Thamel's Mountaineering History

After bothering Melissa with my explanations about Whitman, we went to dinner.  Our guidebook suggested the Rum Noodle, which I was excited to try because of its connection to mountaineering.  It was literally 30 seconds from our hotel in Thamel.  This restaurant, which caters to the trekking crowd, is very popular for mountain expeditions because Sir Edmund Hillary ate there (and apparently left his signature on the wall somewhere I think).  Consequently, it has become a tradition for mountain expeditions to stop there, and each leaves its mark upon the wall.  The marks take the form of giant yeti footprints, which the expeditions draw on or sign to commemorate their trips.  The restaurant is big—many rooms—and every surface is covered with giant yeti feet describing the mountain, the date, and the participants.  It is quite cool for someone who has read a lot about Everest.  I didn’t see any of the famous people’s signatures (I didn’t want to be obnoxious and walk all around where people were eating) but apparently Hillary’s signature is there, along with Reinhold Messner, the first person to climb all the world’s 8,000 meter peaks (I think) and Rob Hall, who’s dramatic death on the south summit of Everest was described in Jon Krakauer’s outstanding book Into Thin Air.  In the pictures you can see the giant feet and more of the Buddhist prayer flags that expeditions often use to pay appropriate respect to the sacred nature of the mountains for the Tibetans and Nepalese.  Have I mentioned that I want to come back to Nepal during the clear weather season and go on a trek?  Yeah.  Any takers?