Making the Most our Time in KTM

So today we finally have L's travel visa to the U.S. in our possession (hallelujah!) and we've been finding creative ways to pass the time until our Sunday PM flight (thanks to all of you Kathmandu-trekkers who have sent us suggestions...keep 'em coming!). Here are some things we've been doing:

1. Hanging poolside at the Yak and Yeti. If you're coming in the future, strongly consider hanging at a hotel with the other adoptive parents. You'll meet some fascinating people from all over the world who are sharing the same journey and struggles you are. And its a great support network to have for the emotional roller coaster of being here. As one mom noted, it seems that every family has a couple of really, really good ideas for making the most of this experience, bonding with children, navigating the process, etc. So the collective wisdom of our little poolside community that gathers from about 10 AM - Noon every day has been a great blessing.

2. Visiting the "must see" sights here in KTM. We finally made it to Durbar Square, Kathmandu (there are THREE different "Durbar Squares" to choose from in the valley), which is a World Heritage Site (so we can cross this one off our list). The upside to this little walking tour is that you definitely FEEL the history (you feel like you're in an Indiana Jones movie...) and you can get in your pagoda-picture quota for the entire trip. The "Kumari-Ghar" is here, the home of Nepal's "Living Goddess," who currently happens to be a five-year old in a lot of makeup and ceremonial dress. You can't see here if you're a tourist, but you're offered a picture of her for fifty rupees about fifty times in the 10 minutes it takes to tour the ancient courtyard.

Kumari House: Home of the Living Goddess...a bit spacious for a 5-year-old, don't you think?!

And let me offer a big heads up here to all Westerners visiting any tourist sites in Nepal right now (and this is the downside): tourist traffic is way down and so you stick out like a sore thumb. And that means all sorts of people are going to be on you like white on rice: they want to sell you stuff, pay them to tell you about all the stuff you're seeing, beg from you, etc. Its so intense at times, it almost takes all of the fun out of things, especially when you're trying to be sure your son (who is WAY more interested in chasing pigeons than the history of his culture at this point), doesn't fall into one of the dozens of "shrine in a box" holes in the ground that are everywhere. We found the best excuse is "we already have that," which after being here for 22 days, we do have one of nearly everything. And its pretty funny to say that to a Hindu holy man who offers you "eternal enlightenment." (And wants to charge you 25 rupees for taking his picture...after he lets you take it - say "yak cheese!").

This looks like the start to a bad joke: "So three Hindu holy men walked into a bar..."

One cool thing about Durbar Square is that you can climb right up on the pagodas and such for picture-taking opportunities. In the US, they'd have it all roped off and take all of the fun out of climbing on loose bricks that are 500 hundred years old. Not here - feel free to climb right up next to the stone image of Shiva in his destructive manifestation known as Bhairav.

Let me introduce you to Big Bad Bhairav: they make government officials swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth in front of this god - or he will eat you...

3. Find some pizza to remind you of home. "Fire and Ice" in Thamel is our favorite. But we did bend and finally try out the Pizza Hut on Durbar Marg (King's Way - and there's a KFC downstairs but spicy recipe only...) that just opened, the very first chain restaurants in the history of Nepal (nope, no McDonald's here...tough to sell burgers in a country in which the cows are gods and look a little puny - anyway). Not bad, with a personal pan about $3 US. But let's just say that the "Teekha Paneer Makhani" pizza isn't exactly an equivalent subsitute for supreme.

Got Chicken?  Because you're not getting too many Quarter Pounders out of this guy

The big point in all of this is that you'll need to come to Nepal (or any country you're adopting from) prepared to do a lot of waiting. Finding ways to entertain yourself and your adopted child are key for surviving, instead of sitting around all day fretting about the next step.

J playing bagh chal (meaning :move the tiger-Nepal's National game) with a local.

For us, its been a balance of getting out and about and just trying to relax with new friends and enjoy the time we have to give our love and attention to our new little big man. Because little does he know, he's got to share us with three sisters when we get home!