Himalayan Kingdoms with Smithsonian Journeys

I have begun a 15-day excursion to Nepal and Bhutan called Himalayan Kingdoms with Smithsonian Journeys. I am currently in Kathmandu, enjoying the sights and wonders of this exotic locality. I'll be posting photos and stories as the trip evolves.

On my flight in from Doha, Qatar, I got some fantastic views of the south face of the Himalaya.

First view of the Himalaya to the north flying from Doha, Qatar i to Kathmandu.

I'm pretty sure this is the Annapurna massif in the center of the photo.

The Himalaya have many "fronts" that go by different names. The "hills" in the foreground are called the Lesser Himalaya with the High Himalaya as the glacier-clad peaks in the distance.

All of the relief here is due to compression of the Earth's crust as the Indian subcontinent is shoved beneath the underbelly of Asia. In the process, the crust is sliding up and over the edge of India and to the south in the direction of the photographer. Erosion sculpts the uplifted blocks as they rise.

The April 25, 2015 Gorkha earthquake called massive ground failures and landslides on the hill slopes. I can only surmise that this is what is seen here.

Entering Kathmandu, Nepalpopulation 5 million people. Thanks for reading.