Varanasi

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On our way to India, we stopped at Lumbini, the supposed birth place of Buddha. Then, for some reason, we decided to purchase bus tickets and train tickets for India on the Nepal side of the border. Not sure what I was thinking, but as you can imagine, once we finally made it into India, we got scammed and had to pay an additional $6 to get our tickets. To make matters worse, it was very hot, our bags were heavy, the bus was packed with people and it took 3 house to get to the train station. Tired, ticked off and hot, we then had to board a 12-hour overnight train to Varanasi. Needless to say, I was very uncomfortable and did not sleep on the train.

Upon arriving in Varanasi, I was blown away by the heat, pollution, amount of people, the smell.....all making me a bit crazy, especially after not sleeping for 36 hours straight. But luckily Ollie had his senses about him and we found a hotel (hotel Scindia, right on the Ganges river) and we showered and crashed for a few hours.

Once I recouped, I was able to begin enjoying the sights, sounds, smells and challenges of India. One can not explain this foreign land, even with photos. You need to inhale it to fully understand what is means to be in INDIA.

Varanasi is very sacred to Indians as it is home to many ghats on the holy Ganges river (ghats are places where the dead are burned and their ashed thrown into the river). It is truly an amazing site at night to see the many fires and families celebrating their relatives who have passed on.

We got some great Indian food at Ganga Fuji restaurant (I have become a vegetarian here in India) and enjoyed live music from a sitar and bongo player.

We took a boat ride down the Ganges to see the numerous ghats lining the river and took in the old fort which housed many fabulous artifacts from old India (swords, clothing, pictures and photos, furniture and more).

After a hectic two days, we say goodbye to Varanasi and hello to Agra, the home of the Taj Mahal. Another overnight train awaits me and I am not looking forward to it. The trains are crowded and the fans do not provide great relief from the heat. But hey, this is traveling!

Hope you all are doing well.

Larry

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Photos

Boarding bus to India
Unknowing of the troubles facing us ahead, we board the small bus to the Napali/Indian border town of Bhairawa.

Monkeys at checkpoint
While our bus stopped in line at one of the many military checkpoints, two monkeys take in the happenings.

Birthplace of Buddha
Before heading to India, we take a small side trip to Lumbini, the supposed birth place of Buddha. The story goes that Buddha's mother, on her way north, stopped here for a rest and, after swimming in this pond, gave birth holding on to a nearby tree.

India!
While Nepalese and Indians move easily through the "open" boarder, Ollie and I have to stop for immigration allowing me time to take this shot.

Sun rises on my India experience
I did not sleep a wink on the overnight train and as it pulled into this small station around sunrise, I stepped out for a stretch. The bars on the windows of the train give it that "prison rail" look and feel.

Ganges River
The view of the holy Ganges river from the balcony of our hotel room. The Marnikarnika Ghat, one of the oldest and most sacred in Varanasi, is directly on the other side of the spires. A "ghat" is a place where bodies are cremated and the ashes are spread into the river.

Bathing in the Ganges
For Hindus, bathing in the Ganges River is a holy experience. unfortunately, recent reports say the river is septic due to the tremendous amounts of sewage that flows into the rivers. So I passed on a dip.

Boating on the Ganges
One of the best ways to appreciate the Ganges and view the numerous ghats that line its shores is by boat.

Burning Ghat
You can see the smoke rising from the cremated body at this ghat.

Ganges Ghat and gods
This ghat shows Shiva and Luxmi, two of the Hindu gods.

Colorful world of India
The people bathing and washing at this ghat highlights the vibrant colors of the clothes worn by woman.

Washing clothes in the Ganges
As many people here do, this man continuously whacks his clothes against the rock to clean it.

Live indian music
We ate a few times at Ganga Fuji restaurant which had live music at night.

Dinner
For all of you who say that i look thin and I need to eat more, here is a photo of my dinner...Paleek Paneer, Butter Masala Paneer, Raita, Vegetable Korma and Naan Bread. Yummy. Strangely, they did not have Spicy Tuna Handrolls on the menu.

Limo....Varanasi style
Ollie and I pose with our Autorickshaw drive who we hired for the day to show us the various temples of Varansi. Total cost: $4 for 4 hours of service.

Durga Temple
Built in the 18th century by Bengali maharani. Durga is the 'terrible' form of Shiva's consort Parvati, so at festivals here they often sacrifice goats.

Roadside Tea
This roadside vendor is about to pour our cup of Chai (tea) from the boiling pot into the small clay cups. Given the tremendous amounts of tea consumed in India, they use these small, red clay cups to help reduce waste.

Ferry to the fort
I sit on the rear of the ferry along with two Indians as we cross the Ganges to the Ram Nagar fort.

Ram Nagar fort
This 17th century fort is the home of the former maharaja of Benares.

inside Ram Nagar fort
Photos are not allowed inside the actually buildings of the fort which contain an armoury of swords and old guns, gold-plated elehpant howdahs (seats for carrying people), old vehicles and even an astrological clock.

Guarding the fort
This fort guard was all to anxious to talk to me about sexual freedoms we Americans have and Indians do not.

Head Strong
On my way back to the ferry from the fort, these two ladies graciously pose for me as they carry sacks on their heads.