Delhi Capital - March 27th, 2007

The driver came to pick me up this morning and took me around the city. We went to Old Delhi to visit the Red Fort located on the north east side of Delhi. Then went by the main bazar where the streets in that old part of Delhi are very narrow and windy, there are all kinds of old shops there. He too me next to visit a Jain Temple very ancient hidden in this old part of town. It consisted of three floors of a building and had the most beautiful murals on the walls with stories of the Jain gods (like a Budha but without any clothes). I had to wash my hands and mouth before I went upstairs aspart of terules, and leave downstairs any leather goods. If a woman is in their menstruation cycle it is not allowed to go upstairs. They believe in the preservation of all life.
The Jama Masid a short distance away, is the largest mosque in India. It is a shame that this is the mosque more neglected in the whole India, as far as the stairs infront of the mosque and qheat once used to be beautiful fountains in the way to the steps, is now overed with filth and garbage. A discrace to their religion.
Later we cool off by the big park at the India Gate, which is kept very nice and clean and has plenty of security roundbeaues is near the President's Palace area.
After I returned to the Hostal I wentjogging around for several kilometres, every block seems to be a kilometer long and probably contains one or wo embassador's homes from overseas.
I was the only person jogging so it was kind of nice to hae somuch space to myself in a very safe area.

Delhi Capital - March 26th, 2007

I was getting strange headaches last night becaue it was coming back to me the experience I had when I first arrived in India on November 15th. I dread having to get back to Delhi becaue it was a very traumatic first night experience and all I remember if it was very ugly. So I got up very early this morning because I didn't wanted to miss my train that would arrive in Delhi in daylight. It turned out the train compartment was almost empty, and made the journey more relax. I avoided the taxi drivers and took a bus, supposely to bring me to the Youth Hostel located in Cenral Delhi, right in the middle of the Diplomatic enclave. I would never have expected a Youth Hostel to be located in such area and covered by security and hardly anybody in the great, wide and clean streets and sidewalks.
As I was waiting for the bus, a taxi driver convinced me to allow him to take me to the Hostal since buses cann't enter the Diplomatic area for security reasons. I started to wonder if I should really go to such location unlike the ussual location that most hostals are at, easily accesible by bus, metro, and near sight areas, shops, etc. Since the Lonely Planet described as having a "Soothing Setting", I decided it is what I needed for my last week in India.
The driver took me there and I thought I was in another country. Nothing like the India I have been travellinf for nearly five months. This hostal is very fancy and is mostly full of Indian people instead of backpackers or foreign tourists. Indian groups staying for conventions, meetings and the like.
There is a lady from Teheran, Iran (hi Mary....!), who is staying here becaue she is going to attend the University, one American lady from Florida relocating to South Korea to teach Enblish, and the other 3 ladies are from various parts of India. Interesting combination.
The driver explained to me that tomorrow is a holiday (last day of fasting for Bhrama devotees), and traffic would be minimal in Delhi, so he offered to take me around for good sightseen.

Dehra Dun (Uttaranchal) - March 25th, 2007

I went to the north west side of town (several kilometers away), to visit the Forest Research Institute Museum, which is located in a 500 hectare park and the main building is one of the Raj's grandest buildings, bigger than Buckingham Palace.
It is a red-brick colossus with Mughal towers and Roman Columns with many passages very elegant and breezy. Gardens and hundreds of trees are all over the area ith lots of birds and peacefulness, and surprinsingly, very very clean. Six halls have displays on every aspect of forestry in India.
One of the students I spoke with told me it is the biggest and the number one University of Forestry in the country but he wasconcerned about the future of forestry in India since there is so much corrupted policy with government and affects most aspects of life, and even though he loves forestry and is one of the best students there, his career doesn't shine a bright future.
In the way out of this wonderful area, an old Indian tribal lady was crying becaues the Government just cut off her pension. I triedto give her some money and she refussed it saying with gestures that it was a bigerproblem than that, since that was the money she needed to eat every day. Few minute later, an Indian man is offering me marriage, so I thought is time I get back to my room to watch more movies!!

Mussorie (Uttaranchal) - March 23rd, 2007

I made some breakfast and went back to bed to read and write until near noon. This place is almost empty. The few people that came, leave the next morning because it is cold (no heater). I have no idea hat this place must be like in January and February: an ice box! and pleaple come here to enjoy the snow around and on the mountains.
May and June arethe high season months her, since it's very hot in Delhi and states around, people take a few days up here for cooler temperatures (it's 2,000 meters elevation).
In the afternoon I went for another long walk to Happy Valley where they have a Bhuddist temple. Narrow roads with little traffic and great views of the mountain ranges. Lots of nice homes and hotels are perched on the hills and down the valleys. It is definitely a different kind of living, peaceful and laid back.

Mussorie (Uttaranchal) - March 22nd, 2007

More thunder last night and rain this morning so it feels like real inder. Most of my clothes are summery, so I have to put several layers on me. I bought a little heater to make tea so it comes vey handy now. I am reading a lot in bed and getting up late because it is cold in the mornings.
In the afternoon the sun is very bright and warm so I went for a great walk by the Camelback Road where the view of the mountains and valleys are fascinating.
A cable car runs up the highest point with views of several peaks. Many honeymoonerslike to take their pictures up there.

Mussorie (Uttaranchal) - March 21st, 2007

This town is about 3 hours north of Rishikesh. Perched on a hill 2 kms. high, the Queen of Hill stations spends most of the year up in the clouds. When the clouds clear, the views of the green valley and distant mountains are spectacular. This hill station was established by the British in 1823.
The two built up areas in town are separated by a 3 km. walk, traffic-free, pleasant and scenic. I went for a small walk nearby and all streets are up and down. Porters carry big loads in their back with belts ontheir heads for support.
Around 4pm started to rain, so I returned to the Broadway Hotel. This is an historic 1880's wooden hotel renovated and with character, located on a rock hill with great views of the valley and mountains.
There is no heating so you can really tell how cold it gets in the night; white marble polished floors probably add to that. The bed and blankets are very omfortable and warm, at least!

Dehra Dun (Uttaranchal) - March 24th, 2007

This mrning I am travelling to the capital of Uttaranchal, about 1-1/2 hrs. from here and lower elevation than Mussorie. The weather is very pleasant but the tradeoff is bak to traffic rush with noises, smells and many people. The ride down the muntain from Mussorie to Dehra Dun took almost an hour and it was incredible beautiful, constantly winding around this narrow but very ell kept road with very panoramic views of everything up there. Definitely a nice ge away resort town.
I visited the Ram Rai Darbar, a unique mausoleum in white marble and 4 smaller tombs in the courtyard belonging to Ram Rai's four wives. He was the errant son of the seventh Sikh guru and was excommunicated by his father He formed his own sect that runs hospitals and schools. When he died, Aurangzeb (one of his supporters) and Mughal emperor, built the mausoleum.
I am bad when I have TV in the room beause I end up watching too many movies (it bits the crowds and traffic outside)!

Mussoorie (Uttaranchal) - March 23rd, 2007

Mussoorie (Uttaranchal) - March 22nd, 2007

Mussoorie (Uttaranchal) - March 21st, 2007

Rishikesh (Uttaranchal) - March 20th, 2007

The family came back from their little vacation last night and soon after a big storm arrived. Lucky they were home!
This morning when I was in the terrace drying my hair, I noticed an empty lot in between this house and the next four-floor luxurious home. In this lot with a lot of garbage around lives a very poor lady with children. Their dwelling is made of carboards, plastics, sticks and the like. After such rain last night, she was drying all blankets and clothes on the rope sweeping the front of her little hut, and I wondered how can a family grow and live in those conditions. The little girl was running around and when she looked up and saw me looking at her, she got very shy and run inside. These children were playing in the street with the other neighbors' children of high cast.
It was comforting to see that, even though the cast system is so much part of the Indian system (and I totally disagree with) creating inequalities on human beings. The children seen equal in playground, their innocence is not corrupted, and they mingle and play with each other as equals. An example like this the Country should follow.
I went to see the mother and gave her something in private, and half hour later everybody knew about it. Of course, there are no secrets in India neighborhoods. You are always being watched!

Rishikesh (Uttaranchal) - March 19th, 2007

Hello friends! The good news is that I started an album of India on my previous International Travels site:
http://picasaweb.google.com/mariafreeman2003

this way I can continue to upload photos until the end of this trip (April 2nd), since Zoto.com has changed the page and I no longer have my website.

I welcome any comments from all of you at my email address and cetainly hope you have been enjoying it!

Rishikesh (Uttaranchal) - March 18th, 2007

The Ganges River snakes around thru town from southwest to northeast with two main bridges on the upper side. Swarg Ashram area has the best vibes in town. The room of the Pink House where I am staying is above the owner's home, so is like my own upstairs place, on one side there is a big terrace where I sit to read and look at the surrounding mountains while I soak in the sun, and on the other side is the nice balcony by the bedroom overlooking the small residential street.
Indians with comfortable incomes really like to build their homes with very ornate fronts, arch windowns, wood trinnings and white marble. They include the sign of Kristna visible above the entrance as a sign of protection and bless. This sign looks like the swastica symbol but clockwise instead.
The weather is nice during the day but to do treking on the mountains is a little early in the year. Ideally, is in June-July when a lot of snow has melted. The family that lives in this house left to Dehli on Saturday morning so I come and go like my own place, I am even lazy to go to the yoga and meditation classes because I am too comfortable here and is the pefect place to relax!

Rishikesh (Uttaranchal) - March 17th, 2007

I have never seen so many advertisements from ashrams and small business for yoga, meditation, ayurvedic, massages, etc., very near each other. I took a long walk by the river road until the monkeys discouraged me to continue. They were lining up on both sides of the road, and I didn't wanted to be attached by them. They always think we have peanuts and bananas in the bag.
I stopped to watch the evening fire ceremony by the river, the big goddess statue in white marble sitting cross-legged and many monks wering fire on the air, while chanting and asking for blassings. Many people gathered standing and sitting on the steps of the ghats to watch this ceremony as the sun sets in the background.
I met an Israeli guy while there so we went to dinner afterwards to the other side of the river. He is goind to do a 10-day meditation course in Bhudism next week. Most people here come to take classes or courses of all sorts of spiritual matters.

Rishikesh (Uttaranchal) - March 16th, 2007

This morning I am off to Rishikesh, the yoga capital of the world. Many ashrams and many kinds of yogas. This town is set on the banks of the Ganges River. A very new age kind of town. Also, many treks start here to the high Himalayas or white-water rafting trips.
I am staying near the ashram where the Beatles stayed back in 1968 and composed tons of songs, right by the \ganges \river.
Many tourists and many pilgrims are drawn t this town which is quite dynamic all over the river banks.
The weather is perfect so I walked all along the river which has lots of rocks and bolders by the banks with little beach areas all along where people are scattered meditating or bathing in the Ganga. Along the banks there are temples and guest houses peched by the hills and overlooking the river. The further east on the river the more of a swiss feeling it gets. Great views!
There are two bridges that cross the river for pedestrians only, so the traffic on this side is just some motorcycles. Nice and quite!

Haridwar (Uttaranchal) - March 15th, 2007

I sat the alarm for 8am but I woke up at 4am. The four hours I slept must have bneen very dep because I felt totally refreshed and ready to get up. In part, it must have been the daily schedule that was in my subconscious mind (4am awaking time). I went to the small shrine of their goddess and followed in their ritual ceremony. After half hour meditation at 5am, they performed a pooya (purification ceremony), people seating around several firepits at one end of the temple and next to the mausoleum cripts of both their gurus (husband and wife).
After this ceremonial we each approached the cripts and while touching them and bowing, we asked for special blessing or wishes. After this, two of the devotees took me to visit the rooms/beds where the gurus used to live/sleep.
Next to a garden there is a special dome with the Himalaya's mountains display inside. Devotees come here to be in total silence and to feel as if they were next to the real Himalayan mountains.
In the morning, the weather was pretty cool, but after 11am it turned out to be a beautiful afternoon. I went for a great walk/hike by the mountains, up one end and down the other near the Ganges River, great views from up there.
The few locals in the way kept discouraging me to continue since it could be dangerous if there was a big rain, but when you see beautiful blue skies and summer air, you just feel it's the perfect afternoon for the fresh air and getting away from it all.

Haridwar (Uttaranchal) - March 14th, 2007

This morning I came to stay for a couple of days at the Shanti Kunj Ashram. It's a huge complex, and I only saw one foreigner there. They gave me a nice room for the staying. I went for a good walk and it certainly bits the pollution and crowds and traffic noises of many other places. This is relatively small town but I never have seem so many hotels and new buildings along the road. It's definitely a very good business for this area the fact that so many pilgrims come here to bathe in the Ganges and to the various temples.
This evening I joined in the meditation and afterwards I sat on the floor for 1-1/2 hrs. with the Saree ladies during congregational music singing and discourses. It was interesting to parkate and they were pleased to have me.

Haridwar (Uttaranchal) - March 13th, 2007

Today I experienced the longest travel day in India. I left Agra at 8:00am and arrived at Haridwat at 10:30pm. It was supposed to be a 10 hour trip but the road was plagged with trucks and bumps, plus it rainned and hailed at 4:00pm. I was sitting squizzed between two big Indian guys for a change, and the only tourist in this government bus.
I decided to come to the north of India before my departure, since so many people told me I should get a little taste of it.
Uttaranchal is a region of rolling forest hills and snow-topped peaks. The sacred Gangas River passes thru this town in its way down. The British built hill stations in the Himalayan foothills to enjoy cooler weather.

Agra (Uttar Pradesh) - March 12th, 2007

I was glad the sun came out today, so I took it as a day to rest. I walked by the Taj in the morning and in the evening avoiding the vicious monkees that like to go after bags for food. They are very territorial and seem to be everywhere.
This town really lives to take advantage of tourists. They double prices of things by the moments. Children don't ask for a ruppies here, they ask for 10 or 20 specifically. Internet to the locals is one price and to tourists doubles.
I tried to upload pictures in the website, but something has changed the website structure, and I don't know what happened to my website and the 350 something photos I placed there since November. There freebie websites don't last as they promiss, because the space was for 2,000 photos capacity, and I have used only one sixth of it.
In any case, my friends, I am glad you had a chance to enjoy a lot of the photos and, in a way, travel along with me.
Another night of thunder and hail. They said on March ussually is already very hot and dry, but this year is pleasant when no storms or hail is falling from the skies. They told me that I am very lucky with the weather. I must believe them!!

Agra, Mathura & Vrindavan - March 11th, 2007

This town is located 60 kms. north west of Agra. After reading the quote about Mathura: "Land of Eternal Love", rediscovered in the 16th century by scholars, I was really looking forward to see it. It turned out to be another dusty small town.
Mathura is believed to be where Krishna was born and spent his early years.
Visited Sri Krishna Janumbhoomi, where a 3-D rock mural if Krishna epics is, and underneath the big rock a passage to a bare room with a piece of rock on which Krishna is said to have been born 3500 years ago.
After taken a shared autorishaw for 10 kms. from Mathura to Vrindavan, I can assure you it's more thrilling than any bumpy roller coaster in Magic Mountain. Many pilgrims, temples, ashrams and dusty roads. The Hare Krishna community has their International Society for Krishna Counsciousness located ina beautiful carved white marble temple complex. There are hundreds of Russian devotees there attending courses and seminars. A very sweet Russian lady gave me a tour of the premises.
Tonight there was such a hail storm with big chunks of ice that, at first, I thought it was fireworks outside. What a way to wrap up a long dusty day!

Agra (Uttar Pradesh) - March 10th, 2007

This morning I went to Fatehpur Sihri, a magnificent fortified ghost city about 40 kms. west of Agra.
The Jama Masjid is a beautiful mosque, very large with Persian and Hindu designs. The main entrance is about 54 meters high, considered the largest in Asia. Inside the courtyard there were several buildings with a lot of tombs. Inside the mosque everybody had to cover their heads, men and women.
Back to Agra, I visited the Taj Mahal in the evening light, quite a beautiful strickingly serene, white building, colosal looking yet gentle as a flower reaching into the skies. A divine and eternal temple of love.
Inside the mausoleum are the two tombs next to each other below the main dome surrounded by a perforated marble screen made with 43 different types of precious tones.
Back in my hotel room, the monkeys that walk cross wire from accross the street, got locked inside the hotel and I can here them making strange noises. I won't dare open my door tonight!

Agra (Uttar Pradesh) - March 9th, 2007

Agra is known mainly for its Taj Mahal, India's most famous building by the bank of the Yamuna River. This river separates the Agra Fort from the Taj Mahal. The Taj is considered the most extravagant monument ever built for love. Nos is India's tourist emblem. It was built by emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his second wife Mumtaz Mahal who died after giving birth to their 14th child in 1631. He was so heartbroken that built the Taj. The construction would be over US$70 million today.
On Friday it's closed and only muslins are allowed there for praying at the mosk. The Taj Ganj which is the area around the Taj is very old, with very narrow streets winding around and little shops all attached to each other. Tourists are being targeted constantly for sellings and for rides.
I took a long walk by the Agra Fort. Here the emperor Shah Jahan was held prisioner for 8 years by his son, so he would look at the windows and could see over the river the Taj Mahal at the distance, and remember his deceased wife.
This morning I was at the roof top of a restaurant having breakfast and enjoying the views of the Taj Mahal at the 8:00am morning light. It looked all white against the sky, very impressive!

Allahabad (Uttar Pradesh) - March 7th, 2007

Today I visited the Anand Bhavan, and the Swaraj Bhavan. Belong to the Nehru family who produced 5 generations of leading politicians from Nehru to Gandhi.Here is where the planning to overthrow the British Raj took place. The tour showed us all the various rooms inside and historic paraphynelia. The University has some beautiful buildings. The Azard Park, also called Company Bagh (the original name that refers to the East India Company), is a very pleasant park.
Nearby was the Public Library housed on the most exquisite Gothic -cathedral looking building. I asked to see a travel book of Europe, and they took me where the thousands of books are kept, but with tones of dust on each. Those books are about past history, no updates. It seemed that people only go to the library to read the newspaper. I thank them for their big effort in trying to please me. Came back to my hotel to watch and listen to the trains nearby.

Allahabad (Uttar Pradesh) - March 6th, 2007

This morning I took the bus to Allahabad, 3 hours from Varanasi, to visit and also getting closer to Delhi. Here, two holy rivers meet, the Ganges and the Yamuna, so a lot of pilgrims also come to bathe in their waters.
I went to the railway station to buy a ticket and travel on Thursday night to Agra to visit the Taj Mahal.
This afternoon I took a long walk by Mohama Gandhi Road. Big boulevards, McDonalds, Gothic cathedral (they said it is closed most of the time), lots of pastry shops and a movie theater, so I went in to see the Wedding Hindu way. The movies here are 3 hours long - too long for me, so at the intermission, I left. Enough to see the family arrangements and the courting that takes place with the couple.

Varanassi (Uttar Pradesh) - March 5th, 2007

Chus (Maria Jesus), is from Madrid, and is staying here at the Yogi's hotel, so we had a great time yesterday and decided to hang out together today. Last night we had a very interesting conversation with a Baba (a highly religious person) by the ghats, who gave us a very informative tour by the river. He also baptised Chus with a new name "Chunni Devi".
Today, we visited with another Baba in our neighborhood, a very different experience. We went to visit a tantra temple. Later, we met someone that took us by the river to have dinner. Chunny was taking a trin tonight at midnight to go back to Delhi and fly back to Spain the following day. I will miss my good friend for two days!

Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) - March 4th, 2007

Today the plan I had to go back to the ghats had to be changed drastically because nobody in the hotel could go outside unless they wanted to be attacked by the wild men dancing frenzy outside because they are celebrating Holy festivities which is a big celebration all over.
The manager at the Yogi hotel told us that the women (Hindu and foreigners) should stay home today because is very dangerous to go out. The men drink a lot and dance with each other, and the people from the terrace of each house spray different color liquids with a big serringe, children and adults were doing it also and everyone walking by will get all the colors in their hair, face, clothes, etc. Three of us decided to step outside only to see what was happening, and we got drenched with water and colorings. They also rub some red paint on my face. It was quite an spectacle. As soon as the men saw us, 2 motorcycles crashes, and a flight started and everyone told us to go back to the hotel because we would be exposed to a lot of trouble from all those drunk men. This day there is no karma to pay, that is why the Indian men get so out of control and women stay home dumping paint on neighbors and others from the terraces.
We all had our own fun party on the hotel. After 6 pm, sunset time, the spraying was over, so people cleaned up and we went out by the ghats to see the leftovers of the paint and lots of clothes made into rags on the floor. I am glad it was only one day!

Varanasi / Sarnath (Utar Pradesh) - March 3rd, 2007

I spent the day in Sarnath, 10 kms. NE of Varanasi, where Buddha came to preach his famous first sermon on Deer Park, after he achieved enlightment in Bodhgaya.
Muslim invaders destroyed the city and it was rediscovered by British archeologists when excavating it.
I visited Deer Park and they have quite a few dee and was able to feed them carrots. The archeological museum had a lot of Buddhas in stone, bud stone umbrellas carved with Buddhist symbols and the lion capital from the Asoka pillars. The lion has been adopted as India's national emblem. there are many Buddha temples representing various countries, very colorful. The Tibetean temple had a Tebetean restaurant nearby so I went to eat momos (dumplings) very good.
In the way back to the hotel in Varanasi, some people throw 2 buckets of water at me from above. This was the beggining of a big festivity that was taking place that night and mainly next morning. It's a good thing I was near the hotel so I went to change clothes fast.

Varanasi (Utar Pradesh) - March 2nd, 2007

The city of Shiva, is one of the holiest ones in India. The pilgrims come to wash away their sins in the Ganges River. Many people come here to die because ity offers liberation from the cycle of birth and death. Intimate rituals of life and death take place here in public by the ghats (steps by the river).
Today I spent the day walking by all the ghats along the river, and watching a very unique way of life and death.
I stopped by the Harishchandra Ghat for about 3 hours. This is the cremation ghat and one of the oldest ghats. The body wrapped they brought from accross the Ganges River was lower cast, therefore, the burning stack they prepared for burning the body on top was much shorter than the one they prepared for a brahman higher cast. After all becomes ashes the very poor search in the ashes for the charcoal pieces and they pick several until they fill up a metal shallow bucket to bring home and prepare dinner with the hot charcoal. Other poor people get some of the burning logs and take them to make a campfire by the street. The children try to find something as well.
The family and friends of the deceased sprinkle flowers and ghee (caw grease) to the stalk so it burns evenly while the prist does ceremonial rituals.
These cremations take place all day long every day. The sadhus (ascets dressed on orange mostly) bathe in the nude by the river and afterwards rub their bodies with ashes from the pile, they explained it creates a coat to protect them from cold, since they do not have much clothing and hundreds of them live within a few of the ghats by the riverside with tarps to protect themselves very lightly.
A couple other ghats have very special evening celebration with fire and bells and dance by the river, blessing celebrations every night, and of course, they sell their CD's of their own performance.
Some ghats are used for women to wash big loads of laundry, like saris, towels, sheets from hotels, men's shirts, etc. They spread it on the steps and flat surfaces as people walk by. Others are washing their buffalo herds, scrubbing them with big brushes. The young girls try to sell flowers in little bowls to sit on the river for goodwishes. While all is happening people can take a boat ride and watching from the waterside.

Patna, Varanasi (Utar Pradesh) - March 1st, 2007

I packed very early and still in the rain, left to take a train to Patna, the next town in the Buddha circuit. I arrived to Patna and the rain was continuing to pour. The riskshaw driver took me to several hotels, and all were full. They said it was marriage weekend, so they wouldn't even look at a foreigner. Their rooms were for their people.
Finally, I told the rickshaw driver to take me back where I started, to the railway station and wait for another train to take me to Varanasi. I gave up on the Buddha circuit.
The train station floors were packed with Indians sat and lay down all over the place. I didn't know where all those people came from if the hotels were full. When I got inside the train, there was no space to walk by. They were all bunched up together, women and children on the floor and guys above where the luggage goes. So I decided to push my way thru all that and squish in with a bunch of guys. They were glad to make a little room for me.
The train left me 20 kms. from Varanasi, so I took a shared auto (which is like a 3 wheels without doors), with an Englush couple and all their luggage.
The road all the way was rosks and potholes. No ride in Dysneyland gives you such a thrill!! I was holding on the metal edge non-door for dear life, but surprinsingly we made it. I was delivered to the Yogi Guesthouse, and hoping for a good night sleep!

Rajgir (Bihar) - February 27th, 2007

I went to visit Nalanda, a very well known town for his university, and also an ancient seat of learning. The ruins are at the university complex, very nice gardens. This time I took a tonga with several people in it, and the only space available was at the back end with my feet hanging. I openened my umbrella to protect from the sun and everyone on the side of the road turned their heads to look.
In the night, I heard the strongest thumderstorm ever, i8t was raining like the skies opened permanently, delivering water non-stop, and the lighting was equally intense. The sounds of the storm were like in dolby stereo (unreal!!) and I kept opening and closing the window, to see and to hide from the scene.
At 4:00am the storm passed, but several tongas and their masters parked right by my window. The street was total back out but the bells and tonga drivers were carrying on conversations as if it were daylight, so I got no sleep at all.
The dogs decided to join in and give a concert as well.

Rajgir (Bihar) - February 26th, 2007

This is a town surrounded by rocky hills, and an important pilgrimage place for Buddhists, Jains and Hindus.
The center of town is very small and I was having a hard time finding a restaurant. I took a long walk out of town to enjoy the panoramic views and the countryside since it was a nice afternoon, and when I arrived to the chairlift that rides to the top of Ratnagiri Hill for the views, they just closed it 5 minutes earlier.
I still enjoyed the place.
Most Hindus were taking a tonga, to get there, which is a cart pulled by a horse. It is a very popular transportation here. Some of those carts take 8 or 10 people, so it looks very colorful with the sari ladies and their families, and lots of bells and decorative trinkets on the horse and cart.

Bodhgaya (Bihar) - February 25th, 2007

I visited few more temples today, and a new Vipassana center under construction. It rainned most of the afternoon, so this is the first time I ipenned my umbrella for the rain. I miss the warm weather the south offers.
At the restaurant tonight, some Spanish people told me about several websites to get good deals within Europe on flights. Tomorrow I will be travelling to Rajgir, where Buddha spent some serious time.