Leaving Benares

I walked out of Assi Ghat with the cows. a whole stampeede of them leaving my neighborhood -- a street full of rickshaw wallahs sleeping in their benches, temples, vegetable stalls, kite sellers. I slapped one particularly fat bovine on the butt with a solid smack for good luck before heading into Ganga Matt to say one last goodbye to Virendra-ji.

My last week in town gave me time to do all of those things I should have done in the last month and a half. another sunrise boat ride, a trip to the other bank of the river, a walk all the way up the ghats to the bridge, a visit to Durga Kund temple

second photo; http://static.flickr.com/43/87373668_1713ecd122.jpg