The Palace kora

On walking the 'kora' (the clockwise circuit around the Palace Temple, lined with prayer wheels) we encountered some urchins. Thinking I'd be kind I got out our bag of biscuits. Suddenly we were surrounded by young and old, snatching calling, swearing, demanding and filching. Lemon tied to be diplomatic (one for everyone, wait a second, etc.) which was to no use. She was trying to reason with them, but gave up when one big girl started bitterly condemning her to some kind of purgatory after death. That's when we gave up.
The kora was the opposite - so tranquil and surreal, dotted with devout monks and nuns, and walked by pilgrims. We met a couple that did that prostrate-each-step thing, twice every day. Sheep run about free, with nought but a bell as sign of ownership; prayer flags littered the mountainside, bells jangled and prayer wheels rumbled.