More from India

Hey everyone!  Are you pumped up for some more updates from S. India?  I hope so because I’ve got a lot to share with you. 

Our next stop is Mysore, but on the way to Mysore we stopped at Somnathpur, one of the most famous Hoysala Temples in India.  It is in excellent condition and is adorned with some beautiful sculptures on the temple walls. 

Here’s my favorite, Ganesha! 

Of course we’ve got some lovin’ going on as well. 

After Somnathpur we stopped in a small village to meet some of the locals.  Everyone here was so incredibly friendly.  Of course, there were still requests for pens and chocolates from the children, but it wasn’t the frenzy that we experienced in the north. 

 

The children were adorable and absolutely thrilled to have their pictures taken.  They would pose with their friends until they got the perfect shot.  It was so cute. 

Our time in the village has come to an end.  Time to board the bus to our next destination. 

No, that’s not our bus.  We weren’t allowed to ride on the roof, as indicated in our tour documents received prior to departure.  I thought that seemed kind of random when I initially read it, but I guess not. 

Next, we visited the Chamundeswari Temple.  Visitors can purchase beautiful offerings along the way. 

The temple sits on a hill.  On our walk down to the bus we noticed these adorable monkeys! 

And this artist creating one of his masterpieces. 

Now it’s time to kick it like a Maharaja at the Mysore Palace.  It is absolutely stunning and a must do if you find yourself in Mysore.  Sadly, we weren’t allowed to take pictures inside, but I suggest you look it up online to check out the interior because it’s gorgeous.  They definitely spared no expense. 

After our visit to the palace it was time to hit the train station and board an overnight train to Chennai.  All aboard! 

We arrived in Chennai at the crack, which allowed us to see some of the fishermen on the beach. 

After Chennai we stopped by a crocodile farm and got to see some of the crocs being fed. 

As you can imagine, I had to resist the temptation to jump on the croc’s back.  Sorry, Steve Irwin, I know I’ve let you down. 

Next we were off to Mamallapuram, home of our tour leader, Karthik.  The group was all excited to meet Karthik’s family and hear stories of Karthik as a child, but he wasn’t having it.  Geez, Karthik, way to hurt our feelings.  Kidding!  

Mamallapuram is known for its stunning monuments, which were sculpted by the Pallava kings during the 7th and 8th century A.D.  This is Krishna’s Butterball, which is perched precariously on a hilltop, seemingly in defiance of all laws of physics. 

This is known as Arjuna’s Penance and is one of the largest open-air rock canvases in the world.  It’s stunning! 

This temple is known as Five Rathas.  There were tons of school children visiting while we were there and like the children we met in the village, they were adorable. 

After my tour of S. India I had 2 weeks of free time, which I had hoped to fill with some yoga and/or meditation.  Originally I was planning to visit the Osho Ashram in Pune, but the German Bakery, which sits on its doorstep was bombed the day before I arrived in India so I decided that it probably wasn’t the best time for me to visit.  I asked Karthik if he knew of any yoga centers, ashrams, etc. and it turns out that he happened to know a yoga guru in Mamallapuram.  I met him while we were in town and immediately got a great vibe from him so I decided to return to Mamallapuram after my tour ended to do some one-on-one yoga classes.  Yay!  I am so excited.  Thanks for the hook-up, Karthik. 

Later that day, the amethyst necklace that my friend Denise gave me fell off.  Amethysts are healing stones and I was to wear the necklace until it fell off.  I started wearing the necklace the day before I left for my travels and it made it all the way until March 8th.  I’m not sure that I’d call myself healed, but I am going to take it as a sign that my decision to come back to Mamallapuram is going to prove to be a good one. 

After Mamallapuram we headed to Thanjavur (Tanjore).  We stopped and saw many interesting sights along the way, the first of which was this pottery village only a few kilometers out of town. 

The next stop was a visit to some salt flats. 

Here’s Jenny posing with one of the workers.  It was blazing hot outside.  I cannot imagine how difficult it must have been to haul baskets of heavy salt on one’s head.  One of our colleagues on the trip, Mark, was brave enough to try carrying one of these baskets on his head and he confirmed our suspicions…..HEAVY.  I thought working in the fruit stand in Georgia summers was bad, but this definitely seems more intense.

 

This is a wall of salt and it all needs to be loaded into baskets and transported to another location.   I cannot see the expression on this woman’s face, but if it was me there would be a look of horror on my face.  That’s a pretty daunting pile and this heat is no joke.   

Another stop along the way was to this lovely temple. 

I’m crushing your head…

We stopped and had lunch in Pondicherry, a former French territory, which was absolutely beautiful.  The streets were immaculate.  I literally didn’t seen even so much as a shred of trash anywhere.  It was such a lovely town.  I wish we had more time to stay.  We did visit the Sri Aurobindo Ashram while we were there, but photos were not allowed so sadly I cannot share these with you.  It was beautiful and serene though so I’d definitely recommend it if you happen to be in Pondicherry. 

We have now arrived at Thanjavur, famous for the Brihadeeswara Temple (Big Temple) built in the 10th century. 

This man is praying.  I know it may look like he fell down, but I assure you he did not.  Come on, folks, give me some credit here.  Of course I wouldn’t take a picture of that!!!

Yay!  I was thrilled to see this elephant.  It looked like she was well taken care of within the temple.  Her ears were flapping and her tail was wagging, which I learned are signs of a happy elephant. 

After the temple we visited a local bronze making village.  They are so talented and produce beautiful pieces. 

On our way back to the bus we passed this gentleman who was ironing some clothes.  I love it! 

Along the side of the road we passed these folks roasting some cashews.  These were the best cashews I have ever tasted and since cashews are my favorite nut you know I’ve sampled many.  These were so fresh that they didn’t even need salt.  Yummy!!!!

Karthik took us to another temple that is off the tourist beaten path.  I’m sorry to say that I don’t remember the name of this temple, but it was a real treat for us to be able to see it. 

The gentlemen below are wise men, but even wise men are not immune to this goddess’ beauty.   

These are bee hives.  We were told to be very quiet as we walked through this temple so as not to disturb the bees.  Lawrence accidentally got locked inside the temple, but being resourceful, he was able to jump over a fence and find his way back to the bus.  He must have been super stealth too because he succeeded in not disturbing the bees. 

I snapped this photo below minutes after I accidentally stepped in some poo….with my bare foot.  Ugh.  Thankfully Franz had a wet wipe ready which I doused with my hand sanitizer.  I guess it’s no worse than the poo I was stepping in while cleaning the elephant mud pit.  I happen to love poo stories and I definitely have some new gems to add to the collection.  Don’t worry, Dana, your poo story is still my favorite. 

Here’s another temple off the beaten path.  This is the priest performing a blessing for us. 

Here’s 3 generations of a family at this temple.  I was kind of obsessed with the grandfather.  He’s insanely adorable. 

Look at his little legs!  OMG, tiny. 

One of the things I love most about India is you never know what interesting thing is just around the corner.  These next shots were taken at a gas station where we were having a little snack break.  As luck would have it we just happened to be there while a mobile temple was pulling in to bless the folks at the gas station.  The sounds of horns and drums filled the air… 

And next thing we know this mobile temple rolls up to bless people.  It was awesome!  Thankfully I happened to have my point and shoot camera in my bag.  The pics didn’t turn out that well, but you still get a feel for things.  

How cool is this?  I’m telling you, this is the beauty of India…right here.  I just love it!  Once the blessings were complete it was time to roll on to the next destination. 

Another awesome sight along the way was watching these workers extract wheat on the side of the road.  I’m not really up on agricultural lingo so I’ll let the pictures do the talking here.  I just love that stuff like this is happening on the side of the road. 

That was awesome!  Here’s another stunning Indian sunset taken from the bus.  Next stop, Madurai. 

We started our tour of Madurai by a pedal rickshaw ride around town.  Here’s a water buffalo escaping the heat.   

The famous Meenakshi Temple is in Madurai.  It’s so vibrant and a beautiful sight to behold. 

Some dancers were practicing their moves when we arrived so we were able to steal a few shots of their stunning attire.  They look so beautiful.  I love the flowers in their hair.  As you’ve probably noticed from some of the pictures, many of the women in S. India wear flowers in their hair.  Not only does it look stunning, it also smells so nice. 

Here’s our group with the lovely ladies. 

Here are some sights within the temple. 

Here’s a taste of what’s happening outside the temple walls. 

Here’s a child in the midst of a having his head shaved.  He was not psyched about it.  I believe this is part of the ritual called Chudakarana Samskara, which happens to girls and boys before the age of 4.   

Our next stop on the pedal rickshaw tour was to visit the local market.  I always love visiting the local markets, as they are so vibrant and full of life.  The people here were so warm and welcoming.  They were proud of their stores and thrilled to have their picture taken. 

Could this man be cuter?  I’m telling you, everyone was so friendly and kind.  What a great town. 

Next we visited a silk weaving shop.  Again, the people here were so welcoming. 

You’ll notice the yellow tint on this lady’s face, which comes from applying turmeric to the skin.  It’s supposed to be great for clearing up blemishes and protecting from the sun. 

So that’s it for Madurai.  Next stop is the Periyar Tiger Reserve.  Fingers crossed that we see a tiger. 

Here are some tiger claw marks.  Yikes, I’d hate to have that scraped across my body. 

Our first animal sighting was a bison.  He was running away from us so it was tough to get the shot, but you can sort of make out that it’s an animal of some kind. 

Next we saw some elephants.  Yay!!!!

Look, it’s a mom and baby.  Adorable! 

Aw, this is pretty cute. 

Sadly we saw no tigers, but since we were walking through the reserve that might not be such a bad thing.  Do you remember that claw mark we saw earlier?  I don’t think we’d stand much of a chance against those claws. 

After the nature walk it was time for some R & R.  A few of us decided to treat ourselves to a massage.  The southern part of India is known for ayurvedic massages so of course I had to get one.  The massage was great and included a steam bath afterwards.  This was unlike any steam bath I have had before.  My body was put into this box with a stool inside and my head was sticking out with towels around the opening to seal in the steam.  I sat there with sweat and oil dripping down my naked body for about 10 minutes.  I mention the naked part because my bare butt was sitting on this stool and I was hoping that they had cleaned this stool before I got on to it.  The oil and sweat is pouring down your skin so you can imagine the state of this stool afterwards.  I snapped a very poor photo of the steam bath for you.  I would have loved to have had a picture with me in this box.  I looked deranged not just because I was in a box, but because I had been given a head massage prior to getting into the box so my hair was all greased up and sticking up all over the place.  Talk about an awesome Facebook profile pic.  Oh well.  Maybe the opportunity will present itself again. 

After the massage I bathed my super skank self and then met up with my group for a martial arts performance.  It was pretty impressive.  These guys are not playing around.  They are using swords, fire, and chains.  I can’t imagine how many injuries they must have sustained while learning this craft.  The speed and ferocity is no joke.  We literally saw sparks coming from the metal when the swords clashed.  It was very impressive! 

After the martial arts performance we attended a cooking demonstration where we learned how to make several delicacies.  The master chef was super enthusiastic and so much fun to watch.  His love of cooking was apparent and we all had a ball. 

Notice Mark and Lawrence in their new shirts.  There are tailors all over India and I think Mark and Lawrence visited and purchased from them all!   

Even Karthik helped us cook.  It was definitely a group effort and so much fun. 

That’s right, Andre and Lawrence, you show that chapati who’s the boss. 

After Periyar we visited the beautiful backwaters of Alleppey in Kerala.  This is an absolute must.  It’s stunning, relaxed, and quintessential S. India.  We stayed in a local home, but it’s also possible to stay on houseboats, which can be seen floating all along the backwaters. 

After taking a walk through the village, we boarded a boat and were treated to a wonderful boat ride and musical performance.  The gentleman who was rowing the boat got the song started.  Then the drums would kick in followed by the beautiful voices of the others singers joining in perfect harmony.  It was amazing!  I wish they had a CD because their music was so beautiful.  It was such a wonderful way to end the trip. 

Here’s a pic of our group enjoying our final boat ride together.  What a fabulous trip!  I absolutely loved our group and cannot say enough positive things about our time together.  Karthik, you did a great job!  Thank you all for such wonderful memories. 

After I said goodbye to my fellow travelers, I headed to a resort in Alleppey to chill for a few more days in Kerala before heading back to Mamallapuram for some yoga.  It was bliss.  I decided to treat myself to a swank hotel.  Every now and then you just need to be a baller, right? 

Here’s a little surprise some of the staff made for me. 

Alex and Jenny from my tour were also staying in Alleppey for a few days so I went over to their resort for dinner one night.  Remembering my experiences in Delhi where I was forbidden to go out by myself at night, I checked with my front desk to make sure it was safe for me to be out at night here in the south.  Not only did I miss my friend Ley at the beginning of my trip in Delhi, I also missed my friend, Chris, at the end of my trip who happened to be in Delhi on vacation.  Ley and Chris, I am so sorry I missed you, but having been in Delhi, I’m sure you get it.  Anyway, my front desk assured me that I would be OK, that this was not Delhi, and I would be perfectly safe.  Yay, I’m so glad too because we had a great night.  The next day they came over to my hotel for a massage.  It was fabulous and so fun to laugh and share stories about our trip.  Safe travels back to Germany, ladies. 

So this completes my first month in India.  It has been fabulous!  I’ll have more updates from my time in Mamallapuram shortly.  Huge hugs from S. India.