We spent 3 nights here, having reached here on the overnight train. That was an experience not to be missed, or done again. We took a boat ride on the river, a serene, positive experience we found.
As the bells rang out over the morning air, we're transported in time. Just the sound is incredible, and we board the boat.
There's a lot here and we wonder what we'll see. Our guide points out the burning ghats (one that burns 200 bodies a day)...
...we go closer, but I'm not photographing what I see. The soles of 2 feet... and I look away. However, through all of that, it is silent. I ask why no one is screaming and crying... 'they're not allowed to' he says. 'Women aren't allowed there... they have soft hearts' he says. "Oh OK... why... don't men cry?" I ask... ...'not here, it's a holy place...' (his voice drifts off and I think about what he's saying... and realise how free we live, emotions and all).
We follow the boat ride with a walk through the old Town.
A very eclectic vibe here. The narrow streets and little doorways are cool, as is all the colour. Around the corner a cow eating rubbish, on thd step a pair of jeans with dog poo on top, along the road a pile of wood, and just in here, an aromatherapy shop. I buy something for stress... it'll make a good perfume as it's pretty hot here.
I feel we saw a lot here, all different sides to Varanasi and we upgraded to a really nice hotel across the river. That was a treat.
K
My India... Varanasi... How can they sleep here in this place, where fire brews and gurus snooze. A melting pot of ingredients mixes live cable with cocktails into a smoking slurry paste. Step on down, the Dream Genie gives back to the river a giGanges amount of DNA, to be sifted by the hanky chief Master of Spin. Working hard or hardly working. No sweat Dahl (kf2024)
