Kathmandu, day 2 (part 1); Boudnath

In the morning, I set off to see Kathmandu Valley's other famous stupa, Boudnath, very similar to the Monkey Temple, but on a much, much larger scale. Actually, it's one of the largest stupas in the world.

Just outside of Kathmandu, the town that it's in was a passing point through an ancient Tibetan trade route, and for centuries Tibetan merchants chose to rest here, making it a very popular place for Tibetan refugees today. There were hundreds of Tibetans circling the mound, offering prostrations, and turning prayer wheels. The grounds were buzzing with pleasant energy, and it was exhilarating to be a part of it.

The stupa is surrounded by restaurants, cafés, shops, and several small Tibetan temples, creating a solid wall of buildings enclosing the stupa, retaining the energy of the flowing mass of people.

I'm really not sure what other words I could add so I'll let the photos do the talking...