Our Last Club Adventure - Day 9 - Varanasi - Sunrise on the Ganges

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Up before sunrise we were met at the lobby by a caravan of tuk-tuks and whisked away to the banks of the Ganges River.  There we boarded a day boat and crusies up and then down the river viewing the palaces, temples and most importantly the local population offering their thanks to Shiva and bathing in the waters of the holy steam.

 Cows everywhere blocking traffic.

 The water was very very high and the current very fast.  No life jackets...yikes.

 Followers of Krisha chanting on the banks.

 Bathers washing away their sins.

 Beautiful old palaces.

 Crematorium.  The have both traditional wooden pyres and now electric furnaces.

 Our guide Raj.  Nice fellow.

 Davey, so fit for this tour in his local garb.

 Crematorium and funeral pyres.

 We disembarked and walked through the funeral and crematorium area.

 Stacks of wood ready for the fires.

 Narrow walkways full of people and cattle.

 Next stop was the Mother Temple.

 Shoes off.

A huge relief map of southern Asia greeted us.  Spectacular in white and black marble.

 More dodging of traffic and cattle.

 A visit to the silk shop.

 Beautiful hand weaving.

 Father and son team duplicating a generational pattern by memory.  When the team dies so does the pattern.

 Purchasing...and we bought a lot...like $3000 collectively.

 The family generational piece we purchased for our future home and the weaver who sadly only made about $150 USD for a full month of work.