An Epic Overland Journey from Lhasa, Tibet, to Kathmandu, Nepal

Barbara Weibel at Geu La Pass in Tibet with Mount Everest and the Himalayan Range in the background

I’d given up on ever traveling overland from Nepal to Tibet. Three times I had tried and failed. The first tour I booked in Kathmandu, a number of years ago, was cancelled when the Chinese government suddenly closed the border. My second try a couple of years later was much the same. When monks began … Read more

VIDEO: Nepalis Celebrate New Year in Pokhara, Nepal

People flock to Fewa Lake in Pokhara to celebrate New Year in Nepal

I celebrated Nepali New Year in Nepal, this past April. My second home of Pokhara sponsored three solid days of performances in the park, including band performances, traditional dancing, and singing. But for me the most interesting part was just roaming the streets and watching the families that had traveled from afar, shopping, meeting with … Read more

A Tale of Three Temple Restorations in Nepal’s Kathmandu Valley

The fully restored Boudhanath Stupa today, perhaps the most successful of the temple restorations in Nepal

In April, 2015, a massive earthquake in Nepal killed nearly 9,000 people and injured up to 22,000. The worst damage occurred in Gorkha, an area located in the foothills of the Himalayas, about halfway between Kathmandu and Pokhara. Within minutes, entire villages crumbled to the ground. Roads and other infrastructure were so damaged that rescue … Read more

PHOTO: Colorful Wooden Boats on Phewa Lake in Pokhara, Nepal

Colorful wooden boats on Phewa Lake in Pokhara, Nepal

Pokhara is the second largest city in Nepal as well as the second most popular tourist destination in the country. I’ve visited Pokhara at least ten times over the years and it offers much for tourists, but for me the city’s most impressive sight has always been the colorful wooden boats on Lake Phewa. The … Read more