I ventured deeper into the more “traditional” parts of the Katmandu valley today, and gained confidence in dealing with the Hindu people. It may sound silly, but without feeling like I belong and blend, it is difficult to work through the less touristy areas because I feel like an intruder… Other than brightly colored saris, what stands out the most on the streets are endless filth and randomly situated bovine beasts. It felt like I could not turn a corner without side-stepping feces or maneuvering around a cow. Turns out, I was not the only one with this difficulty as I came across a cow lying down in the middle of a street, holding up all traffic. As a foreigner, it was a funny sight because there was a crowd of people standing around scratching their heads wondering what to do. Cows are sacred to Hindus, and no one wanted to be the one to disturb it!

I spent several hours exploring Nepal’s famous Monkey Temple, so named for the many families of monkeys that roam the grounds. When I first approached the temple, I was chased by a monkey eager to snatch a Snickers from my hand. I must admit I was scared, and began running behind benches to get away. The monkey was diligent in his athletic pursuit, and it was not until a Nepali ran the monkey off that I regained my composure. As a token of fairness, I laid another Snickers on the bench next to me and waited for a picture of the thief in action… Throughout my entire time at the temple, I could think of nothing but the book Outbreak.