Rishikesh

My home for the next two months is Rishikesh, India. I am taking a course to complete my 500 hour yoga teacher certification. I came a week before the course started to explore the area and try out some of the yoga classes offered here.

Rishikesh, in my eyes, is a very special city. It is located in North India at the foothills of the Himalayas with the mighty Gange River flowing through it. Everything about it is picturesque.

The name Rishikesh means "place of the seers" and it is a spiritual hub. As such, there is a vibrant energy about the city. You walk into coffee shops and people are talking about things like universal consciousness and the nature of reality. It's awesome.

It is also said to be the "yoga capital of the world" and the "birthplace for yoga".  There are tons of studios in various styles of yoga being taught.  Every year an international yoga festival is held here with teachers and gurus coming from all over the world.

Every nook and cranny of this city is so alive! I just want to take a picture of everything. And by the end of the trip I might as well have.  Here are some pictures of my first two days around the streets of Rishikesh.

I spent the first week couchsurfing with Vivek.  I stayed in his ashram located in a gated neighborhood.

As you enter the city. Wow. What a welcome!

A window of one of the many bookstores.

YES.

And my other fave, sweet lemon soda!

Street selling...

Mama Gange.  There are boat rides you can take down the river.

Lots of things to explore and do!

These guys are plentiful and roam the streets.

There seem to be a lot of stray dogs, but none of them were ever agressive.

It's the monkeys that people should be weary of!