{"id":6285,"date":"2014-05-16T21:13:41","date_gmt":"2014-05-16T14:13:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/?p=6285"},"modified":"2014-05-16T21:44:58","modified_gmt":"2014-05-16T14:44:58","slug":"templemania-ktm-division","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/2014\/05\/16\/templemania-ktm-division\/","title":{"rendered":"Templemania, KTM Division"},"content":{"rendered":"<p align=\"justify\">In case you missed \u2018em:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<div align=\"justify\">Brilliant new post, \u201c<a href=\"http:\/\/www.economic-undertow.com\/2014\/05\/10\/scorecard\/\">Scorecard<\/a>\u201d, from Steve Ludlum at <em>Economic Undertow<\/em>.<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div align=\"justify\">Also a very good recent <a href=\"https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/doomstead-diner\/collapse-cafe-steve-ludlum-part-1-fundamentals\">podcast<\/a> with Steve, in which he lays in, but good, to the folly of the \u201cWaste-Based Economy\u201d.<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div align=\"justify\">Guy McPherson interviewed by some heavy-hitters recently: <a href=\"http:\/\/resistanceradioprn.podbean.com\/mf\/web\/89chtb\/ResistanceRadio041314.mp3\">audio<\/a>, by Derrick Jensen; and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=G1GyIohx-tU\">video<\/a>, by Thom Hartmann. In both, discussing the latest Climate Change news.<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\u2022<\/p>\n<h3>News From Bangkok<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/P1300332.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;\" title=\"P1300332\" src=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/P1300332_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"P1300332\" width=\"644\" height=\"364\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h3>News From Chiang Mai<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/P1300346.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"background-image: none; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto; border: 0px;\" title=\"P1300346\" src=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/P1300346_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"P1300346\" width=\"580\" height=\"772\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\">Boy, am I glad my name ain\u2019t \u201cRon\u201d! (Hold your applause \u2018til the very end, please.)<\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\">The Lychee Mongers down at the park are <em>almost<\/em> in full swing. It\u2019s a whole line of vendors selling <em>only<\/em> Lychees, of varying grades. As of a few days ago, the metal frame for their awning\/tent structure had been erected. Soon after, the tarps went up. Then the stall infrastructure. By yesterday, lots of \u2018em were ready to go, waiting for their product. One vendor had even begun selling. Lychee season about to go into mothafuckin&#8217; <em>overdrive<\/em>!<\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><a href=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/P1300347.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;\" title=\"P1300347\" src=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/P1300347_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"P1300347\" width=\"644\" height=\"484\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\" align=\"justify\">\u2022<\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\">It\u2019s easy enough to be disdainful of Kathmandu\u2019s temples \u2013 especially having witnessed first-hand e.g. the jaw-dropping beauty of those here in Chiang Mai, the bombast of those in Bangkok, the surreal weirdness of those in George Town, and of course the overwhelming scale and artistry of the Temples Of Angkor.<\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\">Kathmandu\u2019s almost seem like an afterthought: dilapidated, defaced, nothing-special architecture, just jammed into the middle of the block (or even buried back in courtyard behind a street\u2019s shoppes). They\u2019re easy to miss altogether, as many are just quite small.<\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\">I mean, how would you like it if you were a goddam religious sculpture, and your face was all bashed in and covered in birdshit?<\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><a href=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-04-30-160136.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"background-image: none; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto; border: 0px;\" title=\"2014-04-30 - 160136\" src=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-04-30-160136_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"2014-04-30 - 160136\" width=\"580\" height=\"772\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\">Or you were a goddam stupa, and somebody had written graffiti on the wall right behind you?<\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><a href=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-04-30-155730.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;\" title=\"2014-04-30 - 155730\" src=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-04-30-155730_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"2014-04-30 - 155730\" width=\"644\" height=\"429\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\">Or you were a beautiful little carving, and people\u2019d rubbed red dye all over your face, and jammed a bunch of crap into your mouth?<\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><a href=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-02-145344.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"background-image: none; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto; border: 0px;\" title=\"2014-05-02 - 145344\" src=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-02-145344_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"2014-05-02 - 145344\" width=\"580\" height=\"772\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>You might think you\u2019d gotten the pointy end of the shaft.<\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\">But the truth (or at least, one blogger\u2019s estimation) is, the red\/orange colourings make the carving and sculptures much more interesting<em> and <\/em>more aesthetically pleasing\u2026<\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><a href=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-02-145512.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"background-image: none; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto; border: 0px;\" title=\"2014-05-02 - 145512\" src=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-02-145512_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"2014-05-02 - 145512\" width=\"580\" height=\"772\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><a href=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-02-145642.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"background-image: none; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto; border: 0px;\" title=\"2014-05-02 - 145642\" src=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-02-145642_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"2014-05-02 - 145642\" width=\"580\" height=\"772\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><a href=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-02-150531.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"background-image: none; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto; border: 0px;\" title=\"2014-05-02 - 150531\" src=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-02-150531_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"2014-05-02 - 150531\" width=\"580\" height=\"772\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><a href=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-02-180824.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"background-image: none; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto; border: 0px;\" title=\"2014-05-02 - 180824\" src=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-02-180824_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"2014-05-02 - 180824\" width=\"580\" height=\"772\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\">\u2026While the general lack of respect makes the spaces feel more terrestrial, less hallowed. For those of us who consider Religion the more dangerous the more seriously it\u2019s taken, this last is a welcome sight indeed.<\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\">This piece, for instance, was located off in a forgotten corner of a nothing temple far away from the hubbub of Thamel or the busy market areas or the famous World Heritage sites. Maybe, if it were all polished up and sitting in a museum, it would seem slight. But here, in its specific environs, it seems like practically the neatest thing ever.<\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><a href=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-04-30-160436.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;\" title=\"2014-04-30 - 160436\" src=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-04-30-160436_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"2014-04-30 - 160436\" width=\"644\" height=\"429\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\">Besides, having bird <em>shit<\/em> on you means having birds <em>themselves<\/em> on you. And <em>that<\/em> makes you look way the more awesome.<\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><a href=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-04-30-154007.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"background-image: none; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto; border: 0px;\" title=\"2014-04-30 - 154007\" src=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-04-30-154007_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"2014-04-30 - 154007\" width=\"580\" height=\"772\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-01-085640.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;\" title=\"2014-05-01 - 085640\" src=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-01-085640_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"2014-05-01 - 085640\" width=\"644\" height=\"429\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\">Anyway, the craftsmanship is undeniably gorgeous, no matter how battered and bruised, weathered and worn, downtrodden and demoralised it may be.<\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><a href=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-04-30-153820.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;\" title=\"2014-04-30 - 153820\" src=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-04-30-153820_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"2014-04-30 - 153820\" width=\"644\" height=\"429\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-01-110147.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"background-image: none; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto; border: 0px;\" title=\"2014-05-01 - 110147\" src=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-01-110147_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"2014-05-01 - 110147\" width=\"514\" height=\"772\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-01-110707.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"background-image: none; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto; border: 0px;\" title=\"2014-05-01 - 110707\" src=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-01-110707_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"2014-05-01 - 110707\" width=\"580\" height=\"772\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Anyway, it\u2019s just cool: The architecture\u2026<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-01-103820.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;\" title=\"2014-05-01 - 103820\" src=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-01-103820_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"2014-05-01 - 103820\" width=\"644\" height=\"429\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-01-105637.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;\" title=\"2014-05-01 - 105637\" src=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-01-105637_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"2014-05-01 - 105637\" width=\"644\" height=\"429\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2026the freaky\/strange imagery\u2026<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-02-161735.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;\" title=\"2014-05-02 - 161735\" src=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-02-161735_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"2014-05-02 - 161735\" width=\"644\" height=\"429\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-02-145239.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"background-image: none; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto; border: 0px;\" title=\"2014-05-02 - 145239\" src=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-02-145239_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"2014-05-02 - 145239\" width=\"580\" height=\"772\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2026the juxtaposition with everyday surroundings\u2026<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-01-104051.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"background-image: none; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto; border: 0px;\" title=\"2014-05-01 - 104051\" src=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-01-104051_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"2014-05-01 - 104051\" width=\"580\" height=\"772\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2026the trees invading the shrines\u2019 spaces, and then being incorporated into the designs\u2026<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-02-160023.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;\" title=\"2014-05-02 - 160023\" src=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-02-160023_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"2014-05-02 - 160023\" width=\"644\" height=\"429\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-02-160120.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"background-image: none; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto; border: 0px;\" title=\"2014-05-02 - 160120\" src=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-02-160120_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"2014-05-02 - 160120\" width=\"514\" height=\"772\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-02-160224.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"background-image: none; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto; border: 0px;\" title=\"2014-05-02 - 160224\" src=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-02-160224_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"2014-05-02 - 160224\" width=\"514\" height=\"772\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230;All so frickin\u2019 badass!<\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\">One neighbourhood temple worth seeking out is Bhatbateni. Just a small little nothing at the corner of a busy intersection. Walking around the outside are a bunch of great little mural pieces. I had read that some of the artwork in Kathmandu temples is pretty lewd, but hadn\u2019t seen much evidence before this.<\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><a href=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-02-165526.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"background-image: none; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto; border: 0px;\" title=\"2014-05-02 - 165526\" src=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-02-165526_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"2014-05-02 - 165526\" width=\"514\" height=\"772\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-02-165549.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"background-image: none; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto; border: 0px;\" title=\"2014-05-02 - 165549\" src=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-02-165549_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"2014-05-02 - 165549\" width=\"514\" height=\"772\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-02-165704.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"background-image: none; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto; border: 0px;\" title=\"2014-05-02 - 165704\" src=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-02-165704_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"2014-05-02 - 165704\" width=\"580\" height=\"772\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Both naughty <em>and<\/em> violent \u2013 somebody notify Tipper Gore!<\/p>\n<p>And then, peering inside \u2013 the inside is almost too small to even enter \u2013 I had the breath knocked clean out of me. It\u2019s these two big marionette things.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-02-170055.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"background-image: none; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto; border: 0px;\" title=\"2014-05-02 - 170055\" src=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-02-170055_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"2014-05-02 - 170055\" width=\"580\" height=\"772\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-02-170040.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"background-image: none; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto; border: 0px;\" title=\"2014-05-02 - 170040\" src=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-02-170040_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"2014-05-02 - 170040\" width=\"580\" height=\"772\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\">Don\u2019t know what it is about them. So beautiful and terrible, and so unlike anything I\u2019d previously seen or expected to see. My reaction was similar to that upon <a href=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/?p=2812\">seeing<\/a>, two years ago, the \u201cBig Buddha\u201d at Bangkok\u2019s Wat Kalanyamit: just completely overwhelmed with\u2026something kind of amazement.<\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\">You\u2019ll look at the photos and think, \u201cWell, that\u2019s stupid.\u201d Partly, that\u2019s \u2018cause I was still trying to manoeuvre to get some good shots when a man told me photos weren\u2019t allowed there; and partly it\u2019s \u2018cause of the old photos-can\u2019t-do-it-justice thang.<\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\">But, damn, it&#8217;s moments like those&#8230;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\" align=\"justify\">\u2022<\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\">So, Kathmandu\u2019s Durbar Square is one of a handful of World Heritage sites scattered about the Kathmandu Valley. It\u2019s basically where the various kings commissioned Big Impressive palaces and temples to be built. And they are big, and impressive, and cool. The really Big Huge temple, though, is only open to the public one day per year \u2013 looks good from the outside, at any rate.<\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\">And there\u2019s one palace where the \u201cgoddess\u201d lives. They select an eight-year-old girl, and she lives in this place. And sometimes, she sits in the second-floor window and brushes her hair or whatever. Then, at age twelve, she\u2019s not a goddess anymore, and has to go live with the hoi polloi again. And they pick another eight-year-old to be a goddess now. Well, anyhow, she wasn\u2019t brushing her hair when I was there.<\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\">Located on the grounds is the most amazing carving \u2013 possibly the most amazing I\u2019ve ever seen. It\u2019s Khairav (Shiva all duded up in his Destroyer mode), and it\u2019s a <em>crackerjack<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><a href=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-01-093401.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"background-image: none; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto; border: 0px;\" title=\"2014-05-01 - 093401\" src=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-01-093401_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"2014-05-01 - 093401\" width=\"580\" height=\"772\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><a href=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-01-093526.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"background-image: none; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto; border: 0px;\" title=\"2014-05-01 - 093526\" src=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-01-093526_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"2014-05-01 - 093526\" width=\"514\" height=\"772\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-01-093440.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;\" title=\"2014-05-01 - 093440\" src=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-01-093440_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"2014-05-01 - 093440\" width=\"644\" height=\"429\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-01-093548.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"background-image: none; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto; border: 0px;\" title=\"2014-05-01 - 093548\" src=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-01-093548_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"2014-05-01 - 093548\" width=\"514\" height=\"772\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-01-093853.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"background-image: none; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto; border: 0px;\" title=\"2014-05-01 - 093853\" src=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-01-093853_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"2014-05-01 - 093853\" width=\"514\" height=\"772\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\">And the architecture, and the artwork, and the scene is very cool in the same way that Kathmandu\u2019s temples generally are very cool. But apart from the Khairav there, the best thing about the Square is the pigeons. No shit!<\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><a href=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-01-074619.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"background-image: none; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto; border: 0px;\" title=\"2014-05-01 - 074619\" src=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-01-074619_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"2014-05-01 - 074619\" width=\"580\" height=\"772\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-01-091328.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;\" title=\"2014-05-01 - 091328\" src=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-01-091328_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"2014-05-01 - 091328\" width=\"644\" height=\"429\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-01-091446.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;\" title=\"2014-05-01 - 091446\" src=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-01-091446_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"2014-05-01 - 091446\" width=\"644\" height=\"429\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-01-091709.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"background-image: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border: 0px;\" title=\"2014-05-01 - 091709\" src=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-01-091709_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"2014-05-01 - 091709\" width=\"644\" height=\"484\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-01-093025.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"background-image: none; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto; border: 0px;\" title=\"2014-05-01 - 093025\" src=\"http:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/2014-05-01-093025_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"2014-05-01 - 093025\" width=\"514\" height=\"772\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\">Why are there so fucking many of them? \u2018cause people feed them like there ain\u2019t no tomorrow. And then, inevitably, some little kid runs in and puts the scare to them, sending them all flying madly off hither and yon. And if you\u2019re standing close by, the verisimilitude is pretty astounding. It looks like they\u2019re going to fly right smack into you; but then, at the last second, they don\u2019t &#8212; but they\u2019re still close enough to feel a surprisingly large force of wind generated by their flapping wings as they all rush by.<\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\">This-here footage <em>kind of<\/em> gives an idea\u2026but not really. Still, it\u2019s fun to watch.<\/p>\n<div style=\"width: 640px;\" class=\"wp-video\"><video class=\"wp-video-shortcode\" id=\"video-6285-1\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" preload=\"metadata\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"video\/youtube\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=X8OMmrd9R8U&#038;_=1\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=X8OMmrd9R8U\">https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=X8OMmrd9R8U<\/a><\/video><\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\u2022<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In case you missed \u2018em: Brilliant new post, \u201cScorecard\u201d, from Steve Ludlum at Economic Undertow. Also a very good recent podcast with Steve, in which he lays in, but good, to the folly of the \u201cWaste-Based Economy\u201d. Guy McPherson interviewed &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/2014\/05\/16\/templemania-ktm-division\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6285","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-culture"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6285","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6285"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6285\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6285"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6285"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/durianapocalypse.net\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6285"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}