Varanasi

Barb, Walt, Abby, and Gerrit arrived to India and we are travelling with them for two weeks!  After a great day in Delhi, we headed to Varanasi/Benaras.  We spent two days exploring silk weaving cooperatives, the ghats (steps from the city's edge to the Ganges), Ganga Gi (the Ganges), and the Aarti ceremony (where we thanked Mother Ganga for another good day on earth, and then put her [the river] to sleep for the night).  We also visited the cremation sites where people come from around India to cremate their family members.  If you die in Varanasi, and therefore are cremated there, it is believed that you will go on to the afterlife, and your soul will be liberated. (Although, there are no photos of the cremation sites because it's disrespectful to the families to photograph there).

We all agreed that Varanasi was an incredibly powerful experience, as our friend Jo puts it: "Varanasi is the best and worst of India  all at once."

Our favorite quote from the trip thus far: "Every day is Halloween in Varanasi." - Gerrit Adams