Trip to India & Nepal - Varanasi India Part 1

After a travel day we arrived in Varanasi, India and our hotel on the Assi Ghat...the last in line on the Ganges. Its actually only about an hours flight from Kathmandu but with taxis, and the hassle at two airports it took up most of the day. In Kathmandu we had to pay a bribe to a security man to allow us to bring all the items home we had in our carryon bags. The offensive item? Bone buttons. He said we had too many and couldn't bring them (without a bribe of course)

Our hotel--the Palace on the Ganges...and, indeed, it used to be a former palace.

The advantage of the hotel was that it is almost the only really nice hotel on the Ganges. Most of the good hotels are several miles away. Hotels further up the Ganges also have great views (and are cheaper) but you have to traverse narrow winding alleys with your suitcases from the nearest road to get to them

At 5 am the next morning we hired a boat man and set off up the river. We bought "blessing" candles from a vendor boat and set them off on the river in memory of my granddaughter who died a year ago.

Off one goes.

Traffic begins to pick up as we get further up the river.

Lots of vendor boats begin to appear.

We had our own boat with one rower but tour groups engage big ones with two or more. Dashaswamedha Ghat...the largest one.

Monk tourists.

Another vending boat.

A common sight.

Flock of sea gulls.