Don't they know I'm allergic to Red Dye #5?
Varanasi is the dictionary definition of a CLUSTERF**K.
If I were to choose a highlight (or lowlight) of the entire trip, I would say the sheer madness that is Varanasi would be it.
The sights, the sounds, the SMELLS. Everything coming at you at once; a complete sensory assault!
One day there felt like a month. I’m exhausted just typing about it.
We were there only a few days, to witness the morning and evening prayer ceremonies along the banks of the Ganges river and basically avoid touching or eating anything.
For this section of the trip, I’ll let the pictures (and captions) do the talking. I sure wish I could attach a few smells to this blog…
The Official Beer of India. Bottled at the Source (the Ganges)
Our first buffet in India - The peas/spinach/mint were pretty good. The sweet and sour chix? Uh..they got the sour part right!
The locals enjoying a fresh, diverse buffet.
I'm just a cow, chillin'. Looking for love...in all the wrong places.
These are left around for good luck. They're also a good Curry starter kit.
Kids selling flowers and candles for prayers. Slumdog Millionaires in training.
The candle I lit for my Grandmother
We crawled into boats on the Ganges to watch the morning prayers.
The ancient temples along the river banks are called Ghats.
Bathtime! The Ganges is 97% Feces, which means great for the complexion as well as population control.
A little YOGA at the butt crack of dawn.
Buddhist monks against a Ganges sunrise.
Escape from Varanasi! I felt very Indiana Jones.
In India, you can find a buffet anywhere! It's better than Vegas!
A random shrine whilst wandering the streets...
Holy Man (a fake one) but I paid him handsomely for his time (50 cents) The woman behind was pissed.
Our usual breakfast. Masala omelette! They're egg yolks look like egg whites. Hmm...
The spot where Lord Buddha gave his first sermon.
The Bodhi Tree where Buddha first acheived enlightenment. (The original is gone but this one was propogated from the original)
Your typical India rush hour. Life and limb, always at risk.
Just imagine the smells.....
Varanasi Nightlife. Hold onto your wallets. And your internal organs.
Walking to the Ganges for the nighttime prayer ceremony. Weren't we just here? The craziest street on the planet.
Some lovely haut couture for the Hindi fashionista in us all.
Nighttime prayer ceremonies
Chicken Tikka Masala, so good! The only time I ate meat and did NOT regret it.
Love the pictures, Bryan! Especially your extreme closeup (I know you just wanted to show off those beautiful eyes!) and the polka dot one. Those poor women!