New Bridge

The path between Edgehill and the hospital, which we take on our way from Uncle Tom’s Cabin to the bazaar, has had a bad break in it. The landslide that took part of the path goes all the way down to the road, probably 300 feet or so. I had to tread very carefully, staying close to the khud (hillside). Last week it was repaired by spanning the break with beams, rebar, and cement to form a bridge. It’s a little creepy walking on it, knowing that there is nothing under the outer side. But it appears to be very strong and does the job. It’s not a place where a new pushta (retaining wall) could easily be built, as is done at many spots where the mountain falls away. All this reminds me that the Himalayas are the newest mountains in the world and are still continually on the move. (We felt a small earthquake just last week.) It will be many many centuries before the loose land has completely settled and it becomes like the Shivaliks, the mountains to the south of us that are some of the oldest.

View of crumbling rock from on the bridge.

View approaching bridge from the bazaar side.