Phokara: Nepal

The Atithi Hotel and Spa is the nicest place we've stayed in so far and our third floor balcony should have a view of the Annapurna peaks were it not for the clouds. It's nice to chill for a few hours watching tennis on TV.

Early to rise again to leave at 5.45am for Sangarkot up in the hills above Phokara. This is were EVERYBODY comes for sunrise views of Annapurna. It's a bit of a bunfight on the 3rd story rooftop of one of many viewing "restaurants" in the area.

What a colourful surprise at Bindhyabasini Temple. There's a ceremony this morning where married women make offerings and pray for the health and wellbeing of their husbands! 

Back in town we have breakfast at  our hotel before heading out again to visit the Peace Pagoda, built on the top of a hill above town.

If you need a break going up or down all those stairs, stop off at the 'Life is Beautiful' coffee shop where they take coffee pretty seriously. We tried a Himalayan variety grown in the hills above Phokara.

The Devi waterfall and the Gupteshwor Cave are both horribly adorned with concrete steps and gaudy decorations.

A canoe trip on  the Phewa Lake to an island temple was a pleasant jaunt.

On our free day in Pokhara, we opted for exploring the city on foot, both in the CBD and down in Lakeside, the touristy part of town, packed with restaurants, bars, jewellery stores and outdoor adventure shops selling all manner of hiking, trekking  and camping gear. There were very few tourists and too many vendors.