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Published: September 25th 2006
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The Ghats at dawn
Photo of the Ghats at dawn from a boat Finally got to the Hotel de Paris- which is an amazing if run down former guest house of the Maharaja of Varanasi. Hotel was ok- the first in Varanasi (also called Benares - blame the british colonials for misinterpreting it!) - but would not really recommend it - the slightly romantic view we had from our 10 yr old guide book was a little out of date. Whenever we told people about where we stayed over the following few days they always described it as an 'old hotel' with a smile - all the other decent ones were 'nice hotels'!.
Curry for Lunch again - but it was tasty food and we were in need of a snack. Getting a real taste for Nimbu Soda - just lime juice and soda, sometimes with sugar - really refreshing!.
The hard sell at location number three came from the hotel clerk - but we could not face it after the epic train ride. Just wandered about got a feel for the Cantonement Area where we were staying finishing with a beer in the bar at the Clarks Hotel - Really quaint Victorian Hotel - but double the price of our's a
Holy Cow!.
Cow just sat down in the middle of the road - everything else just goes on by!.. totally outrageous 40 GBP per night!.
Really do not understand the fascinatio of young Indian's for having their photo taken with complete strangers (especially Bex!). Being white we are a bit of a joke, or a hen party style challenge - but there will be photos of us across many homes in India!.
Up at 4:30am (why are we doing this again!!) to take a boat trip out on the river to see the Ghats at Sunrise on the River Ganges. After some negotiation of a boat to go out in and avoidance of some touts (do they ever sleep?). We set out from the main cremation Ghat up the river. Watched the sunrise and looked at life along the Mother Ganga. Lots of ladies bathing in full sari, yogi's meditating people praying, young men diving and swimming, washing (mmmm....) and the undertakers performing wooden fire cremation on the burning ghats. The indian Government has installed a gas fired service, but no one seems to use it!.
Varanasi it the oldest city in the world (well according to the mayor) at over 3,000 yrs and is very holy to Hindus. It attracts several thousand pilgrims a day,
plus the four million who live there. Hindus travel to the Ganges to die to be released from the endless cycle of rebirth - really amazing place, neither of us have seen anything like it before.
Wandered to the Golden Temple though the narrow cobbled streets of the old town. Passed immaculately dressed school children with dicky bows, holy cows, much, much, much cow poo, policemen with guns, bazaars selling goods and amongst all this madness and dirt - people with laptops!. The electricity is on and off in the city so not too sure what this does for the computer industry...
Visited the old Maharajas Home and museum at Ranagar and saw lots of interesting guns, swords, sedan chairs, old motor cars and such like. Tourist rate was the same as the local rate for entry - something that has not happened before (or again!).
Had a lovely rest of the day wandering amongst the locals who were mostly curious and friendly if not a little cheeky. Went to the station to figure out where the bus to Sonnali (Border of Nepal and India) left from. Went in a rickshaw and the guy deserved every extra
Hotel Paris...
The down at heel Hotel Paris - looks good from the front though.... rupee tip. Have fallen out of favour with the hotel as we have only been on one of their tours. We prefer instead to battle it out with the locals - but obviously the hotel does not get its kick back.
Disgruntled Taxi driver caught us bartering with some of the other drivers and we were unceremoniously presented with his bill on our return to the hotel!.
The next day we took a tuk-tuk with 2 very friendly guys to Sarnath, which is is the birthplace of Buddhism (Beckies fact of the day!). Saw many beautiful temples - one of the tuk-tuk drivers turned into an impromptu guide, who was very interested to find out if we were married, when it turned out that we weren't he said a little prayer for us, at which point Paul went white and I was worried that he may pass out! Walked around Deer Park where Buddha was supposed to have given his first sermon - got chased by a friendly cheeky little boy, who managed to part us with our nearly empty bottle of water, at which point he promptly emptied it out - we guess to make a few rupees by re-filling it and selling it on!!!
Went to the museum of Sarnath which was filled with lots of stone antiquities, including the four headed lion which is the image of modern India.
Got nobbled by a guy on the way back to go to his silk emporium, where beckie finally settled on a red silk scarf - hope it gets worn!
Took pity on the one eyed rickshaw driver and went to get some food for our bus journey the following day.
Ended the day with a meal at the 'Gangan Garden Picnic' in Varanassi Cant. - highly recommended with really great food, friendly Nepalese waiter and is very cheap! You can't drink beer outside and have to hide in one of the huts - very secretative!
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