in Varanasi now

We took the overnight train and arrived in Varanasi this morning. It's still hot here. As hot as Calcutta.

We are staying in the old city. The old city is like the medinas of Morocco (e.g. Fes) or Jerusalem, where all the buildings are connected along winding paths up and down through the city. We have also heard the Muslim call to prayer being played, so that is also reminiscent of those other old cities.

The other attribute of these types of cities is that we always get lost in them. Touts use this to help "guide" us to our hotel - by guide I mean walk in front of us and try to get into the hotel before us to claim a commission.

Today we visited the main burning ghat where bodies get cremated and their ashes put into the Ganges river. There were about 4 bodies being burned and we could see a queue of 3 or 4 bodies waiting to go up there. I also found out today that by the burning ghat is a building of people waiting to die --- so this addresses my earlier question about whether or not Hindus want to die or just be cremated in Varanasi - I think the answer is both.

Regarding the burnings, I couldn't see much in the fire but did Kim see a leg.

We are both feeling a bit run down by the constant touts. It is also apparently dangerous to be out at night here so we'll be hiding out in our hotel.