Mt Everest, highest point in the Himalaya Range, as seen from the Kathmandu Valley (Nepal).

	Old Nepalese man, with the typical weapon of the Gurkha warriors (the kukuri) sheathed and attached to his sash.
	A child plays in one of the street stalls which can be seen in Kathmandu.

Arrival at Kathmandu

     On 27th August 1997, we arrived at Kathmandu, capital city of the Nepalese kingdom. Located at 1331m, it is the largest city in the valley with this name, a populated area arising in the middle of the South face of Himalayas, "similar to a giant footprint", as Masayuki Nakamura tells us in his work Nepal Himalaya Trekking.

     The Himalayas is a cluster of snow-covered mountains which covers an area of 800km from east to west and Kathmandu is the economical, cultural and tourist center of this region. The capital city is also the starting point for expeditions towards the chain summits.

     Kathmandu (675,000 inhabitants) is a busy, colorist city with an Eastern Middle Ages taste. Before starting our defiance, and while asking for our permits, we took the opportunity to spend a couple of days there. We enjoyed the street markets in Asna Tole -the main street in the old town- and the architecture of its infinite temples and palaces.