Eating Out in Kathmandu--Part 1

Hi!  I hope everyone reading this is having a nice day!  We're enjoying exceptionally beautiful spring weather after a mild winter.  Of course, the sky is hazy these days and the spring rains have started.  This means you can't see the mountains these days. 

It doesn't even look like they could be there, does it?  But they are!

Here is the same field (see the same white house) a few months ago.

If you're planning a trip to Nepal, try to come in the winter.

Yes, it's colder, but you can be pretty sure you'll get to see the mountains!

Anyway, this post is going to show you some of the places we eat lunch at when we go to Kathmandu on our days off.  Kathmandu has some lovely restaurants and many varying kinds too.  Even though we've been here almost four years already, we have hardly even scratched the surface of where to eat!

One place we like is the Roadhouse Cafe.

This is the branch in the tourist area of Thamel.  There are at least two other locations that we have been to.  Maybe there are more!  Anyway, their menu has a nice large selection, including hummus (that's delicious!) which I usually order to take home!  Yum!  The decor is cute too.

The bathroom has a cute mosaic theme.

If you order the bruschetta, you'd better be hungry!

For Chinese cuisine, we recommend the China Garden at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.

Here you will find good food and friendly service.

The Crowne Plaza also has an Italian Restaurant named Al Fresco that we really like.

 

(This picture is from their website, as I can't find ours!)

 

For Mexican food fans, there's The Lazy Gringo!

 It was started by a couple from Arizona who lived here for a number of years.

We met them at a Thanksgiving "party" at the American ambassador's house.

They have since left Nepal, and someone else has taken over.  We haven't been there

since the new management started, but now I think we'll have to go soon as this picture

has me thinking about the homemade tortilla chips that are to die for!

Once in a blue moon we go to the Everest Fast Food Cafe, which is a chain all around Kathmandu.

Their cheese naan is delicious--really delicious!

To give you an idea of prices, here is part of their menu.

(The exchange rate is about 100 to one, so for example that plate of cheese naan was about $0.75!)

Yes, Kathmandu has a Pizza Hut and a KFC.  

(Actually there are more than one--not sure exactly how many!)

It's nice inside and the food is good too!  We go there now and then for fun.

They usually have American music playing, so it's homey for me!

The KFC has several vegetarian options, all good, but a little spicy for me!

I do have a funny KFC story.

Soon after we got here, some of the kids asked me if I knew what KFC stood for.

"Why yes.  It's Kentucky Fried Chicken."

"HOW DO YOU KNOW?!" they asked incredulously!

(Maybe they hadn't actually met anyone who knew what it was yet!)

"Well," I said, "I've BEEN to Kentucky!"

"SHE'S BEEN TO KENTUCKY!  SHE'S BEEN TO KENTUCKY!"

They were so impressed!

(Smile!)

To end this "Part 1" post, here's a restaurant we haven't tried yet!

Stay tuned for more good places to eat in Kathmandu!

Have a lovely and blessed week!

In Between Our Days Off...

Hello!  We hope you had a great week!  We did and we're thankful!  

I'm taking a break from the "Days Off" posts to report what's been happening in between our days off--yes, when we're working!  (smile!)

Ramon has been busy since teams of medical volunteers from Sydney Adventist Hospital have been (and still are) here.  The first team, an OB/GYN team, performed 82 uterine prolapse and other female surgeries!  Prolapse is a difficult and unfortunately common problem here that many women silently suffer from--sometimes for many years.  Frequently carrying heavy loads like this contributes to the problem.

Finally having an end to their discomfort is an amazing occurrence for them.

Here are some of the visiting doctors helping the women.

The second team (here now actually) is a burn contracture reconstruction team.  They're also from Sydney Adventist Hospital and Open Heart International.  We're glad they're here since (according to the World Health Organization) burns are the second most common injury in rural Nepal.

What a blessing this team is to patients who have been very badly burned (and some even deformed) and didn't think they could ever get help.  Imagine their faces when they see the results of their surgery!  Working with the team are two plastic surgeons from Kathmandu, who will also do any follow up procedures that may be necessary.

At school, we had final exams, because the school year has ended! Then we practiced for and had the annual program which formally ended the school year of 2070!  Yes, in case you don't know, Nepal follows an ancient Hindu calendar called the Bikram Sambat calendar and New Year's Day 2071 will be on April 14.  If you missed it, the post about our first Nepali New Year is here.

Now, for some pictures of the cuteness I get to see at school every day!

These two precious sweethearts got in a little extra choir practice with my karaoke machine.

Here's a Nepali dance practice.

After practice, the older ones made New Year's cards,

and the little ones had fun coloring,  (Aren't they adorable?!)

and just playing.

(For my family and friends--let me know if you'd like to make a donation
so I can upgrade their toys!)

Finally it was the day of the program, and the rest of this post will show you that.
These handsome young men entertained themselves while waiting for the program to start.

This group just sat around being cute!

Finally the program started.

The Nursery and Kindergarten students sang a sweet song in Nepali.

As they exited the stage, some of the Playgroup students peeked under the curtain.

"Is it our turn now?"

"Yes, now we can go on stage and sing for Mommy & Daddy!"

"Good job Sweethearts!"

Next it was time for my Primary Grades Choir.  Since I was directing, I only have a picture of them during practice.  They sang "Hearts Courageous" and it was wonderful!

The older ones, with the signs of the main words (also written in Nepali underneath the English--after this picture I did trace over the letters in black) sat on the front of the stage.
 They wore whatever clothes/costumes they were going to wear in their next part.
They did such a good job and I'm so proud of them!

The older ones singing stayed on the stage and sang "Smile, Smile, Smile" next.
(You can see their nice outfits.)

Next it was prize distribution time.

"WHEN will it be my turn???"

Next we had dancing,

a play,

and more dancing.

"I LOVE this one, don't you?!"

Next we thanked our student missionaries for all they have done.
It's hard to believe, but they are leaving very soon.  We will surely miss them and wish them all the best in their future!

Then there was a beautiful culture parade and song.

As all good programs do, ours ended with food!
"Hmmm, what's in here?  Yum!"

Well, I hope you enjoyed our program!
See you next time, and...

Happy 2071!