Boudhanath Stupa – Kathmandu Nepal

The city of Kathmandu Nepal is both beautiful and fascinating.  One of the main reasons for this is the numerous colorful temples scattered about the city.  Some of the most recognizable temples are Buddhist Stupas which are generally large white and gold dome/spire structures that stick out greatly when contrasted with the colorful buildings that surround them.  One of the biggest of these structures is the Boudhanath Stupa on the outskirts of Kathmandu.  Lindsay and I were lucky enough to visit this while being driven around the Kathmandu Valley by a personal guide which we arranged through our guesthouse.  We first caught a glimpse of the Boudhanath Stupa when our guide all of the sudden pulled off the side of the dirt road we were on and pointed off in the distance.  Beyond the colorful block houses of Kathmandu was a huge white/gold structure off in the distance.  We then made our way towards the Stupa and within a few minutes were walking along the road which leads to it.  The neighborhood around this area was particularly vibrant and colorful and Lindsay and I were loving every minute of it…despite the fact that I almost got hit by a car (I was filming a video when this happened).  Eventually we made it to the Stupa and it was honestly an overload of the senses.  The white/gold structure itself is huge but what was even more impressive was all of the color that surrounded it.  There were thousands of “prayer flags” that were strung from the top of the Stupa to the surrounding buildings.  Furthermore, there were numerous other very colorful small temples and shrines in every direction and to top things off the area was packed with thousands of people there to worship.  At one point there was a parade of worshipers that were following a man who was carrying a statue (of a God I assume).  The sights, sounds and smells of this area are unlike anything we have ever experienced.  There are also numerous bells that you can ring near the base of the Stupa (as a form of worship I assume) and as people rang those bells it added the perfect soundtrack to the day.  Lindsay and I simply strolled around and went in the various temples and buildings which were all very impressive.  However, just wandering around the base of the Stupa taking in the scene around us was our favorite part of the day.  The colorful prayer flags were stunning in contrast to the bright blue sky and white exterior of the Stupa and the air was filled with the sounds of bells ringing and children playing.  It truly was one of the most spectacular scenes we have every witnessed while traveling.  If you ever find yourself in Kathmandu make sure you don’t miss the colorful and fascinating Boudhanath Stupa.