india - the north

kolkata...the once capital of british india. still regarded by indians as the cultural capital, is filled with crumbling stately buildings and wide boulevards.

india's national pastime and obsession...cricket at new market.

real coffee at flury's, a stylish art deco cafe.

every era of architecture is represented in kolkata. this one...50's style.

we heard these human powered 'tana rickshaws' were banned. not so.

lookin' out our hotel window.

victoria memorial. built to commemorate queen vicky's 1901 diamond jubilee.

why so serious little man?

this was fantastic. we walked down the hectic mahatma gandhi road, where literally anything and everything is happening. among them where:

...drinking tea...

...buying fruit and veg...

...bathing...

...typing letters and more.

howrah bridge over hooghly river. not allowed to take photos of it apparently.

beneath the bridge, the bursting colours of the muluk ghat flower market.

wreaths of marigolds seem to be a popular choice.

saris add even more colour.


a bit higher and a bit colder, the laid back 'hill station' of darjeeling.



our heritage accommodation.

beautiful indian tigers at the padmaja naidu himalayan zoological park.



also in the grounds of the zoo is the himalayan mountaineering institute and everest museum, containing some historic equipment - including tenzing norgay's gear used on the first everest summit.

the world's third highest peak, khangchendzonga at 8598m.

prayer flags draped all over at bhutia busty gompa.

busy busy chowk bazaar.

narrow (sometimes steep) laneways.





one of the many tea plantations surrounding darjeeling.


varanasi and the holy ganges river, where pilgrims come to wash away their sins.

temples near the main burning ghat, manikarnika ghat. having your cremated remains scattered in the holy ganges acheives moksha, liberation from the cycle of reincarnation.

a sinking temple at scindhia ghat.

you're able to walk along the ganges except in monsoon season when the water swells. you can see evidence of it on the banks and buildings that line the river.


where all the action is, dhasawamedh ghat.

pilgrims prepare to perform 'puja'.

the most popular way to carry goods in india.

colourful facades.


little kite flyer.

had a nice chat with this fellow. he walked for two months through the himalayas to flee tibet.

six.

smile for the camera.


three friendly chaps in varanasi for their grandfathers cremation.

little flower girl.

a colourful hindu temple.

the daily ganga aarti ceremony.


early morning paddle.

already full of life, dasawamedh ghat before sunrise.


some of the over 80 ghats.

our hotel on the right at scindhia ghat.

amritsar and sikhism's holiest shrine - the golden temple.

large dioramas depict the history of punjab's golden age, and the life of maharaja ranjit singh (1780-1839).

rooftop view.

pilgrims at the golden temple.

the sacred pool amrit sarovar - where pilgrims have a holy wash - that surrounds the shrine, with the watch towers and clocktower in the background.



close up of the gilded temple.

queueing up on the gurus' bridge.

we weren't expecting a party atmosphere at the india/pakistan border clossing ceremony...but we got one.

on guard.

with the indian crowd shouting 'hindustan'...with shouts back from the pakistanis on the opposite side, the soldiers would march at speed, chest up to one another, stomp aggressively, glare at each other, shake hands, salute...then lower the flags. border closed. very entertaining.

view from the train...