Amritsar

From the moment you reach the Golden Temple of Amritsar, the holiest place for the welcoming Sikh religion, you can sense that something special is going on inside its white marble walls. Every person in the world despite race, religion, or condition, is invited to share a place in the common sleeping hall, enjoy a quick meal of dhal and chapati, and refresh at the temple's lake. The prayers are heard all over the complex and the colorful turbans contrast with the deep dark beards of the Sikh people.

We fully embraced the experience of living in such a community: we slept and ate inside the temple halls with more than 100,000 people. Also, we volunteered as dish washers (two among thousands) and were compensated with a hot cup of chai, the most delicious we have had (there is something about earning your own tea).