Varanasi certainly did not disappoint. Happy that we had daylight to get our bearings, Cheri and I checked into more of a backpacker hostel on day two. We were centrally located and surrounded by other travelers. After talking to many travelers from various locations (UK, Australia, Sweden) we realized that our one month jaunt is the shortest trip we've heard of. Travelers on their second of three months also wail about how much they will miss and how much there is to see in India. With less than three weeks, I feel that I have seen a lot without too much stress.
While in Varanasi, we wandered the labyrinthine streets while dodging cows, dogs, beggars, motorcycles, cow pies, monkeys, streams of betel nut/tobacco spit and processions of chanting men carrying a dead loved one on an orange shrouded stretcher. Our new hostel was a ten minute walk (once we stopped getting lost) from the main burning ghat. Fires are burning 24 hours per day and as many as 300 bodies will be burnt every day. This particular ghat burns only Hindus and all Brahman that want to be burned will be burned with the exception of children, pregnant women, holy men, sufferers of small pox, lepers and those who died by cobra bite. It is believed that these individuals are either blessed or pure and do not need the cleansing process provided by the burning. It takes three hours for a body to burn and it is a very strange experience to stand among ten pyres as bodies lay in various degrees of transformation. We went to visit this ghat each day but never stayed more than fifteen minutes or so. In our few visits, we saw a skull literally explode (does anyone know why this would happen) as it burned. We also saw one of the fire tenders try to move a body to help the burning process. He used a large bamboo pole to move the body and threw the bamboo pole aside when he finished. Almost instantly, two of Varanasi's countless dogs sidled up to gnaw the burnt flesh from the end of the bamboo. I am sorry to focus on the gruesome aspects as the process seems much more cathartic and happy than any funeral I have ever attended. The cremation process is a happy event as it is the end of the cycle of rebirth. Understandably, photos were not permitted during this process. Even when trying to take pictures from a great distance to give a sense of the layout, I got a good tongue lashing.
On January 30, we went for a sunrise boat ride on the Ganges. Having taken a free boat ride during the previous evening sunset, we had a sense of the area and it's beauty. January 30 was a festival day. We heard that it was a Punjab festival and we also heard that it was a Sikh festival so we weren't quite sure what to expect. Either way, we quickly saw the crowd that the festival provided. The ghats flowed with undulating colors as men, women and children ventured to the Ganga (local pronunciation). Sarees, orange flowers and the deep orange of sunrise made for a truly unbelievable start to the day. This hour long ride was riveting enough to allow the fatigue from our 5am wake-up to subside temporarily. The only other signs of a festival that we saw during the day were at a seemingly heated demonstration in the center of town. Men screamed into a megaphone and were echoed by an emphatic crowd. Wary, Cheri and I took a detour and a few blocks later saw a constant stream of stern looking police officers headed right where we had come from. No news spread of any trouble but I was happy to distance myself from the pulsating energy.
We are now in Allahabad, another holy city that drew 70,000,000 people to the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna and Saraswati rivers for Kumbh Mela. We arrived one day after a smaller gathering of holy men and lugged our bags through a sea of bearded, painted holy men in all orange. Quite a sight indeed.
We intended to continue to Jaipur in Rajasthan today but we were unable to get a ticket departing before mid-day tomorrow. We will spend about a week in Rajashtan before heading south to see Mumbai and Goa.
Still great here!
Love to all.
Ira
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
The elusive Taj
Cheri and I got up early in order to reach the train station for our 7:10am train. We endured the swerving and halting of our auto- rickshaw on the way and arrived with plenty of time to spare. We quickly learned that our train had been fogged in and that the price had been refunded. No Taj Mahal that day. Unfortunately, that price was paid by hour hostel manager and was refunded to his online account. Unable to get an afternoon train, we spent an extra day relaxing in Delhi. We spent more of the next 24 hours asleep than we did awake so it seems to be a blessing in disguise.
When we made out train (only 30 minutes late arriving) we were excited to be only a night train from the Taj Mahal. Instead, we arrived 3 hours late, checked in to our hostel in the wee hours and got a late start in Agra. After walking to the Agra Fort and posing for countless photos with Indian children and full families (a common trend so far) we were headed to the Taj Mahal with plans to arrive around sunset. We arrived at around 5 and learned that we were 45 minutes from closing. Rather than feel rushed, we decided to wait another day.
Jan 26, 2010 was the 60th Indian Republic Day and we were headed to the Taj Mahal finally! After a trip to the Baby Taj (built before the Taj Mahal and entirely out of marble) we worked out way to the Taj Mahal at 3pm. Upon arriving at 4pm, we saw that the line was at least 100 yards long and moving slowly. With plenty to look at, Cheri and I waited (the women's line was non-existent, I was stuck in the men's line). Cheri headed in first and when I finally got inside, I saw her posing in photo after photo, getting pictures taken with every individual from a family of at least 8 people. Several hours of awe and crowds brought us through sunset and up until we were being kicked out at closing. The Taj Mahal is truly incredible. Seeing the marble change color as the sun continued to set was simply breathtaking.
That same night, we went to the Agra train station in time for our 11:30pm overnight train to Varanasi. The train arrived shortly after 2am and I promptly fell asleep in my triangular casket shaped berth. Close the the train ceiling, I had to wedge myself into the berth in such a way that by legs could bend (the berth was under 6 feet in length) and allow then to fit between the metal supports. Surprisingly, I fell asleep almost instantly and slept on and off until 1pm. Scheduled to arrive at 2pm, I felt great!! When the train emptied out and we began chatting with fellow travelers at around 4pm, we still had quite a way to go. With extra space and good conversation, the next several hours flew by and we arrived at 9pm, nearly 22 hours after we were scheduled to depart. Mice, cockroaches, food sellars and beggars frequented the train but all in all it was very enjoyable.
We're now in Varanasi and after a morning walking along the Ganges, seeing holy men, shrouded corpses and plenty of washing/bathing in the river, we are settled into our hostel, preparing for more to come from this Hindu holy land.
Love to all,
Ira
When we made out train (only 30 minutes late arriving) we were excited to be only a night train from the Taj Mahal. Instead, we arrived 3 hours late, checked in to our hostel in the wee hours and got a late start in Agra. After walking to the Agra Fort and posing for countless photos with Indian children and full families (a common trend so far) we were headed to the Taj Mahal with plans to arrive around sunset. We arrived at around 5 and learned that we were 45 minutes from closing. Rather than feel rushed, we decided to wait another day.
Jan 26, 2010 was the 60th Indian Republic Day and we were headed to the Taj Mahal finally! After a trip to the Baby Taj (built before the Taj Mahal and entirely out of marble) we worked out way to the Taj Mahal at 3pm. Upon arriving at 4pm, we saw that the line was at least 100 yards long and moving slowly. With plenty to look at, Cheri and I waited (the women's line was non-existent, I was stuck in the men's line). Cheri headed in first and when I finally got inside, I saw her posing in photo after photo, getting pictures taken with every individual from a family of at least 8 people. Several hours of awe and crowds brought us through sunset and up until we were being kicked out at closing. The Taj Mahal is truly incredible. Seeing the marble change color as the sun continued to set was simply breathtaking.
That same night, we went to the Agra train station in time for our 11:30pm overnight train to Varanasi. The train arrived shortly after 2am and I promptly fell asleep in my triangular casket shaped berth. Close the the train ceiling, I had to wedge myself into the berth in such a way that by legs could bend (the berth was under 6 feet in length) and allow then to fit between the metal supports. Surprisingly, I fell asleep almost instantly and slept on and off until 1pm. Scheduled to arrive at 2pm, I felt great!! When the train emptied out and we began chatting with fellow travelers at around 4pm, we still had quite a way to go. With extra space and good conversation, the next several hours flew by and we arrived at 9pm, nearly 22 hours after we were scheduled to depart. Mice, cockroaches, food sellars and beggars frequented the train but all in all it was very enjoyable.
We're now in Varanasi and after a morning walking along the Ganges, seeing holy men, shrouded corpses and plenty of washing/bathing in the river, we are settled into our hostel, preparing for more to come from this Hindu holy land.
Love to all,
Ira
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
In Delhi
Amsterdam was a nice end to my European trip. With Cheri's arrival, I was able to break my habit of avoiding museums that cost any money. When I had two days on my own, I took a free walking tour and got a good sense of the city. When Cheri arrived, we walked all around Amsterdam, visiting the Anne Frank house, the Van Gogh Museum, the Heineken Experience and the Sex Museum. The Heineken Experience was the most expensive but included three free Heinekens. With the forgetfulness of the bartender and the generosity of fellow tour members, Cheri and I managed 5 ice cold Heinis and definitely got our moneys worth.
We wandered the red light district, trying to decide if we felt better for the women parading in front of their windows or those who were occupied behind a closed curtain. The free tour shared information that a window can cost as much as 150 euros for an 8 hour shift while women commonly charge a minimum of 50 euros for fifteen minutes. It seems like a very lucrative though unenjoyable line of work. The creepy, lurking men really emphasized the bad side of the gig.
Yesterday, Cheri and I flew separately to London. Though our round the world travels share locations and travel dates, we never fly on the same airplane. Cheri arrived in London at around 7pm and thanks to my previous visit, I was able to recommend a comfortable, central waiting point. Unfortunately, my flight was delayed and she had to wait for over three hours. A benefit to cultural readjustment is that nearly everything is new and exciting. Seeing crowds, eating basic foods and chatting with strangers can make the hours fly by. When I arrived, Cheri was perfectly comfortable and we went to visit Sally and Suzie in their new digs. SF family friends for many years, Sally and Suzie were great hostesses, giving a place to sleep and helping give Cheri a proper London tour while I flew to India.
I left at 11:50am. I arrived at 1:30am local time and after customs and baggage claim, realized that both ATM machines were down. I had only 8 pounds left, too little to take to the ForEx. After some negotiations, I managed to exchange 8 pounds and one euro for two samosas and 525 rupees. I paid a bit extra but was very happy to be able to get underway.
I got a pre-paid taxi and was on my way at 3:45am. Due to heavy fog, visibility was similar to that on Skyline Blvd. at night. I could see the hazards of other vehicles 50 or so feet ahead but could see nothing else. Shortly after 5am, the taxi driver was still unable to find my hostel. I had detailed, written directions and a phone number but we weren't able to manage. At this point, I used my failsafe method of visiting a ritzy hotel. I have had success with this approach in Vienna and in Budapest so thought I would test my luck. My pre-paid taxi tried to charge a hefty additional fee for driving me around for so long. We came to an agreement that 180 rupees (4 dollars) and 5 Ghana Cedis would cover the 700 rupees he hoped to get. I know that he was trying to overcharge me a bit but appreciated the comfort of the taxi. I insisted that he wouldn't be able to exchange the Ghanaian money but he insisted that it was a fair exchange.
I was helped into the nice hotel by doormen and was greeted by the concierge. Unfortunately, internet access would cost 400 rupees per hour (almost nine dollars). The friendly concierge knew that I was close to my hostel and apparently could tell that I wasn't a nine dollars per-hour kind of spender so he helped me get proper directions, called a taxi and gave the taxi driver the hostel phone number.
I arrived at the Blue Sapphire Hostel at 6am and slept until 2pm. Cheri arrived at 3 and we have been sorting out various odds and ends, trying to think of the best way to deal with the next month in India. There is a very distinct smell (similar source but different ingredients from the Ghana smell) and noise that I already appreciate.
Off for some good food and more rest.
Love to all!!
We wandered the red light district, trying to decide if we felt better for the women parading in front of their windows or those who were occupied behind a closed curtain. The free tour shared information that a window can cost as much as 150 euros for an 8 hour shift while women commonly charge a minimum of 50 euros for fifteen minutes. It seems like a very lucrative though unenjoyable line of work. The creepy, lurking men really emphasized the bad side of the gig.
Yesterday, Cheri and I flew separately to London. Though our round the world travels share locations and travel dates, we never fly on the same airplane. Cheri arrived in London at around 7pm and thanks to my previous visit, I was able to recommend a comfortable, central waiting point. Unfortunately, my flight was delayed and she had to wait for over three hours. A benefit to cultural readjustment is that nearly everything is new and exciting. Seeing crowds, eating basic foods and chatting with strangers can make the hours fly by. When I arrived, Cheri was perfectly comfortable and we went to visit Sally and Suzie in their new digs. SF family friends for many years, Sally and Suzie were great hostesses, giving a place to sleep and helping give Cheri a proper London tour while I flew to India.
I left at 11:50am. I arrived at 1:30am local time and after customs and baggage claim, realized that both ATM machines were down. I had only 8 pounds left, too little to take to the ForEx. After some negotiations, I managed to exchange 8 pounds and one euro for two samosas and 525 rupees. I paid a bit extra but was very happy to be able to get underway.
I got a pre-paid taxi and was on my way at 3:45am. Due to heavy fog, visibility was similar to that on Skyline Blvd. at night. I could see the hazards of other vehicles 50 or so feet ahead but could see nothing else. Shortly after 5am, the taxi driver was still unable to find my hostel. I had detailed, written directions and a phone number but we weren't able to manage. At this point, I used my failsafe method of visiting a ritzy hotel. I have had success with this approach in Vienna and in Budapest so thought I would test my luck. My pre-paid taxi tried to charge a hefty additional fee for driving me around for so long. We came to an agreement that 180 rupees (4 dollars) and 5 Ghana Cedis would cover the 700 rupees he hoped to get. I know that he was trying to overcharge me a bit but appreciated the comfort of the taxi. I insisted that he wouldn't be able to exchange the Ghanaian money but he insisted that it was a fair exchange.
I was helped into the nice hotel by doormen and was greeted by the concierge. Unfortunately, internet access would cost 400 rupees per hour (almost nine dollars). The friendly concierge knew that I was close to my hostel and apparently could tell that I wasn't a nine dollars per-hour kind of spender so he helped me get proper directions, called a taxi and gave the taxi driver the hostel phone number.
I arrived at the Blue Sapphire Hostel at 6am and slept until 2pm. Cheri arrived at 3 and we have been sorting out various odds and ends, trying to think of the best way to deal with the next month in India. There is a very distinct smell (similar source but different ingredients from the Ghana smell) and noise that I already appreciate.
Off for some good food and more rest.
Love to all!!
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
A new favorite
Though Prague was gorgeous and I had a great time, I fell in love with Budapest instantly.
After a very long, very late night dancing throughout Prague, I made it to the bus station with an hour and a half to spare only to learn that one seat remained. By the time my information was processed, of course the seat was taken and I had to get back on Metro and head to the train station where I paid three times the price. In the end, I enjoyed the space and ability to walk around. However, the directions I wrote down were from the bus station so when my train arrived an hour late, I was in Budapest at 11:30pm with no idea where to go.
I took the first taxi of my travels only to learn that Goat Hostel was not well known. As the driver took me across the Danube, I got a great view of the Citadel, Parliament and other gorgeous buildings that I would visit the following day. I remembered the Metro stop from my directions and was dropped off with the plan of winging the rest. I walked back and forth along what seemed to be the correct street. Lugging my bags, I eventually wandered into a 4 star hotel and was given permission to use the free internet. Even with directions, I couldn't find the hostel. I was directed right back to where I had been walking and when I asked at a bar, I was told that I was one door away. There was absolutely no signage other than a bolded Goat Hostel written among a dozen residences on the address label. After it all, the hostel is very nice.
The next morning, I walked up Gellert hill, read about the rich history of Budapest and kept on walking. I visited the Parliament building, and kept going until my legs, exhausted from dancing, 6 hours on the train, wandering with my luggage and walking around Budapest were very ready for the thermal baths. I spent nearly two hours going from sauna to sauna, pool to pool before heading back for a great sleep.
I was greeted by two very cool Australian girls. After chatting for a bit, we went out for what turned out to be incredibly good Hungarian food. Today, the three of us ventured out with the goal of reaching Statue Park, a park full of Communist statues. We got to appropriate bus station, waited a while and were finally told that the transport workers were on strike and that we wouldn't be able to make it. Instead, we visited a gorgeous indoor market, ate more great Hungarian food, met more fun travelers, went out for more great Hungarian food and came back here.
We've just started a movie. Tomorrow, I fly to Amsterdam tomorrow and will meet Cheri two days later.
Love to all'
Friday, January 8, 2010
Snow makes me shutter happy
A few hours after arriving in Vienna, I joined a group of three Chileans in conversation and went from there. We had a few beers and instead of sleeping early like the old, frugal traveler I've been, I went out on the town with a group of 21 and 22 year olds. We trekked over a mile through dumping snow to a bar where I instantly hit it off with a group of ex-pats. I danced up a storm, chatted a great deal and trekked back through the snow at about 4am. People kept buying my beers so I managed to stay frugal while giving up my early bedtime.
A late wakeup allowed me an energized day of wandering picturesque Vienna. I took an incredible amount of pictures. My inexperience with snow makes everything so much more exciting. Incredible architecture under a layer of snow and clear sky could not be beat.
A more mellow night, a 5 hour train trip, 2 hours lost wandering ( I will print directions next time) in Prague and I arrived at my current hostel. Today allowed for another day of beautiful architecture and a layer of snow. The snow continued to dump and it was about 20 degrees out. More pictures (uploads to come, I am borrowing a laptop) in Prague than in Vienna I believe. It's gorgeous here and I have two more days to explore. I don't think I will make it to the bone church, I will see how I'm feeling. Really loving this trip and all of the fellow travelers.
Love to all!
Ira
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
When in doubt, have a beer
Since arriving in Bratislava, I have been worried that I wouldn't give Slovakia it's proper due. It's cold and for the most part quite unattractive. No tourist website had much to recommend. Nevertheless, I decided to give it the good old wander to see what I could find.
After a nice, inexpensive lunch, I decided to head back to the hostel on another road. I saw a saw a nice local pub with no prices starting in a number higher than 1. I stopped for a beer, had a second (a local beer I can't remember the name of) and was joined by a friendly mustachioed Slovak and his son. We chatted a bit, I explained that I was in Slovakia for no reason in particular and they offered to drive me to the castle in order to get a good look at Bratislavan history.
There were a few beautiful sights and after wandering, getting lost and finally getting the bus back to the neighborhood of my hostel, I realized that I had never strayed more than a mile from my starting point. Not a huge city but at least I gave it a proper look. Now off to Vienna!
Love to all.
After a nice, inexpensive lunch, I decided to head back to the hostel on another road. I saw a saw a nice local pub with no prices starting in a number higher than 1. I stopped for a beer, had a second (a local beer I can't remember the name of) and was joined by a friendly mustachioed Slovak and his son. We chatted a bit, I explained that I was in Slovakia for no reason in particular and they offered to drive me to the castle in order to get a good look at Bratislavan history.
There were a few beautiful sights and after wandering, getting lost and finally getting the bus back to the neighborhood of my hostel, I realized that I had never strayed more than a mile from my starting point. Not a huge city but at least I gave it a proper look. Now off to Vienna!
Love to all.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Solo again
As of 4:30am on Jan 2 I was on my own again. I was on my own in a nice hotel for the first 8 hours or so which I must say was very nice. I slept in, made my fifth trip to the gym in our 3 day stay and I took another hot shower (they just don't get old!)
I found Peace and Love Hostel and checked in around 2pm. Though I pretty much figured out the metro system, I somehow misread a street sign and walked WAY out of my way. When I reached my room after climbing 6 flights of stairs I was pretty spent. I wandered a bit, worked on applications but called it a night pretty early.
Luckily, the first Sunday of every month offers free admission to all of the museums in Paris. I spent the day (as many hours in lines as in museums) at the Louvre (meh) and the Musee D'Orsee (awesome!!). Walking along a hallway of Renoir, Monet, Manet, Van Gogh, Cesanne and others all in a row was unbelievable!! I am not a museum guy but I was blown away. I am not a fan of people taking photos of paintings. I am not sure why it bugs me so much but I really can't stand it.
This morning, I had to pick up my passport at the Indian visa office. Officially pick-up hours aren't until 2pm but I was lucky enough to skip the line and be in and out before 9am. I got back to the hostel and tried to buy my morning coffee. In exchange for getting ice from about 100 feet away, I was given free coffee and juice. When I was getting the juice a guy offered me a buttered baguette. I know I'm easily impressed but the day started WAY better than I had expected.
Things got a little less easy as the day went on. Nothing too bad though. I arrived at the bus station (my airport was over an hour outside Paris) well in advance and was behind an irate Frenchman. I don't understand much french but it sounded as though he was yelling something like "I'm an impatient ass and I'm going to make a scene even though there's nothing that can be done." The friendly woman behind the counter kindly replied something like. "I'm sorry but there is nothing that can be done." and changed windows to give me a chance. The impatient fellow pushed me out of the way and forced me to give him a big shove and my pretend I can fight face. I got my ticket, the angry man got sorted out and we were on our merry way.
Unfortunately, somebody must have spilled my plot to the authorities because my duct tape and jump rope were confiscated so I couldn't go through with my tape-n-skip terror plot. I bought my 5 euro ticket weeks in advance so I could duct tape people in place and whip them with my jump rope.
I made it to Bratislava and did my best to figure out where to go based on signs. I teamed up with two young french women and with the help of a Slovak woman and an Italian woman, we found the hostel in which I am typing.
I may head to Vienna for the day tomorrow and to Prague at night. Bratislava doesn't really call to me. We shall see.
Love to all
I found Peace and Love Hostel and checked in around 2pm. Though I pretty much figured out the metro system, I somehow misread a street sign and walked WAY out of my way. When I reached my room after climbing 6 flights of stairs I was pretty spent. I wandered a bit, worked on applications but called it a night pretty early.
Luckily, the first Sunday of every month offers free admission to all of the museums in Paris. I spent the day (as many hours in lines as in museums) at the Louvre (meh) and the Musee D'Orsee (awesome!!). Walking along a hallway of Renoir, Monet, Manet, Van Gogh, Cesanne and others all in a row was unbelievable!! I am not a museum guy but I was blown away. I am not a fan of people taking photos of paintings. I am not sure why it bugs me so much but I really can't stand it.
This morning, I had to pick up my passport at the Indian visa office. Officially pick-up hours aren't until 2pm but I was lucky enough to skip the line and be in and out before 9am. I got back to the hostel and tried to buy my morning coffee. In exchange for getting ice from about 100 feet away, I was given free coffee and juice. When I was getting the juice a guy offered me a buttered baguette. I know I'm easily impressed but the day started WAY better than I had expected.
Things got a little less easy as the day went on. Nothing too bad though. I arrived at the bus station (my airport was over an hour outside Paris) well in advance and was behind an irate Frenchman. I don't understand much french but it sounded as though he was yelling something like "I'm an impatient ass and I'm going to make a scene even though there's nothing that can be done." The friendly woman behind the counter kindly replied something like. "I'm sorry but there is nothing that can be done." and changed windows to give me a chance. The impatient fellow pushed me out of the way and forced me to give him a big shove and my pretend I can fight face. I got my ticket, the angry man got sorted out and we were on our merry way.
Unfortunately, somebody must have spilled my plot to the authorities because my duct tape and jump rope were confiscated so I couldn't go through with my tape-n-skip terror plot. I bought my 5 euro ticket weeks in advance so I could duct tape people in place and whip them with my jump rope.
I made it to Bratislava and did my best to figure out where to go based on signs. I teamed up with two young french women and with the help of a Slovak woman and an Italian woman, we found the hostel in which I am typing.
I may head to Vienna for the day tomorrow and to Prague at night. Bratislava doesn't really call to me. We shall see.
Love to all
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
