Nearly every block has at least half a dozen fax and telecom centers. Traffic lights blink myopically at paved intersections, satellite dishes crane their necks in the shadow of Buddhist shrines, and neon signs advertising everything from Panther condoms to Compaq laptops toss carnival colors across the rooftops of ancient pagodas. The cosmetic changes hint at a larger, though quieter, transformation. Computer culture has arrived in Kathmandu so fast that one wonders if it isn't an element of the survival instinct at work. Unbridled tourism contributes to congestion and deforestation.
Tibetan carpet weaving pumps heavy metals into the water table.
And cement factories fill the valley air with deadly dust. With this dispatch, Kathmandu takes an irreversible step away from its mythic reputation as a world apart. After 18 months of logistic hassles and technosnafus, the landlocked Kingdom of Nepal recently joined the Web. Every new enterprise launched in Nepal must have the blessing of the gods, and a new Web server is no exception. The images were selected by myself and Sanjib Raj Bhandari - CEO of Mercantile Office Systems , the firm responsible for Nepal's Internet connection.