Sunday, May 27, 2012

Chapter Ten part one: Rishikesh

To get to Rishikesh we had to take another long and bumpy bus to Haridwar, and then catch another bus to Rishikesh.  Haridwar is a very holy city and fanous for a place in the Ganges where people come to wash away their sins in the river.  When we got there it was so hot, dusty and chaotic.  We took a rickshaw tot he river, and there were SO many peoiple trying to sell us things to throw in the river or sell us blessings, it was really overwhelming.  We were so tired from the bus ride, and really disturbed by the amount of hassel we got from people, so we decided to just take our sins with us and hoped the next bus over to Rishikesh.  Rishikesh is called the Gateway to the Himalayas.  It is considered the yoga capitol of India and is where the Beatles were inspired to write the White album.  It was much hotter than we were expecting it to be, so we hiked up into the mountains and found a waterfall for a day.  The city is home to many temples and even more Ashrams.  People come from all over to study yoga here, and Indians come from all over India to raft the Ganga.  The Ganga is what Americans call the Ganges.  It was wonderful to cool off in the Ganga on the hot days and explore the city during the cooler nights.  There are cows EVERYWHERE in Rishikesh and Monkeys climbing all over the city.  The cows are sweet, like dogs, but the monkeys are mean and scary!  No one messes with them!  The city of Rishikesh is divided in two, much like Portland, by the Ganga and is connected by two suspension bridges made in the 1920's.  At first it was really freaky to cross a shaking bridge filled with dozens of people, cows, and motorcycles, while monkeys climbed all over it.  But after a few crosses you get used to the chaos of it and it becomes endearing, which is how pretty much how I feel about India all together.

Om sweet Om
Indian boy.
We got caught in a dust storm, and by the end of it we were literally caked in dirt.

Enjoying our first meal in Rishikesh

Cow just hanging out like it owns the India

Many many people in India use henna to dye their hair, esspecially men.  Indians LOVE color.

Ghandi

Ashram

Darling little Indian girl

Lots of delicious local fruit

Rishikesh divided in half by the Ganga

Oh coaca cola!

This is how we do laundry

Night rickshaw

The suspension bridge, Luxman Jhula at night.
After each meal, you are given this spice to cleanse the pallet

Swimming in one of the waterfalls that feeds into the Ganga

Meditating in the waterfall


hiked up about 2000 feet in elevation

Thumbs up soda!  It is like coke with masala spice.
This is where the Beatles wrote the White Album!
Bob.


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