4/3 - It may be a new day, but I am fuming again about that git who stole my wallet. Not to worry, it will pass and this is a good place to make it do so.
Woke up early, so took advantage of the cooler time and set off strolling. This is a fantastic town of old ruins and I don't mean me. They are everywhere and the boulder formations defy logic. They must be superglued up there. I took advantage of my early morning fresh legs and headed off up the hill away from the Virupakasha temple, the big one. The hill has wide steps leading up it, so thought I'd check out what was over the top. The old age of the steps means the height varies at different places along their width, so I was able to zig-zag my way up, past the big Nandi statue, or monolith. It is a bull, a big bull, a bit like me I suppose. Met Rose and Nathan there, the 2 Californians, they have parked their bikes and whizzed on ahead.
These boulders are weird, they have been there thousands of years, so I suppose they are safe.
Made it to the top, chuffed with myself. It drops off into another valley. I thought sack walking down there to have to come back up. I walked around the big boulder I was shading behind and there is this big old temple down there, so off I plod, down the hill. Actually the Hematuka hill and the temple down the other side, something along the lines of Achyutaraya. It is smaller then the V one and in a state of needing a bit of repair, but it is some place. It reminds me of the Inca temples, not that I have seen them. They must have been in that dream with the blonde. They are really peaceful, there is hardly another soul around. I guess they couldn't make the hill, HUH. This would be a good place just to sit and read and chill, there are plenty of shady places to sit and it is really cool in the middle building of the temple. Being in this place is like stepping back in time. If a trip to India is on the cards, Hampi should definitely be on the itinerary. Mind you I probably say that about most of the places I visit, but this place is unique in my experiences so far. I like the tranquility of the temples.
I have taken shed loads of pictures, but I wont be able to do Hampi justice. A lot of the temples have walls extending away from them, these were the bazaar areas, this one is no exception, so off I set away from climbing the hill down the one time bazaar and guess what I found? More temples. There's even a Sunderland temple, well it is painted red and white stripes, what else could it be?
Came around another temple which is in use and getting lots of tourist visitors going in, but they all come out with a red dot on their heads, so I am staying clear of that one. I'll just sit at the gate and watch these women AND men doing their dhobi in the river and laying it out on the rocks to dry. There are some round boats down there too, so got my binos out to check them out. Tourists keep coming along and getting in them and disappearing off down the river. They perch on the sides. They are completely round, like 3 men in a tub. They look to be made of whicker and have a tarpaulin stuck to the bottom. I'm not sure if they are waterproof, as they empty them out when they come back. It could be from the rowing though.
A group of about 8 couples have made their way down to the river launderette and are stipping to the waste hoying their kit into the river and laying them out to dry. They are all ages
"I think this might be a good time to put my binoculars away" thought the dirty grumpy old man.
The saris must be fine. 2 women held a couple of pieces up in the wind and sun for about 10 minutes and they were dry. The saris look to comprise of about 4 parts. They are like huge flags layed out on the rocks. Whilst they are drying, they get on with some other washing, then put them back on when they are dry. They add real colour to India. The different parts are sometimes contrasting, sometimes the same. Paige will be pleased to hear my favourite colour is pink.
I think the bare belly thing in the UK has come from here. Loads of the women of all ages show a bit of belly in their saris, but in a more subtle way than the UK lasses.
One old fellow waded out a bit and sat on a rock meditating. Another waded out to another rock and started giving himself a bath. He got a bit adventurous and moved out a bit deeper, too adventurous, he slipped and went under. You should have seen his old dear get in there after him, she was like greased lightening. She went over herself, but was back up like a salmon and pushing him out. He got a helping hand and forgot about his missus struggling for a few seconds, then gave her a hand.
Some cows turned up at the temple, real cows, not ........ They sauntered through one gate and out the other. Then some monkeys turned up and startled a group of Italians. They were good natured though and the monkeys.
Decided I had letched enough, so moved on through an arch of the powerful looking boulders and on through a banana plantation. A group of school kids approached, between 6 and 10 years old approximately. The first one said "Goodbye" so I said "Hello" This triggered a chain reaction right through the group, Goodbye, Hello, Goodbye, Hello, Goodbye. You get the picture. We all carried on our way smiling and laughing. Probably I was the happiest.
I passed a school first thing this morning. It was built into the bazaar ruins in Hampi bazaar. The kids only looked about 3 or 4. One Dad was dropping his daughter off on his motor bike. She had to go in front of him, she was too small to hold onto him from behind. He never got off the bike, just said their goodbyes and off she toddled. Another of the kids came up to him and they started having a right old chat, he was like an old man. The blokes daughter was definitely a point of the conversation, they lad kept pointing to her. I worked it out in the end, he was proposing to her.
I ended up somehow back at Hampi bazaar with again the offers of rickshaws, guides, maps, postcards. A few ladies offered me a massage in the best possible taste. I told one lass I was past a massage. Her mate understood me because she burst out laughing. Picked up a couple of oranges and bananas for Rs 10. The old dear wanted 20, but the lass before me got a wacking great mango and about 12 bananas for 20, so I declined. She smiled.
Back to the room for a pit stop and a cool off, then back into the sunshine. 3 blokes dressed as monks I guess. They had painted faces, peacock feathers in their turbans and bright coloured clothes. I think they were Dutch as the clothes were predominantely orange. They hugged each other and said picture, so I obliged and......... you guessed it. Out came a book, "Put your name and country in here" They pointed out all the people who had signed and the amounts they had contributed, 100, 200, 500, 700. They forgot to point out that the handwriting of the amounts was all the same hand. I gave them 30, probably too much. They put up a bit of resistance, but when I asked for it back they settled for it. I passed them several times during the day and got a knowing smile from them.
Set off to the Mango Tree a restaurant/cafe recomended in the Lonely Planet, passed another banana plantation, another Sunderland temple. This Mango Tree is a real hippie joint, if you pardon the expression. Ratan mats to sit on at low tables looking out over the river. I set myself up at the top leaning on the big old mango tree, forgetting that I had been shit on in Ganpatipule, but I got away with it this time. I ordered my mint tea, read my book for a while and watched 2 old lads tending the paddy fields.
I bumped into an English/French couple on my way back that I met on the train. They told me they were off for a nap. I told them they were getting old then promptly went back to my room and fell asleep.
Up showered and buzzing after my power nap. Tried to book my onward train ticket online, but you need an address for delivery, so that was a waste of time. I'll take being ripped off by the hotel bloke instead.
Went for some snap in a rooftop restaurant. Most of them are rooftop. I had to try at least one. The menus are all pretty similar and even look to be printed in the same place, but the food is OK. It looked really good in the Mango Tree.
Anyway, a cuppa and off back to apply the moisturiser and anti-wrinkle cream, OK OK off back to brush my teeth and bed.
Until another sunny day tomorrow. Tot ziens.
Woke up early, so took advantage of the cooler time and set off strolling. This is a fantastic town of old ruins and I don't mean me. They are everywhere and the boulder formations defy logic. They must be superglued up there. I took advantage of my early morning fresh legs and headed off up the hill away from the Virupakasha temple, the big one. The hill has wide steps leading up it, so thought I'd check out what was over the top. The old age of the steps means the height varies at different places along their width, so I was able to zig-zag my way up, past the big Nandi statue, or monolith. It is a bull, a big bull, a bit like me I suppose. Met Rose and Nathan there, the 2 Californians, they have parked their bikes and whizzed on ahead.
These boulders are weird, they have been there thousands of years, so I suppose they are safe.
Made it to the top, chuffed with myself. It drops off into another valley. I thought sack walking down there to have to come back up. I walked around the big boulder I was shading behind and there is this big old temple down there, so off I plod, down the hill. Actually the Hematuka hill and the temple down the other side, something along the lines of Achyutaraya. It is smaller then the V one and in a state of needing a bit of repair, but it is some place. It reminds me of the Inca temples, not that I have seen them. They must have been in that dream with the blonde. They are really peaceful, there is hardly another soul around. I guess they couldn't make the hill, HUH. This would be a good place just to sit and read and chill, there are plenty of shady places to sit and it is really cool in the middle building of the temple. Being in this place is like stepping back in time. If a trip to India is on the cards, Hampi should definitely be on the itinerary. Mind you I probably say that about most of the places I visit, but this place is unique in my experiences so far. I like the tranquility of the temples.
I have taken shed loads of pictures, but I wont be able to do Hampi justice. A lot of the temples have walls extending away from them, these were the bazaar areas, this one is no exception, so off I set away from climbing the hill down the one time bazaar and guess what I found? More temples. There's even a Sunderland temple, well it is painted red and white stripes, what else could it be?
Came around another temple which is in use and getting lots of tourist visitors going in, but they all come out with a red dot on their heads, so I am staying clear of that one. I'll just sit at the gate and watch these women AND men doing their dhobi in the river and laying it out on the rocks to dry. There are some round boats down there too, so got my binos out to check them out. Tourists keep coming along and getting in them and disappearing off down the river. They perch on the sides. They are completely round, like 3 men in a tub. They look to be made of whicker and have a tarpaulin stuck to the bottom. I'm not sure if they are waterproof, as they empty them out when they come back. It could be from the rowing though.
A group of about 8 couples have made their way down to the river launderette and are stipping to the waste hoying their kit into the river and laying them out to dry. They are all ages
"I think this might be a good time to put my binoculars away" thought the dirty grumpy old man.
The saris must be fine. 2 women held a couple of pieces up in the wind and sun for about 10 minutes and they were dry. The saris look to comprise of about 4 parts. They are like huge flags layed out on the rocks. Whilst they are drying, they get on with some other washing, then put them back on when they are dry. They add real colour to India. The different parts are sometimes contrasting, sometimes the same. Paige will be pleased to hear my favourite colour is pink.
I think the bare belly thing in the UK has come from here. Loads of the women of all ages show a bit of belly in their saris, but in a more subtle way than the UK lasses.
One old fellow waded out a bit and sat on a rock meditating. Another waded out to another rock and started giving himself a bath. He got a bit adventurous and moved out a bit deeper, too adventurous, he slipped and went under. You should have seen his old dear get in there after him, she was like greased lightening. She went over herself, but was back up like a salmon and pushing him out. He got a helping hand and forgot about his missus struggling for a few seconds, then gave her a hand.
Some cows turned up at the temple, real cows, not ........ They sauntered through one gate and out the other. Then some monkeys turned up and startled a group of Italians. They were good natured though and the monkeys.
Decided I had letched enough, so moved on through an arch of the powerful looking boulders and on through a banana plantation. A group of school kids approached, between 6 and 10 years old approximately. The first one said "Goodbye" so I said "Hello" This triggered a chain reaction right through the group, Goodbye, Hello, Goodbye, Hello, Goodbye. You get the picture. We all carried on our way smiling and laughing. Probably I was the happiest.
I passed a school first thing this morning. It was built into the bazaar ruins in Hampi bazaar. The kids only looked about 3 or 4. One Dad was dropping his daughter off on his motor bike. She had to go in front of him, she was too small to hold onto him from behind. He never got off the bike, just said their goodbyes and off she toddled. Another of the kids came up to him and they started having a right old chat, he was like an old man. The blokes daughter was definitely a point of the conversation, they lad kept pointing to her. I worked it out in the end, he was proposing to her.
I ended up somehow back at Hampi bazaar with again the offers of rickshaws, guides, maps, postcards. A few ladies offered me a massage in the best possible taste. I told one lass I was past a massage. Her mate understood me because she burst out laughing. Picked up a couple of oranges and bananas for Rs 10. The old dear wanted 20, but the lass before me got a wacking great mango and about 12 bananas for 20, so I declined. She smiled.
Back to the room for a pit stop and a cool off, then back into the sunshine. 3 blokes dressed as monks I guess. They had painted faces, peacock feathers in their turbans and bright coloured clothes. I think they were Dutch as the clothes were predominantely orange. They hugged each other and said picture, so I obliged and......... you guessed it. Out came a book, "Put your name and country in here" They pointed out all the people who had signed and the amounts they had contributed, 100, 200, 500, 700. They forgot to point out that the handwriting of the amounts was all the same hand. I gave them 30, probably too much. They put up a bit of resistance, but when I asked for it back they settled for it. I passed them several times during the day and got a knowing smile from them.
Set off to the Mango Tree a restaurant/cafe recomended in the Lonely Planet, passed another banana plantation, another Sunderland temple. This Mango Tree is a real hippie joint, if you pardon the expression. Ratan mats to sit on at low tables looking out over the river. I set myself up at the top leaning on the big old mango tree, forgetting that I had been shit on in Ganpatipule, but I got away with it this time. I ordered my mint tea, read my book for a while and watched 2 old lads tending the paddy fields.
I bumped into an English/French couple on my way back that I met on the train. They told me they were off for a nap. I told them they were getting old then promptly went back to my room and fell asleep.
Up showered and buzzing after my power nap. Tried to book my onward train ticket online, but you need an address for delivery, so that was a waste of time. I'll take being ripped off by the hotel bloke instead.
Went for some snap in a rooftop restaurant. Most of them are rooftop. I had to try at least one. The menus are all pretty similar and even look to be printed in the same place, but the food is OK. It looked really good in the Mango Tree.
Anyway, a cuppa and off back to apply the moisturiser and anti-wrinkle cream, OK OK off back to brush my teeth and bed.
Until another sunny day tomorrow. Tot ziens.
6 comments:
hello, now i am really jealous hampi sounds fantastic, just the sort of place i could do with visiting at the moment! quiet and relaxing. as for the sunderland temples theres no accounting for taste is there! they obviously ran out of black paint! keep your chin up and forget about the scumbag who nicked your wallet it wil only spoil your experience of india and that would be a shame because it sounds great up to now. so upwards and onwards as they say! love you big bro. mandy mags. x
Gil - I'm enjoying reading about your travels. Makes a nice break from doing any work! Take it easy and look after yourself.
Hugo
Hi Gil, I will NOT be beaten by something with as stupid a name as Blog ... so I will try again and leave a comment. I am being egged on by Banty and the rest of the DBW Admin Team. We wanted you to know we are with you every step of the way and were horrified to hear that some miscreant had his hands on your draws taking the hard earned beer tokens - what cheek. The chilling out sounds just the ticket - good for you. As Hugo says, we are really enjoying reading your circumnavigation although (in case AJD reads this) only in our coffee breaks! Take care and best wishes from us all, Flo, Banty, Bella, Zola, Tilly and the Drummer Boy.
Sunderland have finally won. Cracking goal by Daryl Murphy. Sunderland 2 Birmingham 0 Who are ya who are ya. love Lewis
What do you mean "finally won"? That is four home wins on the trot!
Cheeky Northern bar stewards.
Can you say that to an 8 year old?
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