I love Nepal!

This trip just keeps on getting better and better! Thursday afternoon (I think) we arrived in Kathmandu, Nepal. Kathmandu is like an Asian version of Cusco and has a great vibe (a much welcomed change to Dhaka). The city is generally much more colourful than any we had seen on this trip with buildings of all pastel colours you could imagine. The architecture is also amazing (not plain old cement buildings like Dhaka). After settling into our very authentic (but nice) hotel, we wandered the incense-filled, vendor-lined streets looking at the countless ancient Hindu temples. There are a lot of Buddhist monks in Kathmandu which I guess can be expected since 'religious pilgrimage' was an option on the visa application.
Yesterday, we took a mesmerizing trip from the Kathmandu valley down to the Teri (flatland) region of Nepal. We visited the main research station for pulses. It was a little chaotic and I feel really sorry for the scientist here who are working with very limited resources and a lot of discontinuity within their jobs and programs (all government inflicted). The lentils we have seen so far are growing amongst a lot of weeds (only about 60% ground coverage with crop) or are so deficient of boron there is very little likelihood of any yield.
Last night and tonight, we are staying at a beautiful resort right on the edge of the Royal Chitwan National Park. Last night we saw a cultural presentation that included some 'stick dancing' (a dance the natives do). I looks like it would be quite dangerous to learn. First thing this morning, we went on an elephant safari (rode on elephants through the jungle) and saw 2 rhinos, a stork, an eagle, a couple peacocks, a bunch of deer and some monkeys. After that adventure, Shauna and I rode our elephants (bare back = very scary) to the river and helped the mahutes wash our elephants. It was one of the coolest things I have ever done! After lunch, we all went on a jeep safari through the jungle. We saw more rhinos, birds and a different kind of monkey. I guess I should explain why we are jungle-safaring instead of looking at lentils. Government employees (our Nepali colleagues) are on strike, so are not working. If they are still on strike tomorrow, we are going to rent a vehicle (we can't use the bus that we have been using since it has government plates) and will drive to Pokhera (I may have spelt that wrong). However, we did observe a few lentil fields on the back of our elephants on the way to the jungle this morning ...