The end of the world & a couple of observations

Since we have been back in Arambol we have been spending a lot of time on the beach and going for little nature walks. We are enjoying the hut we have been staying in, with all its 4 star facilities.




We having been spending time with some English people in the last couple of days. One couple called Danny & Joe and a couple of friends Ruth & Dan. Its been really nice and last night we went to an end of the world party. The party itself was not that busy and really it was pushing it a bit to call it a party. Basically we think one of the bigger parties may have been shut down by the police, so some enterprising Indian men set up some speakers on the beach and bought some drink from the bottle shop. 
The music was Goa Techno which just has a very repetative beat, but there were some very entertaining characters there, so definitely some people watching oppurtunities.

Craig and I left about 4am and as soon as the cab pulled off the beach, there was a man lying in the road, totally unconcious. There were a couple of guys standing near motorbikes on the side of the road, they made a pretty poor attempt of pulling him to the side. When they lifted him up, he had obviously been attacked, he was totally floppy and not there at all. Our cabby made a call and another big guy turned up on a bike and then we drove off. It was a bit scary, because i wondered whether it may have been a set-up and that we were going to get carjacked. We dont really know what happened but when Craig asked an Indian friend the next day why the police were not called, he said, if an Indian person calls the police to report the injury or death of another Indian person then the police will just charge the person that called them. We dont know if this is true but he said it is too much hassle to try and investigate so it is easier to just charge the person that is there at the time. Anyway not the greatest end to a good (ish) party, but a good reminder that we are not in the UK with the comforts our police provide. The police do seem to spend most of their time sitting with the life guards, posing in their aviators, and looking at girls (and yes they have nicked the lifeguards chairs!).

On a slightly lighter note here are the pictures of the sunset the day after the world was supposed to end, significant?

I also have a couple of random observations to make;

1) Cows in India like their food hot!












2) I did the Indian head bobble to Craig the other day in response to a question. I think that is definitely a sign that it is nearly time to move on. Here is Wikipedias explanation of what it means, but i have seen it used for yes, no, maybe, i dont know, left, right, i dont speak english, why are you talking to me, and the list goes on........

The head bobble, head wobble, or Indian head shake
refers to a common gesture found in South Asian cultures, most notably in India. This form of nonverbal communication is sometimes referred to as "Indian head shake" or as travel journalist Stephan Wilkinson has described it, "a vague cock of the head." The motion usually consists of a side-to-side tilting of the head in arcs along the coronal plane. It often means a yes. In India the gesture is common in the southern parts, but may not be used consistently all around the country. In India, this particular headshake can also be acknowledgement or encouragement. In the Western world, people often use a nod for the same purpose. It is not always associated with yes or no, and is actually used in place of no when the person doesn't want to say no

3) After asking various people i still didnt know what a Buba was, or what sinificance he has. I can however tell you that he seems to be very spiritual, homeless and people give him food, chai and drugs. There is one at every party and they are usually curled up in a little ball on the sand in the middle of the party. Anyway again here is Wikipedias explanation......

In Hinduism, sādhu (skt साधु sādhu, “good; good man, holy man”) denotes an ascetic, wandering monk. Although the vast majority of sādhus are yogīs, not all yogīs are sādhus. The sādhu is solely dedicated to achieving mokṣa (liberation), the fourth and final aśrama (stage of life), through meditation and contemplation of brahman. Sādhus often wear ochre-colored clothing, symbolizing their sanyāsa (renunciation).  Sadhus are sanyasi, or renunciates, who have left behind all material attachments and live in caves, forests and temples all over India and Nepal.  A Sadhu is usually referred to as Baba by common people. The word baba also means father, grandfather, or uncle in many Indian languages. Sometimes the respectful suffix -ji may also be added after baba, to give greater respect to the renunciate. It is also a term of endearment for small boys.

There are 4–5 million sadhus in India today and they are widely respected for their holiness,^[3] and sometimes feared for their curses. It is also thought that the austere practices of the sadhus help to burn off their karmacontemporarily, sadhus have often been viewed with a certain degree of suspicion, particularly amongst the urban populations of India. Today, especially in popular pilgrimage cities, posing as a sadhu can be a means of acquiring income for non-devout beggars.  There are naked Naga (Digambara, or "sky-clad") Sadhus which are non-shaven and wear their hair in thick dreadlocks, and Jata, who carry swords. Aghora sadhus may claim to keep company with ghosts, or live in cemeteries as part of their holy path. Indian culture tends to emphasize an infinite number of paths to God, such that sadhus, and the varieties that sadhus come in have their place.

I havent taken a picture of one as i think you have to pay for that, but here is one, that bears a striking resemblance to the one at the party.

4) Every sunbed comes with a dog under it and they are usually there all day so you better make friends with them, if you dont want them to pee on your throw.

Thats it, for the next few days. Arambol is getting a little busier now in the run up to Christmas, so we will be ordering our lobster in the next couple of days. Then settling down to a Christmas on the beach........
　

Arambol fishermen

Here are the Arambol fishermen bringing in their catch....

Flowers of Goa & Hampi

Here are a few pictures of flowers, they are really pretty but a lot of them are really tiny, so its taking some practice

 

A little motorbike mishap

On our last day in Hampi we hired another bike and in the morning rode around some more temples. In the afternoon we rode to the river to cool off.  On the way back from the river we were met by another bike coming straight towards us on our side of the road overtaking a tuk tuk.  Craig moved slightly to the left and we hit the gravel.  The bike went left and we went right, with a bit of a thud.  Somehow Craig landed and then i landed on top of him, it took a couple of seconds but we picked our selves up and moved the bike of the road. One Indian couple who i think watched it asked of we were ok and we were.  So we hopped back on the bike and drove the 2km back to the guest house.  When we got back we could see that Craig had 4 or 5 quite big grazes on his leg and palm of his hand.  As we had left our big backpack at a friends house in Arambol we typically did not have our first aid kit, but the very helpful German couple next door had the works.  So pretty soon Craig was cleaned up, Iodine applied and a couple of tape stitch alternatives (applied by me, just call me Florence Nightingale!).  The following day on discovering that if you could not drive or walk in Hampi there was not a lot more to do.  So we decided that was our signal to leave, but Craig could not really walk. 

So instead of a £20 12 hour sleeper bus we took a £55 10 hour taxi.  It was quite something else, way more comfortable than the bus and of course we could stop when we wanted.  It also meant that Craig could stretch his leg out all the way, so happy days.  After getting thoroughly lost we turned up in Arambol at about 11.30pm.  A friend had said we could stay at her house, though she was in Hampi. So we spent a couple of hours before crashing out with some very crazy over the top Russians.

Suffice to say that at 7am the next morning i was walking up the beach looking for our new home....... 

More Hampi...

On our second and third days in Hampi we hired a motorbike and did a tour of the temples and ruins.  After much searching I have found an explanation about the landscape of Hampi that i can understand, i will share this with you below, it really helps to understand the history behind this unique place;

The ruins at Hampi, or Vijayanagar ("the City of Victory"), are one of the most stunning and least visited historical sites in India. Set amidst a strange and magical landscape, bounded by the torrential Tungabhadra River on one side and surrounded by defensible, giant boulder strewn hills on three other sides, Hampi was the seat of the Vijayanagar Empire for over 200 years.

Not much is known about the early history of Hampi. However, excavations have revealed a large number of ceramics, porcelain, and inscribed Buddhist sculptures which date back to the 2nd -3rd century AD.

The recorded history of Hampi can however only be traced back to Saint Vidyaranya who chose the location. His disciples, two brothers Harihara and Bukkaraya (popularly known as Hakka and Bukka), helped build the area in 1336 AD. Hakka Deva Raya and Bukka Deva Raya were respectively the first and second rulers of what became the great Vijayanagar Empire.

At its very peak, the Vijayanagar Empire, with Hampi as its capital city, covered much of South India with major ports including Goa, Cochin, Bhatkal under its sway. As such, Hampi became one of the largest trading centers in the world for spices, cotton, rubies, diamonds, and other precious stones and metals. Hampi's importance as a trading hub led to a significant number of foreign traders and delegates visiting it. As a result, much of the current understanding of the life in Hampi, and the greatness of the Vijayanagar Empire, is due to the graphic and glowing accounts of the city chronicled by visitors to the kingdom over the centuries from Arabia, Italy, Portugal and Russia among other countries. In addition to its importance as a trading destination, Hampi was also an important pilgrimage destination given its links to the Ramayana, and the significant support afforded to building temples in the city.
The "Golden Era" of the Vijayanagar Empire and Hampi was during the reign of King Krishna Deva Raya (AD 1509 - 1530) and his son Achyuta Deva Raya (1530 - 1542). The empire flourished and both kings were associated with the resurgence of Hinduism and for promoting arts, music, literature, and culture. Most of the beautiful monuments, temples and structures found at Hampi are attributed to the reign of these two kings. The empire was also renowned for providing support towards the renovation and reconstruction of temples throughout their empire. Famous poets such Shri Purandhara Dasa and Tenali Rama were associated with Hampi during this period.

The downfall and complete destruction of Hampi and the Vijayanagar Empire was swift and sudden. In 1565, an alliance of five Deccan Sultans (Bidar, Bijapur, Golconda, Ahmednagar and Berar) defeated the army of Vira Sadhashiva Raya in Talikota. The Sultanates' army later looted and plundered Hampi during which time the temples, palaces and the economy were destroyed - and reduced it to the ruinous state in which it remains. While the Vijayanagar Empire survived till 1672, it was barely a shade of its former self. The Golden Era of Hampi had come to a sudden end. Hampi itself was never to be re-occupied.

The ruins are beautiful as you can see, but i was surprised to see despite it being a UNESCO National Heritage Site, there was a huge amount of rubbish everywhere (although this is true of many of Indias most impressive sites.  

Below are some photos of some of the temples and ruins we visited, we also tried to capture the epicness of the landscape (not sure if we got there).

 

 

 

 

Not only did Hampi have an amazing landscape, but there was a huge amount of animals, bugs and birds.  There were literally hundreds of chipmunks living amongst our huts and the boulders, as well as geckos, lots of beautiful butterflies, and loads of birds.  Crows are the staple wake up call in India they are everywhere from the cities, to the beach, to the jungle.  But in Hampi there were green parrots and lots of really colourful kingfishers.  Unfortunately both these and the butterflies have so far escaped my photographic skills because they just don’t stay still, which is very frustrating as everyone knows how much i love butterflies. 

The layout of central Hampi is that there is the town, bazaar, shanti town and temple on one side of the river and on the other is an area called Virapapur Gaddi which is the backpacker accomodation area.  The boats that cross the river start at 7am (ish) and finish at 6 pm (on the dot), but they are run by a shifty bunch of young Indian men, and the price seems to depend on their mood.  The river is the where all the locals gather, especially first thing in the morning, there are loads of people drinking Chai and washing in the river along with the Temple elephant.  That in itself is a very bizarre sight at 6am in the morning having just come off the night bus. 

Hampi Town temple monkey

Here is a very cute Hampi Town temple monkey having breakfast (there will be a lot of this i am afraid, the two things i can never get enough footage of out here are elephants and monkeys).

Goa wildlife montage

Here is a little montage of Goa wildlife seen so far........

Video of fish eating me!

This is the video from Arambol creek of the fish giving me an overall fish pedicure, very strange.  Although my skin did feel very smooth afterwards!

Headed to Hampi

On Monday evening we caught the bus from Mapusa to Hampi. It was a 12hour sleeper bus, which to be honest i was dreading, but it was good. We had a double bed in a little wooden compartment, there were two levels of these. It cost 700 rupees, and we must have stopped for toilet stops about 5 times and once for food. 

We arrived at 6am in Hampi Bazaar which despite the hour was full of men forcing their way onto the bus to get us into the rickshaw/ shop/ tour (delete as applicable). After some equal forceful no'ing and leave us alone, and Craig telling them he was loosing his rag, made them go away. We then just had to pretend that we knew where we going, otherwise we would have got acosted by more, so we just walked. We knew that we wanted to stay in Virapapur Gaddi on the other side of the river and we knew that it was round the side of the big temple, so we headed for that. We found the river and a very helpful young man selling Chai who filled us in on where to get the boat (i use that term loosely) and where to use the toilet. When i came out from the bathroom Craig was surrounded by about 25-30 teenage Indian boys, whilst edging closer and closer to the edge of a cliff. It all sounds very dramatic but they just wanted a closer look at his tattoos and earrings.

blackfaced and whitefaced monkeys, but i am sure once i have uploaded some photos my brother Jack will be able to tell us. Somewhat worrying is that when the big black ones stand up they probably come up to about my chest which is slightly disconcerting so i will be keeping my eye on them.

We waited for about half an hour on a designated rock for the boat with an ever increasing line of backpackers, when it finally arrived they managed to jam in about 25 backpackers with backpacks. We walked up the hill at the other side and went into the first guesthouse to ask for a price for a room. It was 400 rupees for a little bamboo hut with flushing toilet and a mosquito net, total luxury. We were hot and wanted to put our bags down so we took it.

The landscape here is totally out of this world, its like an Indiana Jones movie with palm trees and temples and boulders everywhere, its like nothing i have ever seen before. So really we spend the rest of the day in a bit of a daze, its (even though i have tried to describe it) indescribable really. 

We had a long breakfast whilst we waited for our room to be ready, and we saw an elephant having a bath, whilst eating breakfast, which was lovely (i do love an elephant).  Apparently he is the temple elephant and gets taken for a bath at the same time every morning, i cant think of a much better entertainment over breakfast!

For the rest of the day we hired a bike for a couple of hours, had a long lunch with views of the river. Right now we are sitting on our veranda, and have just seen a couple of geckos, and some little things we think might be chipmunks, but we will check.

All in all our first day in Hampi has been amazing, total mouth open stuff. Although the scenery is so dramatic the places oozes tranquillity. Before we came a friend told me it was the only place she had been that she could see herself meditating. Although i can never see myself meditating (although a year is a long time so watch this space), i can see where she is coming from, i think this place can have a profound effect on people, its sooo calming.

The plan is to hire a bike and go out to see the temples over the next few days, so watch this space.
　

Arambol fresh water lake & snakes

 

Yesterday we went up the North end of Arambol to the fresh water lake.  This comes down onto the beach, and you can walk up the creek, through various rock pools.  There were loads of fish in the pools and even a couple of water snakes.  We have seen 4 snakes in the past 2 days, 2 caught in fishermens nets and then discarded on the beach and two at the creek.  No one really seems to be able to name them but they say they are poisonous, and thats enough for me.  The pictures below are the ones we saw on the beach.  Also up the little creek with all the little fish, i got a free all over fish pedicure.  We sat in the creek to cool off and they were all over me, Craig caught it on video but the internet is to slow for me to upload it at the moment.

 

   

Over the next couple of days we will be lazing on the beach topping up the tan.  We are hoping taking the overnight bus on Monday to Hampi to see some ruins.