Healing Bowls and More!

How could it possibly be the Together Women Rise portion of my trip ends today?  It has flown by …

And I am so pleased that as I expected all the women were lovely. The group mixed nicely, and it seemed most of us were able to spend time getting to know most of the members at least a bit.  What a treat to come home with friends as “souvenirs.”

 

We depart Chitwan and head back to Bharatpur Airport to fly back to Kathmandu.

The "small one" I described on our way ... Here is the baggage check.

Easy flight – departs on time.  Couldn’t ask for more than that.

We get back to the hotel and I then “sneak away” to the Radisson Hotel right around the corner and enjoy a lovely piece of salmon and mixed vegetables for lunch.  Yum!  (Don’t get me wrong, I have generally LOVED the Nepali food but sometimes I just want a simple taste of home.) 

I still had a few minutes left so I ducked into a local coffee shop the other gals in my group had discovered – Blue Note Cafe - for a delicious latte.

The group reconvenes for our final sightseeing.  

Off to Patan AKA Lalitpur (city of artisans) just outside of Kathmandu.

 

Click here to learn more about Patan. Add Patan to your must-see list when in Kathmandu.

 

First stop – Patan Durbar Square.  A UNESCO World Heritage Site.

 

Turns out I had visited here the first day of my trip.  I didn’t realize it until I am here again. 😂 I recognize the rooftop restaurant where I discovered my new obsession of Hot Honey Lemon with Ginger.  (This is also where I met one of the artists and saw his solo exhibition.)

 

Good news, though. I will be seeing different things this time.

 

Need to know: There are three Durbar Squares in and around Kathmandu.  I may have explained this in an earlier post, but “Durbar Square” means the plaza in front of the old royal palaces.  Since there used to be three kingdoms – means there used to be three palaces – means there are three Durbar Squares: Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur.

 

(I had the good fortune to visit all three.)

 

What makes the visit to this one special?  Our local trip leader, Anita, is from Patan.  Plus, I love art and artisanship and we have the right person to take us to the right places.

 

Plus, this one was largely destroyed by the horrible 2015 earthquake.  Read this fascinating and inspiring article about its restoration.

 

Anita takes us to admire the extravagant woodworking in one of the courtyards, and while we have seen lots of this type of work, here it is especially extravagant. 

Woodcarving is one of the specialties in this area. (Also metalwork and I will get to that later.)

Beautiful Stonework / Hi Vicky!

And I had forgotten that there are erotic woodcarvings on some of the temples until one of the gals in the group, who shall remain nameless, 😂

asked about it.

Yup, sure enough …

 Anyway, next up – Singing Bowls/Healing Bowls.  

 

I honestly don’t know much, if anything, about them but some of the others in our group were much in the know and couldn’t wait for this stop.

 

Well of course I found it fascinating, and yes, I bought one.  

(Bonus: As I was watching the demonstration I wondered if the bowl could also be used to hold a beautiful floating flower arrangement as I had seen in hotels, albeit smaller.  Right at the end of his demonstration the man said, “You can also use these for the floating flower arrangements.  SOLD!)

 

Anita took us into a shop where we were given a very helpful explanation and demonstration.  It was in the Patan Fair Trade Center

 

Healing Bowls are used for meditation by the incredibly relaxing sound they make.  (I made someone laugh when I said maybe it will help me get off my Donald Trump anti-anxiety meds LOL.)

 

Super cool, and interesting. 

 

I bought what is called a Full Moon bowl. It’s more unique than a regular one because it is made under the light of the full moon only. If I was going to buy one, why not get that one?!?!

 

Anita also then took us to a tea shop in the same area.  I could kick myself for not taking photos, but I can’t wait to get home and enjoy my tea.

 

 

Here is the tea shop ... 

I reached out to the group and Anita gave me the name – 

Swotha Kiosk Organic Tea & Coffee.  

On to The Golden Temple – a Buddhist monastery … 

 

(Well, I didn’t know that’s where we were headed until we got there. Anita had told us earlier in the day we would be going so just look below and you will see why I immediately knew where we were …)

Oooh. Yay.  More prayer wheels.  

Selfie … 🤗

I love them.  I truly find them so meditative.  Remember class, you spin them clockwise only and repeat the mantra, “Om mani padme hum.”

 

Dear God make me the jewel on the top of the lotus flower.

 

Such a lovely thought and beautiful imagery!

 

Anita then leads us through small alleyways that I never would have discovered without her.

Hi Deborah!

 

Back to the coach and hotel.

Of all places to finally get a photo of a monkey 🙈🙉🙊 😂 On the way back ... 

On the way back we start to see the buildings covered in lights for Tihar AKA Festival of Lights

Tonight, is our last dinner together.  

The day went longer than I had expected and quite honestly by the time I got back to my room I was exhausted and had a headache.  I was a party pooper and skipped the dinner.  Boo, Kristina!

 

The next morning some people fly back to the US and other continue their journey in Nepal. 

 

I continue my journey … 

 

Next up – a SUPER FUN girl day in Kathmandu!

 

But before you go, PLEASE read about Together Women Rise.  😇

 

Together Women Rise

This is not-for-profit group who organized and offered this trip AND the group who is making a big difference in the lives of women and children around the world AND the group for which I will be starting a chapter in January.

From their website ...

"Together Women Rise is a powerful community of women and allies dedicated to achieving global gender equality. We have hundreds of local chapters across the U.S. where members learn about and advocate for gender equality issues, give grants to organizations that empower women and girls in low-income countries, and build community.

 

Through collective giving, Together Women Rise funds projects that contribute to our goal of helping women and girls in the developing world achieve their potential, gain equality in their countries and cultures, and overcome economic limitations and social bias."

One this trip we visited four Grantee Organizations.  

I saw first-hand how Rise is helping to empower women and children. I also saw the level of gratitude by these groups. It was humbling to know that basically only for the cost of what I would spend on dinner once a month lives were being changed.

 

 Think of it as Socializing for a Cause.

We all love getting together for dinner, right?!?!

Why not take that same fun and add a simple twist to help make the world a better place?

 

 How does it work?

• We meet once a month, only as your schedule permits, (no commitment needed);

• We each bring a dish to share (it's nice if it's a dish from the country where the project takes place but it definitely does not have to be);

• We learn about that month's grantee organization* and country where the grantee is located;

• We learn about the specific project the organization is working on;

• We each donate the amount we would have spent on dinner if we had gone out

That's it. Super, duper easy!  

Who doesn't enjoy a pot luck and spending time with women???

What's more - you will learn so much about other places in the world, and I guarantee you will leave the meeting with a broader understanding of challenges women face around the world, and if you are like every other women I know who has attended the meetings, you will be humbled when you realize how fortunate we are in the US in so many ways. 

I have been attending meetings when I can over the past 8 years.  The time is right for me to start a chapter and I hope you will join me.

Stay tuned!

Visit their website to learn more.

*Together Women Rise selects the grantees.  There are very careful and purposeful in their selection.