When the name of the town is Namche Bazaar, it's not exactly surprising that the center of town is a market.
But what a market! This sprawling display is known as "the Tibetan market" because traders trek over from that Chinese-dominated country across Himalayan passes well over 20,000 feet in order to sell their goods in Nepal. Clearly the border is someone else's line that seems made to be crossed from the point of view of the hill peoples.
It's a bustling, if cold, place on a November day -- the end of the season as the passes will soon be closed by winter snows.
What's on sale? To me, it looked like a jumble of products from Chinese factories that make knock-offs of European and American brands. Perhaps these had failed to pass inspection? For the Nepalese, this stuff is the best of bargains. The porters who carried our gear loaded an additional 3 feet of bedding bought here on top of our (relatively compact) gear. Whether these were presents for their lowland relatives or intended for resale, I didn't find out.
1 comment:
These are fascinating photos and commentary. More please.
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