As we arrived via train in Varanasi (it was a 23h long drive), we waited for the cab and attracted alot of attention, as usual. But a friendly indian guy waited with us, translated stuff with our driver and told us a few things about Varanasi. He was a student at the college in Varanasi and was excited to talk to foreigners and test his english with us.
Finally we found our taxi and after some searching in the streets we also found the guest house, which was hidden in a small alleyway. The owners were great. Really friendly people, warning us about current scams and other troubles. A few they told us after it happened, but I guess to warn someone about everything would take a few hours, if not days...
Anyway we had a nice stay, visited (of course) the holy river ganges. There are alot of places to go to the ganges, burning ghats is where the dead are being cremated publicly (if you don't belong to the family, you can't go too close).
Here is one of the places people will try and scam you. They say they help the poor and those without family to get wood, so they can be burned at the ganges aswell.
But it's not true. They will lead you to a place where you can see the burning bodies and if you are lucky will tell things about the ceremony. At the end they'd ask for 750 Rupees (for one kg of wood). We gave about 50, he started running after us and demanding more money. Friends of his joined, while he pursued us. But when Will and I sped up they eventually stopped following us.
Other ghats are where devotees wash themselves and their sins away. Other places are for devotion, with temples, shrines and places for puja (roughly service to the god).
Some are more commercial where boats are attached to and start river tours and other drives for tourists. From here we also started our sunrise boat ride. Some said it is something you should do as a tourist. But the captains want alot of money and the friend we got from the guest house wasn't really helpful, he just gave us in the hands of his guy and wanted a big tip later...
One important thing was the evening puja/ ceremony at one of the main ghats. Here several priests performed their rituals infront of a big crowd. Boats tied close to the bank and alot of balconies filled with tourists. At the end alot of hindus walk Down to get a blessing, recieve something blessed or just to dip inside the ganges. I aswell walked down on the last evening with Christina and we both wet our hair with the water, I tried copying a hindu ritual: you get holy water/ liquid, drink a sip and use the rest to stroke over your hair. So I drank some of the Ganges. Not too tasty, but I did not get sick!
In Varanasi we had really good lassi, there are a few Shops making them traditionely and very good! We also found an amazing dosa Café in the small alleys of the City (there are alot close to the river of Old varanasi). They also made them like Crêpe - so with cheese, Ratatouille, nutella and stuff like that. Very good
It seems to be a very open place for drugs. You might not be able to go somewhere in Old Varanasi without someone offering you Hash, Marihuana Opium or mushrooms. Supposedly there is also a temple, where people offer marihuana and it is burned there directly. I didn't g there, but I guess those priests have a great time at work!
The last day Christina got a henna. Me being open minded and her urging me to get one (well ok, she just said: "Come on Jakob! Do it!"). So I did. Later we found out, only married men (and only at the wedding itself) do men get hennas. Not just for fun like women do. Well... I'm not married. A shame really...
In Varanasi Christina and I split from Will. He wanted to go to Nepal sooner and stayed there while Christina and I left for Agra, the city of the famous Taj Mahal!
XD Sehr schöne Bilder!
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