Photo of the Week - Manual Ferris Wheel (Kathmandu, Nepal)

Tripping through the streets of historic Kathmandu, I ventured into a ferris wheel by the river and a break from the temples and incessant hassling to purchase souvenirs. Nothing first struck me as unusual about the ferris wheel - shrieks of joy from younger children on the ride, contented parents enjoying the afternoon views along the river and jostling in the queue as new passengers were loaded.

But then the surprise - the ferris wheel had no electric power. It was powered by two young guys swinging nimbly on crossbeams across the inner part of the ride. With all the poise and balance of an Olympic gymnast, one would leap to a high crossbeam and use his body weight to accelerate the wheel before settling his feet on another beam. The second guy would similarly grab a beam near the top of its flight and further accelerate the ferris wheel repeating the ritual until the ride reached a fair speed for several revolutions before slowing to offload the delighted passengers.