There it was, this black wedge, arrogant and proud, the fierce wind sending a plume of whiteness like the mane of a great lion king off its summit. No other peak looks quite like that. Thamel is where they can stay cheap, eat cheap, swap information, socialize and sign on to group treks or hire guides and porters for their own adventures. Serious mountaineers preparing to take on such challenges as Everest and Cho Oyu from the Tibetan side routinely fly into Katmandu and gear up here before shifting operations across the Chinese border. In truth, Katmandu is not a beautiful city.
Tap water is hazardous to all but the fully acclimated.
So is driving. Cows, revered by the largely Hindu population, wander at will, producing comfort for believers, sudden moves by traffic and, of course, the usual bovine byproduct. Dogs roam back streets. But there is beauty here. Not all roads, what roads there are in Nepal, lead to the mountains, but that elusiveness only adds to the magic.