India Day 4 - Varanasi

Great train journey, everything I expected. Had the middle bunk which though not easy to climb into was comfortable. The constant hum during the night of the occupants was comforting and the ride much smoother than expected. Woke at 2 and 4 when the train stopped at a couple of stations which had the brightest lights. Finally awoke at 6.30 just as we were crossing the Ganga river which was very wide with many sand banks. A little further along we passed what appeared to be tent camps, maybe army,  which we later learned were refugee camps for those fleeing Burma. Quite a pretty rural, agricultural landscape with a dotted house or very small village amongst the fields, though very flat.
We finally arrived at Varanasi around 9.30am, in a veil of fog. My travelling companion wished me well and if I was near her retreat I had an open invitation to meet her Guru.
We all climbed aboard the tuktuk's that Priyanka arranged and it was a fast and nonstop ride to our accommodation, the Hotel SLE. My god surely someone can invent a simple shock absorber solution for the tuktuk's so the vertebrae in your back don't get fused together every time you hit a bump or pothole.
We all showered before having a small meal followed with a little time free to find a shop for some essentials. If you thought Dehli was noisy and chaotic, Varanasi surpasses it easily. A cacophony of sounds assaults you the minute you walk outside, cars, tuktuk's, horns Bell's, yelling, whistles, every conceivable noise imaginable and the traffic!! There are NO rules, just every person for them selves, crazy, stressful and damn FUN. Surely there can be no way to get insurance in Varanasi.
We all them headed out to the old town to ok an AC restaurant for some lunch. It was great to watch the activity in the street below. Everything is is old, dirty and run down, if not falling down, absolutely fascinating place. Small stores or street vendors everywhere with cows/oxen wandering aimlessly along the streets and dogs lying around wherever they want.
After lunch we stepped outside into the choas again and grabbed tuktuk's to the ghat and the banks of the Ganges. We walked along for a distance to near one of the cremation areas but were advised to go no closer today as a couple of tourists had been assaulted earlier, probably doing something stupid or inappropriate as we have found the people to be so friendly and obliging. All I can say in relation to the scene is cows, dirt, beggars, pilgrims, monks, noise, kids playing cricket, boats, boat building and colour.
It was then back into century's old narrow laneways with the low doors and past altars in niches and cows that decided to charge myself and Kristin. Almost like Pamplona until a couple welding large sticks started shouting and hitting it. Now would be one to try and explain to the insurance company.
We then stopped at a small silk show hosting one of the alleyways where we were given a great lesson on silk, Kashmir (sheep) and Prashant.(goat). Did the burn test to determine if something was real silk and then shown hundreds of scarfs and rugs.
By this time it was dusk so we walked back to the river and jumped on a large wooden boat with the noisiest diesel motor for a river cruise along the ganges. There are so many fantastic buildings on the banks but all in disrepair, I keep wondering what it would have looked like in its hey day. When it was dark we were given tea candles and rose petals in a small woven bowl to place on the water in remembrance of a loved one which was lovely. We then sat out in the boat observing a Hindu daily ritual that is over 500 years old giving thanks to the Ganges. As usual, chanting, Bells, drums and candles.
Time for dinner now so we walk to a small place overlooking the river where everyone had pizza. I think about that time when you start to crave something other than curry. Some had the apple pie for dessert which many said said was the best they'd had. I had a lemon, ginger honey tea which was amazing, definitely having some more of these.
We then jumped back on some tuktuk's to go back to the hotel as it was already 10.30. Well we had aryton senna reincarnated as our driver, ducking and weaving through the traffic and finally going past our hotel, seperated from the rest and lost, great!! After giving a passerby who spoke some English the hotel card (great idea) and a phone call we eventually got back to the hotel. Priyanka blasted the guy and called him an "idiot", so out of character and funny to watch.
Great loooong day and finally to bed. Up early tomorrow for sunrise cruise.