The Solo Traveler: Leaving Bhaisepati for Patan

As I was getting ready to leave Bhaisepati, I knew I wanted to begin my travels by spending more time in Patan. My weekend visit at Newa Chen had been so delightful, I chose a similar traditional place, Hira Guest House, two blocks away as a transition until I could find a long-term room.  It was a decision that changed my time in Nepal profoundly.

Hira began about two years ago with the leasing of a portion of a 200 year old Newari house, originally owned by the Hira family. The project of several ex-pats, the six-room guest house is run by a small group of young people in their early 20's. Their success providing personalized, friendly service and their enthusiasm for improving the business made them totally engaging.

The top floor, typical of Newar homes, was the restaurant and food preparation area along with the terrace. From here I could see the Golden Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, over the railing.
Some Golden Temple Professional Photos http://www.magic-photographer.com/2010/03/25/buddhist-golden-temple-unesco-world-heritage-site-patan-kathmandu-valley-nepal/

From the windows of my room on the right, family homes almost within reach.

 And from the windows on the left, more families.

Every morning and evening, the 12-year old priest from the Golden Temple, who leads for one month, made a circuit around the temple. Ringing a prayer bell and accompanied by guards (to protect him from being touched, in part), the priest stopped for prayers at several small holy places on the route.  One morning from the restaurant window, I finally got this speck of him hurrying along, barefoot, clad in white, with two men in blue shirts, one before and one after.

But it was meeting the three young people who kept the guest house going, along with two house keeping staff, that directly influenced how I spent some of my time during July and August in Patan.

My first personal conversation with Aman, the guest house manager, was about his plant growing experiment on his roof top terrace in a building several doors down the street from Hira. It turned out that his passion was a long term project on his family land in the Terai.  http://farmhousenepal.com/

If Esther had a job title, it would be co-manager.  From her, I learned that Hira Guest House's profits go to support a local orphanage. The beginnings of a website is at Mercy Mission to the Himalayas http://mercymissionnepal.org.np. She had grown up in a Kathmandu orphanage, reconnecting as a teenager with her natural family. She also lived for a while at Mercy Mission.

With the night guard who, typical of small establishments, also makes and serves breakfast, I ate eggs over easy--the only ones that qualify, in my experience in Nepal including attempts at several 5 star hotels--learned more about soccer, and went to a Sunday service at an international church.

Over the course of a month, I visited Aman's family in the Terai with Esther, went to a "bioponic" farm in Godawari with Aman, visited Mercy Mission with Esther, and got set up at the Joshi residence with Aman's help.

All in all, an internet search for an interim place to stay that turned out to be far better than expected.

A traditional Napali dinner hosted by Aman and Esther on their terrace