That Varanasi Feeling

It's been another 12-hour day, but we are now in Varanasi. Our one-hour flight from Delhi involved the usual dramas you may have come to expect, and took about six hours door-to-door. We are here during the Ganga Mahotsav festival that is held each year in October or November to correspond with the full moon. I'm not entirely clear as to the purpose of the festival, but it attracts gobs of people to this otherwise relatively small city. We spent the afternoon at some archaeological museum. Paul found it fascinating. I didn't go in. I stayed outside and photographer the hawkers that hung out to mob the tourist buses. This evening we ventured down to the banks of the Ganges to witness the nightly Aarti ceremony. This is a traditional event, but it has become much more elaborate in recent years. They even have fireworks now. Varanasi is one of the oldest cities in the world and is the religious center for India's Hindus. The vibe in this place is something special. It's gonna be fun, and a great place to take some people pictures.