Asia: Nepal

The only Hindu kingdom on Earth, Nepal still exists in a delicate balance between the influences of the modern world, and the medieval traditions of the past. Stepping onto the streets of Kathmandu is like stepping into a time warp, where the buildings of the capital are more reminiscent of story book drawings than of typical urban development. Among the 14th century facades energy pulses through the narow alleyways as life continues as it has for ages. As one journeys farther from the city the subtle roots cast by the pressures of modernization fade further into the countryside. Ethnic diversity is apparent among the 60 plus dialects and ethnicities, as is the environmental diversity which stretches from the lowland terrai jungles to the planet's tallest peaks. Truly a land of contrast, Nepal, the kingdom in the clouds has no equal.