems, they don't know what there's in store for them next. Growing up and living in a Communist country for over 20 years - I dare to say that I have a better understanding.

Before checking out from the guest house I enjoyed some delicios home-made vegetable momos. Made fresh on the spot for me. Am I getting spoiled - the only guest in the guest house!
I left the guest house and gave in to the 2 little girls that have followed me earlier and asked me to buy them a book.
- What kind of book?
- An English-Nepali book.
-You mean, a dictionary ? Where from ?
- Here, come with us.

I have refused so far all requests for food or money. But the girls are so cute and they're request touches my heart. So I follow them in the rain. They are not sisters, but good friends. They must be 5-6 years old - I forgot to ask. One of the girls is extremely pretty and clean. She's the one speaking English and not bad at all. I follow them to thebookstore and buy them the dictionary. Suddenly I have this crazy idea to test them. So I open the dictionary and look up "blue" and ask the beautiful girl to show me if she can read.
- Blue, she reads.
- And further?
- Sky coloured.
I'm impressed. The following explanation is in Nepali - I can't even distinguish the characters.
I look up another short word "fan", but her friend does not know how to read.
I wish them luck and tell them that next time I come to Bhaktapur I want to see some progress :-) Then I say good bye to them and come to the internet cafe.
I'm sorry I didn't take a picture of them and didn't ask about their age. Next time :-)

When I entered the internet cafe there were many kids here. 3 or 4 behind each computer very focused on the game they were playing or the information they were looking up. It's interesting to watch the shift in the generations.

The guy from the agency wrote me that he couldn't find anybody else for the Mustang permit. I had this idea - since the Mustang trek starts somewhere midway on the Annapurna circuit could combine them. Unfortunately, to get the permit at least 2 people are requiredto apply. Although they each pay the same expensive fee (700USD minimum for 10 days, 70USD for every additional day). I had thought and though about it. It's expensive, but I'm here now. And given the current trend the fee will be possibly eliminated in a few years and the environment destroyed accordingly.
Well, no luck! So tomorrow I start the Annapurna circuit for 21 days. I don't know how much Internet access I'll have, if any. And I don't know yet, if I'll decide to extend it to a trek to the base camp. I'll see.

The rain is about to stop. It is more like a drizzle now. I'll head back to Kathmandu and get ready for tomorrow.

I hope the rains will cease, eventually.