2024 Road Scholar XII: Dhulikhel Villages (10/14/2024)

Monday, October 14, 2024

Spent the morning exploring the grounds
of the Dhulikhel Mountain Resort, with
Malvaviscus arboreus/Turk's Cap Hibiscus

Rhododendron schlippenbachii/Royal Azalea

Looks like Ipomoea acuminata
 'Blue Dawn'/Morning Glory

Dining room view of fog, which is why we were not
awakened before 6:02 to see the sunrise over the Himalayas

Thatched "umbrella"

During the Dashain Festival, these traditional
Linge Ping/swings are built

A close-up to see how the seat is created

Tamiko's turn on the swing (KSS)

Jasminum multiflorum/Star Jasmine

A small stagnant pond

Looking back at the main building with the dining room
and terrace; they even had a conference room

The view from our room, with our marigold garlands
on the window sill

A real Morenia petersi/Indian-eyed Turtle
poses with the stone turtle (KSS)

At 10:30 we began our walk to
local villages

A view towards the Himalayas, over the town of Panchkhal

Panoramic view over the valley and the village of Ravi Opi on the right

Water source for the villages

The water is carried in flexible pipes

A mudslide/washout due to the September rains

A local Ganesh temple

Suresh stands in front of Ganesh,
the elephant Hindu god of wisdom,
luck, and prosperity

There are offerings of green shoots of barley, 
and markings of tika for the Dashain Festival

Terraced fields

Kathy & Mona brought school supplies
to hand out to children

extended families lived in two-story mud-brick homes

Getting closer to the village

A newer residence

Residents post pictures of Hindu
gods and or goddesses over the front door

Vicia faba/Broad Beans

Goat and cows

Drying corn for popcorn

The Ficus religiosa/Pipal Tree is
considered to be sacred in Hinduism,
and according to the pictures around
the tree, here the locals pray to Vishnu
(who is said to be born under a pipal
tree) and, but also to Shiva and Ganesh 

The fig tree sends down aerial roots that surround the
the trunk to make it larger (or take over a smaller tree)

We noticed a swarm of honeybees
(Thanks to Terry B for the photo!)

Rooftop drying of corn, both husked and shucked

Well, here is Buddha as well;
he is said to have attained enlightenment
under a pipal tree in India,
known as the Bodhi Tree

It must be laundry day

An enterprising woman who sewed clothing,
made coin purses and Nepali topi/men's hats
to sell to people who "happened" to be walking by

The shop wares

A grandson with the treadle
sewing machine

Citrus medica/Citron is like a large lemon

The young men were inviting us down to their roof

We visited the village school, but there were no students
due to the public holiday for the Dashain Festival

The Nepali flag is painted on the wall; it is the
only non-quadrilateral national flag in the world

A new building for the school

Inside a classroom; English is taught at all grade levels

Another view of a classroom (KSS)

Classroom of a higher grade

After a three-hour hike, we returned
to the resort for lunch

A  workman is loading the basket with dirt,
which the woman will carry...

Buffet lunch and dinner usually had rice, a noodle dish,
mixed vegetables or root vegetables, chicken
and another meat or tofu, sometimes a salad
or soup, and dessert of watermelon

We had the afternoon free, and many Road Scholars booked massages. I tried to edit photos, but the laptop apparently had altitude sickness.