Yakkity Yak

I've already mentioned how animals are everywhere in India, but not all animals are created equal.  There are friendly dogs, well-fed dogs, dogs that like you, and then there are dogs like the one in Kathmandu which looked so decrepit it caused me and two Brits to simultaneously yell some version of "Lord have mercy!"
Dogs near Hindu temples are often friendlier than dogs near Buddhist temples, but I don't think this has any real bearing on either religion. Monkeys near any temples will automatically take your food and eat it.  Monkeys near temples also like to chase dogs.  Monkeys get extra aggression points if the temple is sometimes referred to as "Monkey Temple".

On my trip through the Khumbu region of Nepal, I learned another important distinction.  This is a cow:

This is a yak:

Yes, he's real cute there, but when he grows up he will look like this:

Or like this:

Fun fact: the yak can only live between elevations of 3000 and 6000 meters because of his big lungs and small heart.  This is a biological truth, but it might as well be a metaphor.  Unlike a cow, he is not gentle.  He is not used to being pet.  And the best part is?  You will have to share the trail.

Cows are used to being fed.  Cows expect to be fed.  On the other hand, there is a story of one hiker who tried to walk alongside a yak and feed the little guy a bite of his Snickers bar.  He was literally gored in the ribs.  Gored.

We heard this story after one of the Aussies on my trek had tried to give the yak ahead of him a little pinch on the bum.  "Yikes," was his reply.  "I guess I'll stop playing grabass with him, then."

We all agreed that was probably a good idea.  Although it didn't stop us from making terrible yak puns all the way back down the hill.