India week 4

This weekend was such an adventure! Jess and I went to visit rishikesh, which is known as the gateway to the Himalayas and it is situated right where the Ganges river flows from the mountains to level ground. The Ganges river is very sacred in Hindu religion and many believe that taking a bath in Ganges will wash away all sins and it is thought to have healing powers. We left by bus Friday night and it was an 8 hr bus ride from Delhi to rishikesh! The bus ride itself was crazy the roads were so full of potholes and half the time the bus was actually tilted from going off the side of the road in order to pass other cars! Needless to say the driving in India still ceases to amaze, if not terrify, me. We got to rishikesh about 6 AM and the bus didn't even drop us off in the city, it dropped us at a random point outside. We then found a ride to our hotel which was situated on the Ganges so it offered us quite a view of the river and mountains. The river is huge and so strong, you can easily see all the currents. We had a great time exploring the city and taking in all the beautiful views the city had to offer. We visited many shops selling precious gemstones and cafés situated on the river, offering amazing views to enjoy with coffee. There were cows wandering around everywhere and even monkeys too! On Sunday we hiked the mountains to see a waterfall that is famed to be one of the most beautiful sights in India. It was quite a hike and I definitely felt it when we finally got to the top! But it was so worth it to be in the mountains. The views were incredible from up top and everything just looked so serene. It was fascinating to see how people built their homes and temples into the mountainside and right alongside the river. We went to where people were bathing and the locals insisted on dragging us in for a quick dip! The water was freezing cold! It was such a different sight than in the city, people were swimming in the river, bathing, washing their clothes and taking water to carry home in jugs! We bought a mini jug and filled it with water too, I can't wait to bring it home to show everyone! As night fell, the locals lit off candles in flower boats and sent them down the river. It was so beautiful and fun to see how everyone gathered here along the river banks. It is amazing to see how they revere the river and use it for so many things. I would love to be able to get a chance to back to rishikesh one day or maybe another city in the mountains. The views and atmosphere are just so incredible, there's nothing quite like it elsewhere.