Slumdog, Hampi and Hippies

After winning a bunch of Oscars and putting the world spotlight on India, I figured I should mention the blockbuster film.  I didn't get a chance to see it yet, so I don't really have an opinion on the movie.  My friend Brenda, however, saw it in the US and in India, and has written a very good article about it for a travel website.  Check it out here.  From what I have seen and heard, it has not been a big hit here in Hyderabad, and nobody seems to really be talking about it.  I do think there is a little pride in its latest awards, however.  

I am beginning to feel an oh so unpleasant feeling in my abdomen, (maybe it was that gulab jamen at lunch) so I will probably keep this short before my Hindi class.  Hampi was a great place to experience, full of beautiful sights and temples and hidden treasures.. and European Hippies.  I have never seen so many dreadlocks!  It just so happens that Goa and Hampi are popular vacation destinations, only a cheap flight over from Europe.  But the tourism was easily surpassed by the overwhelmingly gorgeous scenery.  The mountains surrounding Hampi look like a bunch of giants spent hours piling up massive boulders into hills of crumbling rock.  In between the mountains are lush valleys of palm and banana groves, and rice patty fields, with a clean river flowing through.  There were endless ruins to explore, over 500 years old.  Most were Shiva, Krishna, and monkey temples.  There was also a big Ganesh, and Monolithic Bull statue, among so many other old stone structures.  I can't even imagine an ancient civilization large enough to fill all of those places of worship!  Overall, the views were breathtaking from various mountaintop temples, and Rebecca, Veena and I had lots of adventures climbing and wandering and taking rides in coracle boats. (see the latest photos!!)

It was also funny to realize how modest I have become after a few months here in India.  The European tourists did not consider the kinds of dress expected in India, and wore outfits that shocked and scandalized me-  Shorts! Tank tops! Miniskirts! AHH!  I try to dress very respectfully of the culture, especially in a place of such religious significance.  Hampi has grown to expect the raunchy dress of Western tourists, because it has been such a popular spot for so long.  Had the same people shown up in Hyderabad, it would be a different story.  Hyderabad is much more conservative, and not at all touristy.  Once, a girl I was sitting next to on the 216 bus told me that my friend, whose middrift was showing occasionally, was the talk of the bus for being inappropriately dressed.  Hence, the German girl in the booty-shorts and halter top, wrapping her leg around her boyfriend to pose for a photo next to a temple, was quite a shock.   

So that's a bit of Hampi, and I also wanted to brag and say that you'd all be proud of me for not taking sass from some jerks on the train and in Hampi.  I can be kind of shy, so it took a lot for me to tell a very rude young man that he was not a nice person and that we would rather swim across the river than pay double the price to ride in his coracle.  That was fun actually.  And we did end up finding a nice paddler, for the decent price.  I am now going to be late for Hindi.  

Enjoy the new photos! Miss and love you all!!