Farewell Varanasi

I found him, the son-of-a-bitch that does all of the honking. He's my driver. Driving down to the ghats (steps above the Ganges River bank)at 5:30 a.m. this morning, this turkey is using his horn constantly, without any visable reason. Mulak explained that the city has no traffic lights ( well, it does haave two but they're broken) and the horn is a necessary evil to reduce the possiblility of accdidents. I still felt like giving him the finger although nobody elso seemed to mind.

We hired a rowboat avec rower and cruised the river at sunrise. There were lots of bodies to be seen; dead bodies, naked live bodies, washing bodies, swimming bodies. Mulak explained that the river is considered a Goddess and every good Hindu must visit the river following birth before marriage and at death. Being cremated at or being dumped in the Ganga, either increases your chances of going to or guaranties your admission to, I did'nt fully understand, heaven. Cremation is for all Hindus except Bramins, girls ten years or younger, pregnant women and several other types, all of whom must endure an unpowdered disposal. I left the river to walk around with the locals, smug in the belief that my body, in it's present state, would not compare unfavorably with the competition.

After inquiry, I learned that there is no direct flight from Varanasi to Calcutta, my next destination. Yes, I must take another train; this one for 15 hours. I can hardly wait, although I have been assurred that this train has a dining car. We'll see.

OK-Gretchen and company win the CTA tickets. No RTA tickets since I smell an internet connection. Right answer. That's where the word came from. The Thugees made the mistake, however, of sacrificing a British officer to Kali whereupon the British mounted a two year compaign and exterminated every member of the sect, man, woman and child. Two more CTA tickets to the first person who provides the correct moral to the story.