River in the Sky, Gokyo Valley - Nepal Hiking down the Gokyo valley somewhere near the tiny village of Luza, the raging torrent of the Dudh Kosi river seems suspended in the sky. The trail from Gokyo down to Namche is a thigh straining 4,000 feet of vertical loss, which gives the trekker a totally different appreciation of the arduous uphill sections.

The Eyes See All, Kathmandu - Nepal The great Buddhist temple of Bodhnath stands near the center of Kathmandu's old town. A UNESCO World Heritage site, Bodhnath was constructed between 400-500 AD, although the exact dates are lost to time. Above the large white dome is the four sided harmika, and each face has a painted pair of eyes looking in one of the four cardinal directions. The 13 tired spire at the top is plated with copper and represents the thirteen obstacles to enlightenment. Only after transcending these barriers can one reach the top to the parasol, or nirvana.