A soundscape of Dhumbhari Chowk—Our neighborhood

Gideon and I are taking it easy today.  No major excursions, beside a short walk through the neighborhood.  As I sit in the family room with the doors open to the outside, preparing to catch up on the blog, it strikes me how raucous this little corner of Kathmandu really is. 

Here’s what is ringing in my ears at this moment.
·    A crow hanging out in a tree in the yard, cawing like there’s no tomorrow, as well as countless other birds chirping in the background
·    Car horns and motorcycle horns beeping just to let everyone know, “I’m coming around the corner, down the street, past your house, to my gate.  Open up!”
·    The back-up electrical generator buzzing away, providing electricity to the house while the load-shedding black out of the afternoon is in effect
·    A plane overhead, nearing the airport
·    A man wandering down the street yelling; it seems he is selling brooms and baskets loaded up on his bicycle
·    Slippers tapping against the hardwood floor as Sunita and Bama, the new housekeeper, bustle around the house
·    Barking, howling, growling, yipping dogs throughout the neighborhood
·    A tractor of some sort rumbling down the street
·    Feng Shui, one of the four family cats, purring contentedly on the couch next to me
·    Quiet Nepali conversation between Sunita and Bama
·    The clanging of pots and pans in the kitchen below... dinner is in the making
·    A car engine revving… who knows why?
·    Someone yelling from the construction site next door… it doesn’t sound good
·    The sound of children—school’s out
·    Hammering on a wall somewhere in the house
·    The beep of the family car (I can recognize it now)… Ethan’s home from school!  Everyone get ready! 
·    Gertie, the family dog, whining with excitement, being shooed out the door by Sunita
·    Metal dragging and clanking somewhere nearby… what is that?  Ah, that’s actually the old school push lawn mower busy in the yard below.  It seems Ethan has taken over for Keshav (Kay-sab), the gardener.  A fine after-school activity, if you ask me.