India's Holy City

Our first stop in India after Delhi was Varanasi, a thirteen-hour overnight train ride away. We arrived at dawn, and spent most of our visit wandering the ghats and alleyways of the old city. Varanasi is overwhelming and extreme in every way: the beautiful old architecture and the river Ganges are contrasted by the open sewers, trash, stray dogs and heavy traffic. People on the street will offer directions or advice, while others will ask for a donation for good karma but become irate and scream at you when you don't want to give money. It was crowded, busy, tiring, dirty and at times dangerous, but there was nothing like it. And when the crowds below became too much, we escaped to the roof of our hotel and drank endless pots of chai while watching the river below.