Beautiful moments

Here are some of my favorite moments from the ten days that we were in Varanasi.

Sitting under the mango tree in the early morning. Perfect for writing/dreaming. (It's the best time of day... before it gets hot!)

Chinua playing music on the roof. Is it the guitar? The banjo? I can't tell.

Leaf took me to her favorite places, including this place, which has the incredible name of Gupta's Zarda.

See?

On a date with Leaf. Despite all the madness surrounding the house (mostly madness of my family's making) we stole away and off we went on a cycle rickshaw.

We walked through bright gullies and sat talking and eating. Wonderful.

An early morning walk through the gullies.

And down to the ghats, where I watched people doing the morning bathing in the Ganga.

A cup of chai on the ghats.

Walking down streets lined with vegetable sellers.

On the way back to the house, this little sweetie was always there for a cheek smushing. Her parents are dhobi wallahs (laundry washers).

Chinua and Kid A at the beginning of a mural project.

The YaYa sister, helping Auntie Leaf make a rangoli out of flower petals as a centerpiece for our acoustic night. There were so many moments at the acoustic night, when travelers from around the world were singing together. It was incredible.

Traffic jam. I didn't actually like being IN the traffic jam--it was scorching hot. But the photo is nice.

Chole puri in the courtyard. So delicious. A garbanzo bean masala with fried roti.

I loved all our meals in the courtyard, eating together and then sitting and talking, talking, talking until a cup of tea was needed and then saying, "Oh, look at the time!" and our friends scurrying off to do all necessary things to keep life moving in this Indian city.