What a wonderful day! An early morning wake up call took us through empty streets to a drop off point about a 10 min walk from the Ganges. The walk down through the foggy streets just waking up and getting ready for the day was magic. Cooking fires being lit, stalls opening, people and dogs stretching and the occasional sleepy cow to dodge in the road. The Ghats on the shore of the river were alive when we arrived. Holy men (or wanna bees) , hustlers, buskers, sellers of every piece of junk imaginable, hand massagers, tea sellers, bell ringers and more crowded the steps.
We enjoyed a cup of chai tea while watching yoga practitioners as well as the bathers in the Ganges engage in their purification swims, before heading down to our boat in the thick fog.
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Although the sunrise was absent , we were serenaded by two young men on the sitar and drums with a morning Ragga as our boat drifted quietly through the fog.
The morning ended far too soon as we headed to the Varansai airport for our noon flight to Khajuraho. The flight went seamlessly and we landed in clear skies, no pollution, 26 degree centigrade temps and a gentle breeze. Time for sandals 🙂
Khajuraho is home to the western temple complex. UNESCO World heritage site – parts of which are 1600 years old. Although most have been looted, one well preserved temple remains and others are equally impressive.
The main claim to fame are the erotic sculptures found on the outside of the temples depicting the Kama Sutra. Based on what we saw the models were either the most flexible people that ever existed or the sculptors had imbibed on a hefty dose of the local hallucinogen while completing their work. The temples themselves are gorgeous, as are parts of the interiors which are illuminated by cleverly placed openings in the walls.
Our time there with our excellent local guide passed way too quickly. We ended the day with a group shot and then headed back to the hotel.
An early night is planned as we leave for Agra and the Taj Mahal tomorrow.
Travels with Anne 