It's time for my next blog entry. But first of all - HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL - especially to the guys I haven't spoken in 2011.
Day 1: Hyderabad - Bangalore - Shravanabelagola - Hassan
After the arrival - with just one hour delay - we met our driver for the next 6 days at Bangalore Airport and started directly with our South India Trip. The highlight of the first day was the stop in Shravanabelagola. You see there an 18 meters high statue of Gomateshwara or Bahubali. It is one of the most important Jain pilgrim centres.
Later we also visited two temples in Halebid and Belur. Both of them looked for me quite equal: star shape and soap stone but they were not build in an open style with pillars.
After the breakfast we started to Hospet, a "small" city with 240.000 citizen. At this point of our trip I was the first time really happy to have the comfortable van just for us two. The whole ride of 340 km took 8 hours. When we arrived in the afternoon in Hospet we spied out the city. I forgot unfortunately my contact lenses cleaner in Hyderabad. So we really had to look for a opticians because I already slept one night with my lenses.
Day 4: Hospet - Badami
At the same day we also visit the Bhutanatha group of temples which face the Agasythka Tank. Temples are normally build in the surrounding of water. As there were no river they build the artificial lake. The whole area is really beautiful. Aside from new constructed figures on the hill next to the lake.
Day 5: Badami, Aihole & Pattadakal
Day 6 - 7: Badami - Goa
Day 8: Goa - Hyderabad
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| Airport Bangalore |
Day 1: Hyderabad - Bangalore - Shravanabelagola - Hassan
The whole trip started with the flight from Hyderabad to Bangalor. And for the first time I took a propellor airplane. I thought "I don't want die today!" But in the end it was the best flight I ever had. Maybe I just had a lot of luck not to experience big turbulences.
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| Gomateshwara |
After the arrival - with just one hour delay - we met our driver for the next 6 days at Bangalore Airport and started directly with our South India Trip. The highlight of the first day was the stop in Shravanabelagola. You see there an 18 meters high statue of Gomateshwara or Bahubali. It is one of the most important Jain pilgrim centres.
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| Halebid |
Day 2: Hassan - Hospet
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| Indian style of travelling |
After the breakfast we started to Hospet, a "small" city with 240.000 citizen. At this point of our trip I was the first time really happy to have the comfortable van just for us two. The whole ride of 340 km took 8 hours. When we arrived in the afternoon in Hospet we spied out the city. I forgot unfortunately my contact lenses cleaner in Hyderabad. So we really had to look for a opticians because I already slept one night with my lenses.
Day 3: Hospet & Hampi
Finally, it is time to visit Hampi. Our first highlight of the South India Trip. Some of my flatmates went already to this place and all of them found Hampi awesome. And it really is! Hampi is a village in northern Karnatka state. It is located within the ruins of Vijayanagara, the former capital of Vijayanagara Empire. Predating the city of Vijayanagara, it continuos to be an important religious centre, housing a lot of temples e.g. the Virupakasha Temple, as well as several other monuments belonging to the old city. The ruins are a UNESCO world heritage site.
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| Hampi |
About 7am we started to Badami which took almost 6 hours. After a short stop in our last hotel Badami Court have we visited the famous sandstone cave temples. The first cave temple is sanctified to Shiva, The Destroyer. Cave temple 2 and 3 are build for Vishnu, The Maintaner. Last but not least in cave temple 4 you see Mahavira, a Jain statue. All these temples are build in the 6th century. The most figures and statues are still in good condition. But especially the floor got destroyed at some points because people where living in the temples only some decades ago.
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| Badami cave |
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| Bhutanatha group |
At the same day we also visit the Bhutanatha group of temples which face the Agasythka Tank. Temples are normally build in the surrounding of water. As there were no river they build the artificial lake. The whole area is really beautiful. Aside from new constructed figures on the hill next to the lake.
Day 5: Badami, Aihole & Pattadakal
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| Pattadakal |
Last day of sightseeing - Lets go to Aihole a famous place for indian architecture. There you can visit more then 100 temples. But for sure we only went to the most beautiful temples. In Pattadakal is an area were you can find the main indian architecture styles. One from the north and the other one is/ was more common in the South.
But after 5 days of visiting temples and cave temples we were really glad that it was our last sightseeing day.
Day 6 - 7: Badami - Goa
Finally, we are going to Goa The Paradise. But we didn't find a paradise. We found Ballermann 6 like on Mallorca! We arrived on 31th December, so it was New Years Eve and time for partying that was the reason why we were not too upset. We met my flatmates in Panaji, the capital of Goa. Directly after arriving we went to the beach and I took a bath in the Arabian Sea. Of course, I left my swimwear in my bag in the car but all the Indians also worn just their undies for swimming, so I did the same.
In the night we went for dinner, watched the fireworks at the beach and partied at the Zanzibar, not Sansibar! :-) At was really really awesome, we partied till 4am, ok maybe thats not that long but it was fun, believe me.
At the next morning we went to Thirst a bar around the corner of our accommodation for breakfast, English breakfast. AND then we met cows at the beach! I really believe that they also like relax at the beach.
Day 8: Goa - Hyderabad
Unfortunately, we had to leave Goa already on the next day. My flatmates were so nice and drove us to Panaji in the afternoon. Where we "met" some frustrated Germans. We just passed then as we heared them saying: "Again some guys who are only in Goa for boozing." Sure, the liquor is much cheaper in Goa compared to Hyderabad. But this was not the reason for us to go to Goa - the lost paradise.
Our bus started around 8pm and it really took only 12 hours from Goa to Hyderabad. My poor flatmates drove home by a rented van and they needed 15 hours. So they lost the bet. These 8 days were one of the best days during my whole adventure, so far.
