Varanasi!

I've been in Varanasi for a few days now - I flew up here from Goa rather than take some looonngggggg train ride by myself....which would not have been much fun, given my experiences with long train rides.
Anyway, though I have missed other places on this trip for blogs (Gokarna), and not finished the 'Lakshmi Part 2' blog, I thought I should come up with some pics of Varanasi.  So...here are a small portion of some selected pics from the boat ride on the Ganges on my first morning here. 

NOTE:  I will be adding pics to this blog as I edit them so you will just have to come back and check for new ones as I add them!

Pre sunrise misty view of one of the ghats

This boat ride on the Ganges in the morning has become popular for foreign and Indian tourists....so you have to share the water as sunrise approaches (and it is 'peak season') near the main ghat.

A dhobi wallah washing clothes on the bank before sunrise - that is, beating clothes to death!

Here comes the sun over the eastern shore.

A small offering floating down the river

A larger offering - note innovative use of coated paper plate rather than leaves.

A group of monks from Thailand, probably on pilgramage to Bodhgaya,with a 'holiday' stop in Varanasi.  Note the seller in the lower right trying to get them to buy 'something-anything'.

Boat men moving a large boat - only a specific cast is allowed to row the boats

This is a real TV addiction? No...just a seller of DVDs trying to show his wares

Side of the river chai stall

A little compassion

Babas heading to work....so to speak

Morning prayers

Morning washing

The shoreline is covered in spots