Nepal Elects a Prime Minister and Continues to have Political Gridlock

From the NY Times, "Nepal's bitterly divided legislature elected a new prime minister on Thursday, ending a stalemate that had paralyzed the country for months as competing political parties fought to control the government in this strategically located Himalayan nation. The new prime minister, Jhalanath Khanal, immediately called upon Nepal’s rival political parties to support his administration and work together in finishing a new constitution expected to restructure the national government."

See the full article here.

And a follow up article by the Times: HERE

"“We Nepalis, we grew up with political movements,” he explained over a cup of coffee. He had came of age amid student politics, was even jailed in 1990 for his activism. “Despite all our movements, we still haven’t been able to have the kind of change our hearts are set on,” he said. “I think that’s why we feel so happy when we see change taking place elsewhere.”
The May deadline set for finishing our new constitution is less than 100 days away, but the document remains in rough draft. The will to complete it — among the democratic political parties and the Maoists, as well as in India — appears to be wholly lacking."

A Ride Through Shivapuri Park: An Urban Forest

With a free day and a lot of energy I rode my bicycle north out of Kathmandu and made my way uphill to Shivapuri Park.  After grinding slowly up the side of Kathmandu Valley through varying urban neighborhoods the road suddenly ended at a gate guarded by frisky army soldiers.  Behind me was all of Kathmandu and in front a lush and green forest plopped right at the edge of the city.  Shivapuri is a ~20 square km forest preserve within a stone's throw of Kathmandu.  After drinking some tea and de-sweatifying myself I made friends with a hard rocking Nepali guy and we embarked on a fun, if mildly unsafe, ride through the forest.

'Morrison' (his adopted name coming from Jim Morrison) putting on his game face.

The Megadeath poster is on the other wall.

A Buddhist monastery in the middle of the forest complete with a hazy view  of Kathmandu.

Monks' slippers left at the door. We arrived just in time to hear midday chanting.

A row of prayer flags outside the monastery.