Flight to Mt. Everest and the Himalayas

We left our hotel very early this morning to take an optional flight to the top of the world––Mt. Everest. Mt. Everest is the earth’s highest mountain at 29,029 feet (8,848 meters). Our flight was scheduled for 6 a.m. but we didn’t take off until 7:30 a.m. A spotter plane is sent up to check the weather conditions at the top of the Himalayas––it can be clear below and foggy on top or vice versa. If your plane doesn’t take off one day, you go back the next day. We flew on Buddha Air. The flight was about 50 minutes––to Mt. Everest and then back.

Himalaya Map

A map showing the location of the Himalayas. There are over 100 mountains in the Himalaya range.

Mt. Everest

Mt. Everest is the mountain shaped like a triangle at its top––in the middle of the photo. It was a thrill to see it up this close, though Buddha Air’s website said that we were 20 miles away from it.

Mt. Everest

My flight certificate: “I did not climb Mt. Everest…but touched it with my heart.”

I have put my photos of our Mt. Everest flight on a slideshow. Go to

http://www.peggysphotos.com/day–3a–mt–everest–flight/

(Slide Shows, Asia, Nepal, “Day 3A: Mt. Everest Flight”).

At Our Hotel

We went back to our hotel for breakfast. The hotel’s security guard.

At Our Hotel

The doorman.

Kumari Ghat, Home of the Living Goddess

After breakfast, we went to the Kumari Ghat, a palace where the living goddess lives. Entrance to it, guarded by colorful lions.

The Living Goddess

A living goddess(kumari) is a pre–pubescent girl chosen from one of two Nepalese clans and is chosen for her serenity and fearlessness among other attributes. She is considered by Hindus as a manifestation of divine female energy of “devi.” She seldom sees her family and  leaves the palace only for special events.

There is more than one living goddess in Nepal, but the Kathmandu living goddess is considered the best one and she is called the Royal Kumari.

Photo: the palace where the Royal Kumari lives. She occasionally appears for a second in the middle window. She did when we were there.

The Living Goddess

No photos are allowed of the living goddess but postcards with her picture on them could be bought. The “fire eye” on her forehead is painted on as a symbol of her powers of perception.

The Royal Palace Complex

There are many temples in the Royal Palace complex of which the Kumari Ghat is a part. Photo: one of the temples.

The Royal Palace Complex

The Nasal Chowk courtyard in the Royal Palace complex, where King Birenrda was crowned in 1975.

I have put my photos of the living goddess and the royal palace on a slideshow. Go to

http://www.peggysphotos.com/day–3b–royal–palace/

(Slide Shows, Asia, Nepal, “Day 3B: Royal Palace”).

Swayambhunath (Monkey) Temple

Our last stop of the day: the Swayambhunath Temple which nicknamed the Monkey Temple because of the large numbers of monkeys who make it their home. Legend has it that they are sacred monkeys.

The Main Stupa

There are many stupas at the Monkey Temple, the one in the middle of the photo the largest one. It dates back to the 5th century. The site is the most sacred Buddhist pilgrimage site for many Buddhists. It is the second most sacred for the Tibetans. Boudhanath is more sacred to them.

The Monkey Temple

Worshippers at the temple.

Kathmandu Valley

A view of the Kathmandu Valley from the temple.

I have put my photos of the Monkey Temple on a slideshow. Go to

http://www.peggysphotos.com/day–3c–monkey–temple/

(Slide Shows, Asia, Nepal, “Day 3A: Mt. Everest Flight”).

Monkeys at the Monkey Temple–MOVIE

Many monkeys running around at the temple. They like the monkey swimming pool––they drink from it and also swim in it. At the end of the movie, the monkeys run up a hill; most likely, it is feeding time.