Crazy Kathmandu and the Very Divisoria-like Area of Asan

Five minutes. It took us five minutes to cross a 7-meter wide road in one piece. I’m the queen of the road when I cross the streets, in Manila. I'm having a hard time crossing a narrow strip of road, this really bothered me. Startled, I sat on a bench somewhere and started to grasp what was happening which pacified me after a while. And then something just popped out of me, What’s the rush Carla? You’re in Kathmandu, just enjoy it!

Sige nga... Tawid ka diyan...

People rushing, children scampering, peddlers roaming, tourists rambling and cars, motorbikes and tuk tuks hustling on cobblestone roads and alleys. That crazy and fascinating street scene greeted us on our first morning in Kathmandu (check for discounted tours in Kathmandu).

It was our first day in Nepal and though we’d plotted some interesting sights to see, me and my buddy decided to stroll around the streets of Kathmandu that morning. Early morning scenes of rushing caught us unaware. We were lost in all that’s happening; lost in a very good way.

Dazed and confused, we just sat somewhere and observed. We sucked everything all up and got totally engrossed. We were captivated with the chaotic order that’s happening around us. It’s crazy but it’s also fun.

Our feet dragged us to this Divisoria-like area of Asan (Asan Tol/Asan Twāh). A ceremonial, marketplace and residential square in Kathmandu, this area is jampacked with fresh produce, different spices, textiles, and everything you could possibly think of - very Divisoria in Manila.

With six streets converging on Asan, it can be described as a typical traditional Asian marketplace and constantly packed with local shoppers.  Small shrines can also be seen on convergent streets with some locals offering some flowers and stuff. Old structures of marvel architectures are also notable. My buddy was so ecstatic pointing his weapons in all directions and taking snapshots of some old-fashioned structures that seemed untouched by the developments of the outside world. It was very charming.

We enjoyed being there that we didn’t wanna leave. Not for shopping or anything but we just love the feeling of being there right in the middle of all the action; that feeling when you’re stuck in the middle of nowhere and not knowing where to go and what to do.

That is quite a welcome over there. As always, I didn’t check out what to expect and it worked for me. The old school, right-in-your-face ambience of the marketplace totally captured us, the bewildering yet amusing scenes of the very strong Nepali customs and traditions as seen on the streets of Kathmandu that even the most brilliant photographer couldn't capture it, for sure.

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