KATHMANDU -- Until the 1950s, Nepal's Kathmandu Valley was a place many had heard of but few had seen. That enigmatic image has changed radically over the decades, but many precious aspects of traditional Nepali culture remain -- the valley is still home to countless temples and palaces and boasts seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Located in the shadow of the Himalayas at an altitude of 1,400 meters, the valley once ruled by kings -- and still dotted with magnificent temples and pagodas -- is steeped in myths and mystery. The first cars in the valley were carried across the mountains from neighboring India, at a time when Kathmandu, Nepal's capital and the city in the heart of the valley, had a population of about 100,000. Today, the Nepali capital has some 1.6 million inhabitants.
