The Golden Temple, Durbar Square, and Dr. Strange

Our Saturday was pretty exciting - we started it by binge watching six episodes of The Blacklist since we finally had internet that was allowing videos through. Around noon, we decided to venture out to see what incredible cultural places were near enough to walk to. We stopped at Samir's noodle shop just a block away and watched little boys breaking pop gun strips with rocks, squealing with delight when they saw the shock on our faces from the loud noises.

Reacting to the boys across the street - they loved my shocked look the most

We headed out looking for Patan's Durbar Square, an amazing cluster of tall temples, some of which were devastated by the earthquake last April. We took a cursory look at our map, and started walking - the geniuses who had used the book before us had ripped out two pages, one containing the local map, so we guessed. We guessed wrong. After walking all the way to the bridge where Patan crosses into Kathmandu proper (2 km, a 20 min walk in the hot sun), we asked a guard if we were close, and he sent us back where we came from. Luckily, we discovered that Google Maps maintains your current location even when you don't have access to wifi, so we used it to work our way back and take the turn we had missed five minutes into the walk.

Of course, we took the back way there, stumbling onto a blockade where we were told that filming was taking place. At least, I hoped it was filming - people kept saying "shooting! shooting!" They meant shooting a film, but combined with blockades and hoards of onlookers, you never know. We turned left, not bothering to try and look through the hoards of people who were trying to catch a glimpse of the film activity, and stumbled quite accidentally on a court yard. There were other westerners there, which we don't see often, so we figured we'd follow a few of them who went through what looked like a house. It wasn't a house at all, but a passageway leading to the Golden Temple.

The Golden Temple was beautiful - a Buddhist monastery known locally as Hiraṇyavarṇa Mahāvihāra originally built in the 12th Century. The temple is famous for feeding rats, apparently, though we saw none inside, and got its name from the guilded metal plates that cover most of its front (though we came in the back door and didn't see this either). A temple priest offered that I could sit on the steps of the inner Swoyambhu Stupa in the center, the most ancient part of the temple. While sitting on a flat pillow, there is a burning alter in front of me, and just beyond that, the barred entrance to the Shakya Muni Buddha's shrine. A 12 year old boy acts as the main priest for one month before passing the responsibility on to another of his same age and gender.

I asked the priest about an older man nearby with a traditional Nepal hat. I've noticed them throughout the city, only ever worn by elderly Nepali men. He mentioned in broken English that the gentleman was deaf - I could see him signing to another child. I don't think he understood my question.

I did my own research on the hat later - it's called a Dhaka topi (topi = hat, dhaka = material). They are popular with the elderly men here as part of the national dress and have intricate patterns in a light colored weave. Their counterpart, the all-black topi (called a Bhaad-gaaule topi) is also seen. The hats are critical to be worn when in a government office or during festivals where traditional dress is expected. You can get one in the markets for around $1 USD.

 

As we wandered out of the temple through the entrance, we hit a wall of smoke, and were quickly ushered to the left side under a plastic ribbon blocking that street. Once we go our bearings, we realized we had stepped from the temple right onto the set of "Check Mate," the Blockbuster American film that they were shooting there. Ironic, avoiding it earlier only to land right on the edge of the set just before filming. We had no idea. I was much more interested in taking pictures of the extras, set in their specific spot, waiting for their queue. Smoke "machines" created loads of thick smoke, so heavy that you couldn't make out the pale figures in the center one block away. Check Mate? Wasn't that a complete failure of a movie launched earlier this year? Or is it that new one I think Chris Hemsworth was just in a trailer for? Derek and I discussed the marital rules we'd BOTH quickly break, with the permission of the other, should we meet Hemsworth. What if he needs more American extras?! (Kendra and Derek are smart, I assure you, but apparently are more hopeful than logical thinking that more pale people are needed if the company flew its cast and crew to Asia specifically to use locals in the filming). Maybe we should stand here all day just in case, and get lung cancer from the smoke - small price to pay. We contemplated our star lust and how easily it seems to take hold of our attention as we wandered towards Durbar Square.

Finally! Durbar Square. Patan is home to one of three in the Kathmandu Valley, and all are considered UNESCO Heritage sites. We took pictures of the square, climbing up on one of the ruined temple bases (what used to be Hari Shankar - picture below of it before and after the quake) to better see the center. The ruins from the earthquake are piled and stacked around the area - mostly red brick. One of the pillars is missing the icon that used to top it. This place would have been even more amazing before April - damn natural disasters.

Hari Shankar before April 2015 Earthquake

The base of Hari Shankar where we stood to take pictures

Derek wanted to go into the Patan Museum, but the incredible crowds trying to force themselves inside the police-guarded door didn't seem worth the wait, or the possible physical danger of being shoved into a rock. Why is the museum that big of a deal? Later we found out - Benedict Cumberbatch was inside shooting for the movie. The cover-name, "Check Mate," on the staff's badges and vehicles outside of the shooting site was a false front for Dr. Strange, the new Marvel film expected to release in November 2016!

I can't blame the shove-fest, knowing it now, but neither of us realized it at the time. We found out days later from others who had seen the photos leaked on twitter. Both of us agreed, now knowing the actor, that we'd both have thrown ourselves at him, in a very un-cool way, if given the chance. What is WITH that part of us? What about stardom and British accents turns us into drooling stalker types? We're really quite normal. Benedict, if you're reading this and you're still in town, we'd be happy to show you around, learn from your sage acting advise, listen to your voice...all in a very normal way, of course. We're the epitome of normal. Kind of.

Not my picture, tragically. Borrowed it from a luckier gent.

Needless to say, we didn't get to see the museum. It closes for Greatness, apparently. Maybe another day.

We found a few more temples and stupas (Sanskrit word for "heap," associated with Buddhist religious purposes) on our way walking home. We ducked into one courtyard to escape the terrible traffic and smoke and found children playing, women working, and dogs - always dogs. We had one of those moments when you think of what it would look out to zoom out slowly from where you were standing to look at the world, and swing back over to America and zoom in on your empty house and your abandoned responsibilities. It was peaceful. We're glad we're here.