The last weekend we went to Varanasi (Benares), which 15h is now Calcutta.
We were a small team of 10 students (Italy, Germany, Belgium and France). Having come from places as diverse complicated the answer to the question "Where do you come from?" ... But we soon found the parade by saying that we were all European
... We went by night train , and travel back and forth have been eventful as the time spent there ...
On the way, we had to go to the station by bus, because there was a strike by taxi drivers ...
Taxi drivers are on strike to fight against a law passed recently in Calcutta, banning old vehicles around the city. When we know that the majority of taxis in Calcutta are Ambassadors , you quickly understand their concerns ...
Once on the train, we were separated into small groups because we had not booked at the same time. My group has not really been lucky because we found two oddballs Indian pretty soaked (we realized too late) that we were first proposed eat with them (something I firmly refused unlike others), then one of them tried to embrace two of our group ... So we took all our things and join others in another car: it was out of question that I sleep next to these fools! The Indian
very nice agreed to exchange their berths with us and so we were all together.
Regarding the state of Indian trains, they are relatively correct (we took the 3rd class sleeper air-conditioned or AC3), apart from an air conditioning too strong, and small compagnons à 6 pattes , qu’on essaye d’oublier en s’endormant le plus vite possible…
Nous sommes donc arrivés à Varanasi et avons séjourné dans un petit hôtel sympathique , avec une très belle vue sur les Ghâts et le coeur névralgique: le Gange .
Il n’y a pas réellement de monuments à visiter à Varanasi, mais cette ville est un spectacle permanent, elle a une aura particulière, très mystique.
Il suffit de se ballader sur les ghâts pour s’en rendre compte. C’est ce que nous avons fait la première après-midi.
Sur ces quais, we found an India that lives, full of colors, smells more or less pleasant, religious rituals whose meaning is beyond us ... A devout India, where people bathe in the Ganges, and then do their ablutions, drink its water , make their toilet and wash them even teeth, just off the sacred cows ...
"We're going to India to understand why we go to India" R. Airault
I have not stopped thinking about that phrase when I went on these platforms, because I began to find some answers ...
we interrupt for Children our dreams to sell us flowers, candles and henna, or simply ask a few rupees. These children are very strong! They know a few phrases in a dozen languages, and emerge with aplomb as they are told the country where you come ... All that we ask for more money ...
And when asked what ' they will make money, they say a phrase surely learned by heart: "I give my mother to pay my school" ... But of course ... But
Varanasi is also the "Burning Ghats "those in which we proceed to the cremation. It is of course forbidden to take pictures, but I keep a souvenir rather strange. It was almost surreal to watch this ...
Late afternoon, we meet a friend of Hadrian (the great Belgian) who volunteered to Varanasi, where she cares for people without money. It will take us in a small vegetarian restaurant (like most restaurants of Varanasi), where we eat very well (it changes the canteen!), And we'll go to a little restaurant for dessert: a delicious apple pie with a scoop Ice ... A little fun worth his weight in peanut!
The next morning, waking at dawn to admire the sunrise by a boat ride on the Ganges ... ... Magical Moments Of Indian praying in the Ganges by making their toilet, sadhus doing their yoga, and ceremony which reads in part:
Our day was then punctuated by a visit to the Golden Temple, normally forbidden for Hindus but we managed to find an arrangement to return (pretending to be Hindus ... A long story ...). We then ate at a German Bakery where we had the right to cheese and cured meats imported ... It makes us very happy!
Then we went shopping, Varanasi is famous for its silk ...
The return train was also full of pitfalls and surprises: an old woman defecates on the dock in front of everyone, as if nothing had happened, the station is filled with people sleeping on the floor, even newborns, 3 berths for us 10, and a few hours late ...
Review: A magical weekend and full adventure ...
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