I think that’s a Sheryl Crow song, but whatever… it’s exactly what I did today. 🙂
The best thing about the weather here (aside from the sun) is that when it’s 26 degrees, it actually feels like 26!! No humidity. It is great!!
Today is actually a work day, even though it’s Sunday. Part of my ‘job’ is to do a travel brochure for Kathmandu, so I thought I would go check out some more sites. I wanted to go to the Palace Museum (the royal family used to live there, but when they were overthrown in 2008 and became a republic, the Maoist government converted it into a museum), but it was closed!!
In my planning, I learned that the museum is an area called Lazimpat, where a lot of foreign embassies are, and subsequently, where a lot diplomats and ex-pats hang out. I had also found a Vietnamese restaurant, Saigon Pho, which I wanted to go to for lunch. It was supposed to be close to the musuem, but I couldn’t find it. Both plans shot down in about 20 minutes of my venture out!
I didn’t want to go back to the house immediately because I only have three weeks left of my trip and thought I should take advantage of the hot sunshine and beautiful weather, so I just started walking. I hadn’t had breakfast this morning so I was really hungry. After walking for about 20 minutes in the hot sun and starving, I just stopped off at a pub called Nanglo, the first place that seemed clean and with yummy drinks. I ordered a strawberry pina colada mocktail and some mushroom soup. The drink was delicious, and the soup was all right. It was the most plain thing on the menu as I didn’t want any Indian/Nepalese food. The place was nice and air conditioned so I stayed for a bit. I left, however, on my mission to soak up the sun.
I ended up at a place called The Coffee Shop, because I needed some caffeine, but it was not a ‘coffee shop.’ It was a nice high end restaurant with people in business suits, and me in yoga pants and a T-shirt. I had an iced coffee and read the newspaper and then left. Thinking I was done for the day, I started walking to find a cab, but then stumbled on a place called Mezze. I’m glad I went in, because I got to spend the afternoon on their rooftop patio, with a view of the Palace Museum, drink Indian wine, and sample yak meat!
It was a really nice patio, playing a mix of relaxing music and it had an awesome view. Even the street below was quiet and such a contrast from the craziness of what I saw in India. The Lazimpat area was very clean with wide streets, cars parked nicely in their spaces, drivers in their own lanes when driving. I also saw a good mix of tourists and locals which was nice too.
I ordered some chorizo sausage which came with marinated cheese and olives. It was yummy!! Next was my yak! One of the volunteers here, Bruna, wanted to try some since the first day she got to Nepal, and didn’t get a chance to. When we asked the Sherpa about it at his house, he said that a lot of places don’t serve real yak and it’s buffalo mostly, so I asked the waiter if it was real yak. He said it was… I’m going to choose to believe him haha. It was actually really good. It had the texture of beef, but a more gamier taste to it. I may have to go back for more!!
–Bea
Bea Vongdouangchanh 