Helllo!
Back by popular demand, we are sending MORE PICTURES from Varanasi, India.
This time there are no titles, so you have to figure out what is happening and tell us what you think (through the cool comments features just here below of course).
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Ahh, the mighty (polluted) Ganges…
It is difficult to describe what Varanassi is like in words, for those of you who have been, we are sure you understand. Varanassi is located on the banks of the Ganges river, a very holy body of water for Hindus, who come here to give offerings, pray, and many to die. It is beleived that those who die in Varanassi and whose ashes are then sent out on the river escape the endless cycle of reincarnation.
This city therefore attracts many pilgrims who come to the holy waters looking for healing or blessings (or just to do laundry). The small, crowded alley ways lined with shops are reminiscent of the Old City in Jerusalem, with the addition of cows, monkeys, dogs, goats, their “crap” and a lot of trash. Alongside all of this mess reside about 1.3 million Indians, many of them who live and sleep on the streets. At about 6 am, most of them can be found bathing in the Ganges - shampooing, brushing their teeth, etc.
For us, this is a drastic change from Nepal, yet we have come to appreciate it fully. Like they say, it is an experience for all the senses. The food is really great and weather hot. The people are colorful although can be very irritating at times (non-stop selling their merchandise), and the city definitely carries a strong sense of spirituality.
From here we head north to escape the heat, and plan to trek to a glacier in the state of Uttaranchal.
Namaste -
Our last days in Nepal were spent in Chitwan National Park, a nature reserve famous for its wide array of wild animals. The park is located in the Terrai region - or plains, and is mostly jungle. During our stay, we visited the elephant breeding center, where Udi practiced his fathering skills with a baby elephant, only a few months old. We also bathed with the elephants in the river - which is quite a riot!
In order to catch a glimpse of the animals in their natural habitat, we took a 5 hour jeep safari into the jungle. Although quite touristy, we came back very satisfied. We got to see spotted deer, antelope, two types of monkeys, rhinos, wild boars and unbeleivably so, we got to see a TIGER! This may not sound so exciting to you all, but every visitor to Chitwan has their eyes set on seeing a tiger, but rarely do they catch one. We saw one for about a minute, from a distance of course, but it really made our day (and then we got to brag about it to all the others).
After Chitwan, we left Nepal and crossed the border into India. We are now in Varanasi - the city on the banks of the holy Ganges River. So far we are loving India, although it is so very different from Nepal. Stay tuned for the Varanasi update in just a few days, and you are all welcome to leave comments here to be posted on the site.