“Freak Street” - Kathmandu Nepal

Kathmandu Nepal is a city that has an incredibly rich history that is visible everywhere you look. There are ancient places, temples, etc. One unique part of its history were the thousands of hippies who made Kathmandu home during the 1960’s. They were drawn to Kathmandu and once there they all seemed to congregate on one particular street which became known as “freak street.” Because of this the area became famous for drug use (marijuana) and numerous businesses catering to those looking for “enlightenment”, etc. Those days are obviously long gone but “freak street” still keeps the legend alive. These days the street is filled with shops, restaurants, guesthouses, etc and the hippies have been replaced by thousands of adventure seekers from all over the world. During our first evening in Kathmandu Lindsay and I wandered down to “freak street” to simply take in the scene. We stopped at an internet café for a quick email session before heading out to simply wander. There is actually nothing particularly special about freak street these days although is still has a certain mystique about it. The numerous restaurants, guesthouses and shops lining the road give the area a very “busy feel” and the distant temples of Durbar Square are a very cool and unique backdrop. We simply wandered up and down the street over and over taking in the scene. We eventually moved on to other areas of the city but now we can say that we have walked on the famous “freak street” of Kathmandu.