Our time in Nepal was relatively brief, yet we managed to cram in a number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, temples, and palaces, including Dunbar Square in Kathamndu; Patan, the "city of beauty"; Boudhanath, a sacred Hindu site and shrine to Shiva; the old city of Tibet; and Pashuptinah.

Kathmandu is obviously still recovering from the 2015 earthquake, even though the epicenter of the quake was in the countryside. We saw lots of rubble, destroyed and damaged buildings (unfortunately, several of the historical sites, including the heavily damaged palace), and tent camps along the river. While food flowed into the country after the quake, a blockade at the border with India (Nepal is a land-locked country) severely restricted passage of petroleum and other rebuilding supplies. Nepal blames India for this disruption, but India blames rebels along the border.

Kathmandu, while still poor by western standards and struggling with damage, seemed to us to have a stronger core than did Delhi or other Indian cities we visited. The streets were cleaner, the trash was less conspicuous; many of the shops, though still small and open front, reflected a more polished retail atmosphere ("Many many more stuffs inside" our guide told us as we walked through a shopping district, returning to our bus). While primarily Hindu, like India, Nepal also has a strong Buddhist community (Buddha was born here); because of its proximity to China, influence from that region is obvious in the people and their architecture; and, finally, Nepal seemed to be more strongly attuned to western influence (women in leggings and jeans as well as traditional saris, ball caps in the street-side shops, a higher percentage of cars in comparison to taxis and scooters, more women drivers, fewer cows in the streets).

This morning, we're packing up for the trip home. In route, we overnight in Doha, Qatar, before continuing on to Houston Sunday.