The Family's Home

The family's home is tucked into a village, Sainbu Bhaisipati, on the outskirts of greater Kathmandu, about 10 km from the city center.  Just two decades ago, the area was mostly terraced farmland.  Walk from the house for 30 minutes and you are in Khokana, represented in the guide books as a traditional village where tourists are taken to glimpse life as it looked in the Kathmandu Valley in the past.

 

The house is large and lovely.  Following the custom here, it was completed (in 1995) for Mr. T. as a home for him, his wife, and his two sons, along with their families. In the ensuing years, Mr. T's sons moved out of the country and he has become a benevolent landlord for this family.

Beautifully constructed with marble floors, a huge fireplace, a large kitchen, many bathrooms, multiple terraces/balconies, lovely light fixtures, armoires, and a formal dinning table that could fit a dozen people, it is an elegant, but comfortable place.  The third floor has two separate terraces with a small bedroom/laundry.  The second floor contains three bedrooms, three baths, three terraces, a salon, and a large area at the top of the stairs which is larger than my living room/dining room/kitchen at home.  The formal front door opens into a large entryway on the first floor (larger than the one on the second floor).  To the left is a bedroom and bath, the kitchen and pantry with a back door leading to the school house; on the opposite side are the living room--aka billiard room, and the dinning room.

The first week I was here, a regulation billiard table arrived.  The frame came in the evening with three workmen and was set up in the living room.  It was leveled using a hose and water and patience.
The following day, the marble top arrived in two pieces, along with two workmen.  The third day, a lone workman installed the green felt top and pockets. It is substantial, functional, and seems perfect to me. Two teenage nephews are arriving next week and I'm predicting they will love it.

 I have the bedroom on the first floor, lots of windows, and plenty of storage space. There is now a proper teacher desk between the bed and the door.  Plus there is easy access to the kitchen for a midnight snack!

Taken from the bedroom window on 15 November 2013.  It is the only time the mountains have been visible since I arrived.