A Hot Damn in Haridwar

I spent just one night in Haridwar but I could tell the city was different than the others I had visited along the sacred Ganga. It was a city for Indian tourists not their Western counterparts.

I loved Varanasi but after visiting Haridwar I learned that I loved it because the city had been tailored to western needs. Sure, Varanasi is one of the holiest spots along the Ganga and it's swarming with Hindu pilgrims, but the big city is also a haven for international travellers and it can be seen in the restaurants, the oodles of internet cafes and the inexpensive accommodation. Haridwar on the other hand, wasn't nearly as affordable as Varanasi nor was it as easy to find to a place to grab Chinese food.




I didn't have much time in Haridwar so I spent the afternoon walking up and down the ghats looking at everything for sale. It was a Hot Damn of a day so I sat myself under a tree and people watched for a bit, too.










Bathing in the Ganges is popular all along it's banks. Haridwar is an especially popular spot because it's one of the seven holiest places to Hindus. I don't get the throwing garbage everywhere thing, but at this point, whatever.



This kid swore the cow wasn't girlfriend. I didn't believe it for a minute.



Because Haridwar was my last stop before home, I decided on a little henna. If I have any advice for anyone going to India, make sure you agree on a price before you commit to something. This was the only time I didn't confirm a price and they totally took advantage of me. The henna should have cost about $4 CAD but they tried to make me pay $12. Fortunately, Indian men do not respond well to crying and I got them down to about $6.

I read five books in Rishikesh

Is it okay to say I didn't really like Rishikesh? I heard so many great things about and I love the Beatles' White Album, but once I was there I wasn't really having it. I think I'd give it another chance, though. When I got to the city, I was a bit homesick and McLeod-Ganj-sick and I'm sure I took it out on poor old Rishikesh.



I think the reason I heard so many great things about Rishikesh was because I heard things from people who attended ashrams. I didn't have enough time to spend a full week doing yoga, meditating and reading but I wish I had. I found walking around the city to be rather boring and would have liked the relaxation of an ashram.



I found myself just walking around a lot trying to avoid the monkeys. Don't let this little guy fool you, the macaques in Rishikesh were aggressive and not afraid of people. But, there were still cute from a distance, well the baby ones at least.

Other than walk around, I spend most of my time reading (five whole books in four days) or eating the most amazing grilled yak cheese sandwiches from the restaurant at the Bhandari Swiss Cottage (great place to stay).