India

“Varanasi or Benares is the holiest of the seven sacred cities in Hinduism. According to the legend, the city was founded by Lord Shiva after a fight with Lord Brahma. There is a strong belief by Hindus and other derived religions such as Jainism, that bathing and dying in the Ganga River will bring them salvation. Approximately 150 to 200 bodies are burnt every day at the crematories located at the banks of the river, and thousands of religious devotees visit the city every year. Visiting Varanasi was like witnessing a live documentary. Once again, there are no words to describe reality. Varanasi is one of those spectacular places on earth that have to be seen.”

“Amritsar, the heart of Punjab. The heart of the Sikh, and once again an unexpected surprise in our continuous discovery journey around India, the never ending country of diversity. The food of this northwestern part of India deserves a separate chapter, – we still dream with its Lassi’s and with our pretty much daily feast at the 100 years old Kesar Da Dhaba restaurant… We breathed and learned about the fascinating Sikh culture thanks to the Family at Jugaadus hostel – a beautiful community that commits to embrace people from every corner of the world to enjoy the magic of this city. The Golden Temple, a captivating sanctuary that feeds up to 100,000 people a day, is the living example of the richness of the Sikh culture, its solidarity, its openness and its history.  Amritsar, you were so easy to fall in love with.”

We finally got to the huge region of Himachal Pradesh, a northern Indian state in the Himalayas. Our first stop was Dharamshala, home to his Holiness the Dalai Lama and hundreds of thousands of Tibetans in exile. Breathtaking mountains, a different sky, a different vibe, quietness, fresh air, different foods, peoples and traditions. Once again it felt like we were in a different country. India, you never stop surprising.

“Jaipur or the Pink City truly felt like being in the heart of Rajasthan, finally. A place always dreamed off. Busy streets and markets filled with street food, colourful fabrics and jewellery of all kinds. Noise and bright colours unseen elsewhere. We have wonderful memories from our good friend Dinesh, a brave family man that, like most low working class Indians goes through endless struggles to survive the tough life in India.”

“A holy city in India, said to preserve the only Brahma Temple in the country. Intermittently rainy and sunny, and probably one of the first cultural shocks against India’s dirty streets. Streets full of peoples, holy cows, pigs, dogs, chickens and an overwhelming mystical and exciting atmosphere.”

“Sons of the Desert”

“Jodhpur was one of those places we had always wanted to visit. Blue and peaceful views from the top of its fort, dusty and chaotic from the inside of its streets.”

“We found Peace in Harmonized Chaos”

“Welcome to the Jungle”

“Random acts of Kindness”