A frequent sight on the outskirts of Kathmandu:

Such a stunningly beautiful country.

Such sweet, welcoming people. 

So much poverty.  So much backbreaking work.

I hope Urmila and the other great folks at BPW Patan, the microfinance bank I was here to visit, manage to do as much good as they intend to. 

Their work is as much uphill as everyone else's here.

PS my new friends Claudine and Brian have recently transitioned from white-collar America to living, working, and blogging in Nepal. Their blog, The Kathmanduo, is fabulous.