'Well it's not quite Somerset is it?' It is the first temple of the day, and Edd has reached peak temple. The heat has definitely speeded up this process, it is barely 10.00am, and already over 35c. I've finally bought a hat- Edd says it channels my inner Victorian novelist- although this has not prevented him from steeling it and pouting at the camera.
We could have cycled round Hampi on bicycles. But (for what has to be a first) Edd turned down the two wheel option for the three wheeled alternative, and we hopped between the ruins in a tuk tuk. Hampi is not a small place, we soon decided it is not better than Badami or as ornate as Belur. But it is huge. At its peak (14th-16th centuries) it was the capital city of an empire covering most of south India. Hampi (otherwise known as Vijayanagar) housed 500,000 people, and partook in international trade despite being miles from the coast. It had 5 bazaars, with one of these specialising in the trade of diamonds, gold and pearls. Vijayanagar's size and wealth impressed the Portuguese explorers. However, it all came to an abrupt stop when a confederacy of Deccan sultanates burnt the city to the ground in 1565. It was abandoned shortly afterwards, and today ruins lie amongst the boulders and banana plantations around three villages.
We went to see a handful of temples, the Islamic quarter, and then headed over to the queen's enclosure. Edd went to buy a ticket, this meant passing through a large group of Indian ladies who were on a day trip to Hampi. They took quite a shine to Edd and encircled him singing. Edd looked terrified. Soon selfies were demanded and cameras appeared from every angle to take pictures of the slightly confused looking English people. One of the ladies approached another English girl and asked her do you have a husband?
'I have five in London.' The English girl replied completely deadpan. This caused a little bit of confusion...
The highlight of the queens enclosure was without doubt the elephant stables. I'm not sure what the planning department of south Cambs district council would make of them, but I think they'd look good at Marshalls Farm. Cobbles would love them.
We then headed back for a long lunch to sit out the heat of the midday sun. The afternoon was a sticky walk round the Kings palace, and the queens baths. There isn't really any form of shade in Hampi, but because of the heat the ruins are deserted and we had them pretty much to ourselves. There is possibly a lot of truth in the old adage mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun.
We then headed along to the Vittula temple, which is the aesthetic highlight of Hampi, and includes an enormous stone chariot just outside the doorway to the temple.
The last stop of the day was to watch the sun go down from the top of one of the Boulder hills. With sundowners of rehydration salts. We watched the sun go down, feeling exhausted and thoroughly gapyah.
We could have cycled round Hampi on bicycles. But (for what has to be a first) Edd turned down the two wheel option for the three wheeled alternative, and we hopped between the ruins in a tuk tuk. Hampi is not a small place, we soon decided it is not better than Badami or as ornate as Belur. But it is huge. At its peak (14th-16th centuries) it was the capital city of an empire covering most of south India. Hampi (otherwise known as Vijayanagar) housed 500,000 people, and partook in international trade despite being miles from the coast. It had 5 bazaars, with one of these specialising in the trade of diamonds, gold and pearls. Vijayanagar's size and wealth impressed the Portuguese explorers. However, it all came to an abrupt stop when a confederacy of Deccan sultanates burnt the city to the ground in 1565. It was abandoned shortly afterwards, and today ruins lie amongst the boulders and banana plantations around three villages.
We went to see a handful of temples, the Islamic quarter, and then headed over to the queen's enclosure. Edd went to buy a ticket, this meant passing through a large group of Indian ladies who were on a day trip to Hampi. They took quite a shine to Edd and encircled him singing. Edd looked terrified. Soon selfies were demanded and cameras appeared from every angle to take pictures of the slightly confused looking English people. One of the ladies approached another English girl and asked her do you have a husband?
'I have five in London.' The English girl replied completely deadpan. This caused a little bit of confusion...
The highlight of the queens enclosure was without doubt the elephant stables. I'm not sure what the planning department of south Cambs district council would make of them, but I think they'd look good at Marshalls Farm. Cobbles would love them.
We then headed back for a long lunch to sit out the heat of the midday sun. The afternoon was a sticky walk round the Kings palace, and the queens baths. There isn't really any form of shade in Hampi, but because of the heat the ruins are deserted and we had them pretty much to ourselves. There is possibly a lot of truth in the old adage mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun.
We then headed along to the Vittula temple, which is the aesthetic highlight of Hampi, and includes an enormous stone chariot just outside the doorway to the temple.
The last stop of the day was to watch the sun go down from the top of one of the Boulder hills. With sundowners of rehydration salts. We watched the sun go down, feeling exhausted and thoroughly gapyah.
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