hampi

hampi is magical. some archeologists discovered ruins of a complete village that was built in the 14th and 15th century some 30 years ago. before this the village was practically a ghost town. now it is revived and full of tourists. it is off season now, though. rather quiet. we have 40 degress every day, at night still 30 degrees. a few days were unbearably hot, but there is a lake nearby where we went swimming twice (after the second time i lost my bikini on the way...so good thing we are going to goa tonight, where i will be able to buy a new one....). we were not immediately charmed by this place but took 2 days to fall in love. the landscape is ravingly beautiful. huge rockformations, red spoil, green wheat and rice fields, a river wiht bathing ghats just like in varanasi and pushkar where people wash, swimm, bathe, shave, live.... and then there are the ruins. simply amazing. the ruins are spread out over a large aera, temples (one underground), public bath, queen's palace, elephant stables, quuen's bath...water pavillion...the masonry contains small details that stun and amaze you. one of the temple is part of the UNESCO world heritage and has musical pillars that look so fragile and delicate and still manage to survive all those years.
we watched the elephant that lives in a temple here in the village being washed at the river yesterday morning. great fun.
we rented scooters to explore and bikes twice. went to a monkey tmeple, climbed up 600 stairs (at 9 in the morning, because any time after that the heat kills you) and managed not to freak out too much when 50 monkeys surrounded us.
swam at the lake, despite the sign, that swimming is prohibited because of the crocodiles.
watched a movie every night (fight club, snatch, 21 grams, fear and loathing in las vegas, city of god).
have a favourite place to eat called the mango tree. the restaurant is outside underneath a huge mango tree. the restaurant has 4 plateaus where you sit on the fllor and a swing (which i love and spent many hours on). the view from there is such a treat: rice fields, cows and birds, the mangos above you (not ripe yet, it is not the season), coconut palms, the river, some wehite wached houses with straw-thached roofs in the distance as well as some of the enormous rocks that you see all over Hampi.
it is so close to paradise.
we live on hampi island. in order to get there you need to take a boat or wade through the river (water up to your hips). last boat is a 6. in case you miss it you cross the river in a little carcole (which is basically a large weaved basket)- you get wet feet but otherwise it is loads of fun. or course you pay a furtune for the boat after 6. on our side of the river the guesthouses are amazing, great view, beautiful garden, fields behind the houses. we loved it.
our guesthouse belongs to a supernice woman and we enjoyed staying there a lot. we spent quite some time on the bed-swings in front of our room looking up at the palm and mango trees above you.
now i am heading to goa, the beach. about one person a week dies from falling coconuts there!

all there is left for me to do is read and get a tan. johanna will be coming with me so it is promising to be loads of fun.
cheers to you all!