merry christmas

Far away from city life, staying high on hills, excited by great views of ranges of snow-capped mountain peaks, I had a very special Christmas day in Nepal at Nagarkot, with two friends, A. and Y.

Yesterday we met three travellers from China, while wandering in Bhaktapur square. We were a little bit disppointed to know from them that the weather there was so hazy and it was not likely to see the sunrise and snow mountains very well. But still we left for there around noon time even though we loved this old town in Kathmandu valley, Bhaktapur so much. It was almost immediate when we entered it and grew even more in the morning haze, walking though narrow alleys, appreciating fine carvings on those century- old houses and the life seeminly unaffected at all by time and modern world.

After about twenty minutes' walk out of its eastern city gate and one hour's local bus ride, we then walked about another twenty minutes before we shouted excitedly on the half way by the grand view of snow mountain. Yes, on the half way before we arrived at our Unkai resort, the one with unblocked great view of the terraces and mountains.Those white snow capped mountain peaks up high in the distance, blue mountains in the middle and those hills with green pine forests and terrance seem to divide the sky into three levels.

We had some pretty quiet and dark (no electricity) Christmas Eve and we woke ourselves up early in the morning for the sunrise.We didn't expect much though. And together with us, another Japanese young man were all there on its open platform waiting and praying ...

In the beginning, it was a small cresent moon but quickly, pink glow filled half of its eastern sky. When the sky became brighter and brighter, we hurried to press our camera shutters again and again. We were very lucky really. We did see the gold glow on its highest mountain peak and other three. All lasted about 5-10 minutes after a full morning sun rose. And another 10 minutes, heavy haze blew around into the valley and covered everything.

This year our Christmas seemed a little quiet, no parties to go and no shopping for gifts. And three of us didn't exchange any gifts but, seeing the sunrise and snow mountains, is of course the best gift we can have for today, really.