So, I started off in Mumbai, where it was great to see my relatives again. They were all so open and welcoming, and they helped me however they could. To see some pics of my relatives, go to my Yahoo Groups account. Param, my nephew, was really shy around me at first, but then he latched on and wouldn't let go. He was constantly seeking my attention...it was cute at first, but then I felt that I couldn't spend much time with my other relatives. Still, it was fun.
I took a sleeper class train to Bijapur. Sleeper class is 2nd class, where there's no A/C, where the passengers are more rural, and where you leave feeling dirtier than when you entered. It was great! Seriously. The countryside in the morning was beautiful. And the people were nice, even though we couldn't communicate. When I got to Bijapur, I decided, perhaps foolishly, to walk the 2 kilometers to my hotel. The streets were noisy and INCREDIBLY dusty. The air quality in Bijapur is actually worse than Mumbai! People in northern Karnataka tend to stare openly and without stopping. And stare they did. Once I got to my hotel, I put down my stuff, freshened up, and went exploring. I got lost and wound up in the slums. The only redeeming part of the day was the restaurant, which had an amazing thali and a hungry cow (see previous post). Thus far, I really wasn't impressed with Bijapur. There were no tourists, and even without any bags or cameras, people could still tell that I didn't belong. And they stared.
The next day, I decided to see at least one of the sites: The Gol-Gumbaz, a mausoleum from the Adil Shahi empire. This massive place has the second largest dome ever made, after the one atop St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. At the top of the dome, on the inside, the acoustics are amazing. The Whispering Gallery abounds with whispers and claps and screams echoed throughout. You clap once, and it echoes ten more times. You whisper near the wall, and anyone standing around the wall elsewhere will here it with perfect clarity. Overall, the Gol-Gumbaz was pretty cool. It didn't quite redeem Bijapur, but it helped. Still, I was glad to finally leave!I bused over to Bagalkot, then to Badami. I love the local buses, though my butt and my knees were in serious pain once I reached Badami. Still, I found my hotel, and pretty much relaxed for the rest of day. Even from a first glance, I knew that I would like Badami. It had the feel of a village, wasn't really as dusty as Bijapur, and just came across as being friendlier. Badami was the capital of the Chalukya empire (like Bijapur was for the Adil Shahi), one of the oldest empires in the South. The Chalukyans really experimented with architecture that would eventually spread throughout the South. Actually, as I explored Badami and Pattada Kalla, I really wished folks like Crissy and Eric were there, because I knew that they could appreciate the sights a lot more than I could. Oh well.
In Badami, I climbed up a canyon to the forts and temples that protected Badami. I also, saw the caves cut into the rocks. It's hard to express the beautiful views, the amazing sculptures, and the serene atmosphere of Badami's sights. Pictures are perhaps the best way to show what I saw. Of course, the rest will be (at some point) on the Yahoo site. The first morning in Badami, as I walked to the North Fort (through the canyon), I met a kid, Raju, who proceded to act as my guide, though of course he wanted something. He pushed me to employ his friend as an autoriksha driver on a trip to Pattada Kalla, Aiholi, and Mahakuta the next morning. Of course, the bus seemed much more preferable to me. Then, he wanted a "gift." Money to help pay for a new cricket ball. I gave him a little, but not too much. I felt bad, but I simply can't pay everyone who wants it.
The caves were nice. The monkeys were better.
Then I got sick. A cold. Thankfully that was all.
Luckily, I had chosen a room with a TV. I stayed in my room, more or less, from about 1:30pm that afternoon until I went to sleep. I really tried to rest up. This way, the next day, I felt up to traveling to Pattada Kalla. The bus ride was nothing fancy. At P.K., I explored the temples as I had been doing. I'm glad I had chosen not to go to Aiholi or Mahakuta, because it would have been overkill (Aiholi alone has over 200 temples!). Also, in P.K., I experienced my first school group mob. A large group of about forty kids saw that I had a camera, and they wanted me to take a picture. When I did, they mobbed around me to see how it looked on the LCD screen. They almost knocked the camera out of my hand! And I'm Indian...I blend in. I can't imagine how difficult it must be for everyone else!
I left P.K. through the most personal way possible: van. No buses were coming for a while, so a little boy led me to an already packed van heading back to Badami. And when I say packed, I mean people were standing inside because there wasn't room to sit. I was by far the largest person there, meaning that they had to really make room for me. A kid ended up sitting on my lap. And everyone knew each other, so of course they talked about the funny tourist in Malayalam. However, I became very friendly with the kids along the way. We had fun. Lots of fun. Though I was cramped the entire time, I was glad that I experienced the van.
And that was that. Mumbai, Bijapur, Badami, Pattada Kalla. Hampi comes next...but that's for another time. Some further thoughts and observations before I go:
1. Malayalam is a funny language. Hindi flows off the tongue. Malayalam trips. It's fascinating to listen to...just don't laugh.
2. For a while, I tried pretending to be South American to avoid the mobbing of kids. Throw a few Spanish words their way, and they get confused. But now I just ignore them. I hate to be rude, but it's necessary.
3. I felt weird walking through the village of Badami, because most of the time, I was wandering through narrow streets where people lived. It was like if someone were to walk through my neighborhood as a tourist. I know I'll get over this feeling of guilt, like I don't belong. But it'll take some time.
4. In Mumbai, I tried Paan for the first time. Paan is an after-dinner snack, like a mint. Except it's MUCH STRONGER. And it makes your mouth very red. I now know that paan is not for me. But at least I tried it, right?
Alright, more later.
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