July - Kathmandu, Bhaktapur (Nepal)

Thanka painting

Bhaktapur is located about 20 km east of Kathmandu in the Kathmandu Valley and is known as the 'City of Devotees', the 'City of Culture', the 'Living Heritage', and 'Nepal's Cultural Gem'. It is one of the 3 royal cities in the Kathmandu Valley. The monuments are mostly terra-cotta with carved wood columns; palaces and temples have elaborate carvings, gilded roofs, open courtyards and are dotted with pagodas and religious shrines.  

Founded in the 12th century by King Ananda Malla (according to various chronicles), Bhaktapur was the capital city of the Greater Malla Kingdom until the 15th century and was an independent kingdom from then until the 18th century.

In 1934, a major earthquake destroyed over 2,000 houses and severely damaged over 2,000 more homes. Over 1,000 people died in this quake. Restoration of many buildings was undertaken over the years, including efforts funded by West Germany in the late 1980's and by the U.S. in the 1990's.

How about having those lions as an entrance to the school

          




                                  

Bhaktapur is famous for its pottery and the pots made here are not made the same way elsewhere.


The potter

The potters wife 

Pots air drying in the square

Placing pots in the oven

Placing pots in the oven

It takes 4 days to cure the pots

The lower durbar square

There's rubbish all over the place sometimes. Dogs, crows, pigeons and chickens were helping themselves to the spoil. Only a cat was missing.

The main durbar square with the palace in white