Garden of Dreams [Kathmandu]

WHEN THE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE OF THE CITY GET TO YOU...

Because of the delays of our Everest flight, our plan to stroll around Kathmandu at a leisurely pace were somewhat thrown out of whack.

The combination of early wake up for the (delayed, again!) flight, cremations at Pashupatinath, and the general noise and dust from walking around the city got to us and after getting lost on our way back through Thamel to get to our hotel, we decided to stop off at the very inviting Garden of Dreams.

What a fantastic idea! Enclosed within the walls giving onto a main street right on the outskirts of Thamel is the lost city of Shangri-La. After paying at $2 fee (extra $0.50/hour for wifi access), we entered the beautiful gardens and the honking and rumble of the traffic seemed to magically disappear.

The Garden of Dreams has a pond with floor cushions, perfect to take a nap on and/or check your email. It's a quiet and peaceful place with hardly any restrictions, although the cushions are removed once the sun starts setting (and the temperature drops drastically). It is the perfect place to get your wits about you, plan your next step, take a break or simply enjoy some spare time.

Keep in mind that:
1) there is a cafe/restaurant on the premises but the prices are exorbitant.Although you are not allowed to bring your own packed meal, small bottles of water/juice and snacks are permitted.
2) the toilets are far from being dream-like and more of a nightmare....
3) it seems to be a popular place for dating couples

PRACTICAL INFO:
Open: 9AM-10PM
Fee: $2 + optional wifi access for an extra $0.50/hour