Baby, it doesn't get any better than this. Bussed up here to Rishikesh pretty painlessly and met an irish brother and sister traveling in India since Xmas. They were fun. Then we got to Laxman Jula, which was mostly closed because it was Holi, the holiday where they throw colored dye on each other and hit you with water balloons. This is good because when the shops are open it looks like any other indian tourist trap, but with them closed, its paradise. Mountains all around, the Ganges flows by under a great suspension bridge, where monkeys play on the wires, some with monkey babies on their backs. that's how confident monkeys are. Everyone threw dye on me and I was covered like everyone else. They rub it on your face, clothes, whatever, its all very jolly. The ganga beach cafe is one of those places that is just- you just can't beat it. It's great. Overlooking the water, they built it of bamboo, like something in bali or thailand or something. You sit on cushions on the floor and check out the view and sip lassi and mango juice and meet people from all over the world. Fabulous. Just fabulous. Of course we're all on vacation here, so what could be better? A little oldies mix plays in the background, it's just great. So far, no beggars. I mean what's India without beggars? But they just aren't around. Go figure. Up at 5 am this morning went for a sunrise walk and checked out the whole town. Its gorgeous when its closed, in a haphazard, cobbled-together way. Saw a homeless man sleeping on the sidewalk, covered with a blanket, his prosthetic leg lying by his side. Standing on the bridge is glorious. The wind just blasts you, attacks you, makes you feel small. Then I come to sit on the bank of the Ganges, where the water is cold cold cold and bits of marigolds wash up and make a line in the sand. I never heard of a river with a sandy beach, but that's what we have here. A dog that looks like my own comes up and says hello, takes his morning dip, then trots off. I go sip my mango juice at the cafe above and a group of ladies in their saris come for their morning dip. They pour it all over themselves. It looks clean enough, I'm just amazed they do this. Its awfully cold. Brave! Some even take their tops off, discretely behind a rock. The men on the rocks above pretend they aren't looking.