On Tuesday (the 6th), Michael finished up the last of his teaching duties in India so we took a few days off to do some serious R&R.  Based on various travel shows we had seen, we really wanted to visit the Kerala Backwaters, a chain of brackish lagoons and lakes lying parallel to the Arabian Sea coast.   Trying to wade thru all of the possible trips was a monumental task, so we contacted our friend, Shirley in Bangalore and asked if she had any suggestions of someone to help us.  She pointed us to Jai at Sanchari Holidays and he did a magnificent job organizing our 4 days of fun.

We were picked up by our driver early on Wednesday morning, having no real idea of where we were going.  The only clue was that it would take 4 to 5 hours to get there so we figured that we must be heading North (since 5 hours South would put you in the ocean!!)

The trip was difficult with several detours and lots of traffic jams.  There were very few stoplights and the traffic was being directed by policemen.  Most of them were pretty ineffectual, waving their hands around with no one really obeying them. 

Seeing snippet views of the ocean and a myriad of fish sellers reminded us that we were following along the western coast of India.

Our first stop was at the Coconut Lagoon Resort, which can only be reached over the water.   Our ferry arrived about 15 minutes after we got to the jetty and we started our journey…..

…..passing this group of women doing laundry and washing dishes in the river…..

We looked excitedly at a a series of small cottages that we passed, saying that those looked like fun.  Suddenly, we took a sharp turn into a narrow canal and realized that we were staying at the resort with the cottages….how perfect is that!!!

As we  pulled up at the outdoor lobby, we were serenaded by a man playing a traditional flute……

As we registered, we were given flowers and then the (extremely fresh) coconut milk arrived……

We were escorted to our gorgeous cottage……

….with a magnificent room…….

As we were oohing and ahhing over the room, she proudly opened the door to the bathroom (which I thought looked like an outside door) and exclaimed that “it’s an open air bathroom”……

I am sure that we had bemused looks on our faces but we found that it was a very comfortable bathroom, even when sharing it with Gecko’s……

I had a nap while Michael spent some time sitting on the front porch.  The manager happened by and started talking to us about the resort.  He was basically apologetic that it was more rustic in nature but we assured him that we loved it that way.  We had noticed that various trees on the property had signs saying who had planted them.  Michael asked about it and the manager asked if we would like to plant one .  When we excitedly said yes, he immediately sent over the grounds manager and a time was set for the next morning!

As we were sitting there, I noticed that the sky was starting to get a wonderful red tinge to it, so I grabbed the camera and headed to the edge of Lake Vembanadu, the largest lake in the Kerala Backwater.  The views as the sun went down were magnificent…..

….and became increasing brilliant as time went on…..

This was my favorite photo of the evening……

It was well worth the walk!!

We enjoyed an excellent buffet dinner, a great sleep and awoke the next morning ready for our daily adventure.

We were met at 9:30 by the groundskeeper, Jijo, and hurried off to plant our banana tree.  He had already dug the hole and had the tree ready to plant.   He told Michael that he must first take off his shoes and face to the East as he put the tree in the ground……

Michael only scooped in a few handfuls of dirt before Jijo moved him away and finished the job for him.  I guess that you cant let the paying guest get sweaty and dirty!!!

I added the water (under careful supervision)…..

….and the deed was done.  Jijo told us that a plaque will be printed and put with “our” tree!!!   We found where Jude Law had planted one (Michael swooned over this one) and it was rumored that Paul McCartney had planted one as well, but we never saw it.   So, I guess we are in good company!!

The next task of the morning was to visit the Butterfly garden.  This was unique because it wasn’t an enclosed area but, instead, was a natural area that hosted plants that the butterflies loved and returned to religiously.  We had fun trying to catch the butterflies with the camera lens…..

They were fairly elusive, although we did get a good photo of this beauty….

While we were sitting in the gazebo we also caught sight of another of the local inhabitants…..

If you look carefully, you can just see the head of a small monitor lizard.  Unfortunately, he took off and we never got a good look at him.

We continued to wander around the property, taking photos of the beautiful scenery.  I really like this picture with the reflections in the water…..

There was always a steady stream of fishing boats along the shore…..

At lunchtime, Jai had organized for us to to enjoy a traditional meal called the Sadhya.  It is served during the Onam festival which was actually going on while we were in Kerala.  It is a 10 day festival that commemorates the home-coming of King Mahabali….more about that later!!

We were escorted to a private table by the lake, a banana leaf was placed on the table and the food started to arrive.   We were assisted by the Executive Chef (Naveen) and he talked us thru each of the foods that we were presented, telling us the history of the food and why it was part of the meal.

Before long our banana leaf was full of delicacies…..

….and it was time to start enjoying the flavors.  Naveen told us to eat from left to right initially and then to eat anything that we wanted.   He also told us that we must use “God’s Utensils”….ie  our hands….. to eat with.  The dishes included dried Plantains, Jaggery, pickles, bitter gourd, and a whole host of curries, each with its own delicate taste.  The item on the upper far right is white Pumpkin and we were told to use that one as a palate cleansing food.  Our drink was Sambar which is a Yoghurt with spices and herbs.

We ate until we couldn’t have another bite.  It was such a fun experience to enjoy the food and a beautiful view of the lake!!

By the way, all of the tables in the resort had the same centerpiece….a little pot of rice plants!!  It was simple and very effective.  I may have to try it at home sometime!!

I have found one design that HAS to become a quilt some day…… 

I will add it to my idea list!!

Before dinner, there was a program of traditional dance called “Kathakali”……

It is in the “story play” genre meaning that the sole dancer (usually male)  tells the story thru dance, song and speaking.  Here is a bit of it…..

VIDEO

We didn’t stay for the entire performance but moved over into the restaurant for desert and coffee.  We were still full from lunch so there was no need for additional food!!

The entertainment in the dining room was a little more to our taste……

VIDEO

As we walked back to our cottage, we marveled at the beauty of the resort…..

On Friday morning it was time for us to move to our next Kerala adventure and we were serenaded with drums and given a proper send off……

It was the end of a perfect visit and we left with the thought that we WILL return….for longer next time!!

 

Now, before we go further, let me talk about the Onam Celebration.  As I said, it celebrates the  the homecoming of King Mahabali.  The entire festival lasts for 10 days with each having it’s own importance.  One of the interests of each day is the building of a Pookkalam which is a floral carpet.  Tradition dictates a few basics of how the Pookkalam should look, but individual touches are added. 

We saw our first Pookkalam at the hotel in Trivandrum on Sunday……

It was very simple and fun. 

On Monday, it became larger and more intricate…..

Tuesday brought this one…..

And, Wednesday dawned with this lovely 3 dimensional beauty……

Unfortunately someone had already scuffed it up!!

This was the day that we arrived at Coconut Lagoon and this was their offering for the day…..

I failed to get a photo of the one for Thursday, but Friday was made of vegetables and was amazing…..

Returning to the hotel on Saturday showed us this one…..

When we left on Sunday, this wonderful peacock was on the floor…..

This photo isn’t great because it was VERY early in the morning and I hadn’t realized that my camera lens had fogged up until it was too late!!!

They were such fun and I eagerly looked forward to seeing the new design each morning.  I would really have loved to see them making it but it was always done late at night.

IF we come back next year (which is possible), we will look forward to celebrating Onam in the fullest way possible!!

For many years I have looked at Henna tattoos and thought that the designs and color was beautiful, and on this trip I had decided that I wanted to get one to see exactly what it was like. 

I talked to the hotel reception desk and they organized for me to visit a local beauty parlor to have the tattoo (also called Mehndi) applied.  I learned that the dye is prepared from leaves of the Henna plant which is a tall shrub or small tree.  Since it is difficult to form intricate patterns from coarse crushed leaves, the leaves are normally powdered and then a paste is made adding a liquid such as water, lemon juice or strong tea.

So, with very little information, I sat in the chair and calmly presented my arm to Midhila (By profession a Nutritionist for a local Diabetes Clinic) for decoration…..

…..and off she went.  The Henna paste was in a small tube….

….and I was amazed at the intricate details that she could draw.  The pattern quickly grew…..

…and I was greatly reminded of some of the Zen Doodle patterns that I have played with over the years.

She would first outline the next shape and then use various fill patterns or shadings to add interest.   After a short while, it looked like this…..

….and I was pleased that there was a Peacock included in the design!!

She kept on painting down my finger, ending with a spiral of dots on the finger nail itself….who knew!!

We sat and talked for about 10 minutes while the initial design dried…..

She then turned my arm over and was off again……

 

….continuing until she reached the tip of my index finger…..

It was a fascinating process…..

 This VIDEO is at the start

and

This VIDEO is on the other side of my arm and she is almost finished.

 

The women at the “Glamito Hair & Beauty Hub” were so kind, even going out and bringing Pineapple juice for us to drink.

A final photo…..

….and now we had to figure out how to keep my hand wide open and my arm in the air for the next 2 hours!!!  We had planned to take a Tuk-tuk back to the hotel but were afraid that it would be too bumpy so we called the hotel and asked them to send a car.

Midhila had told me that it would take about an hour for the henna to dry and then to make a lemon juice and sugar mixture and daub it onto the dried henna.  Let that sit for at least another hour and then scrape the “mud” off.

The hotel was magnificent in helping me obtain everything I needed.   As I walked back in I asked for some limes and an oil of some sort and immediately a bowl of cut limes arrived and two small tubes of Coconut oil.

We followed the procedure……and were soon scraping the henna off, using a spoon and fingernails…..

When I first saw the results, I was really disappointed as it was just a dark orange color (and not a particularly pretty color )…..

But, in the next 24 hours, it turned to a much more pleasing deeper brown color…..

The design on top of my hand and arm never got as dark as I would have liked, but I think was a mixture of the color of my skin and that I  probably didn’t leave it on long enough…..

But overall, I was pleased with the result and very glad to have gone thru the process.   If I do it another time, I think that I will have it placed on my lower leg and ankle so that I can wrap it in saran wrap and let it sit for 4+ hours.

The design normally lasts for 2 – 3 weeks, depending on how long you leave the paste on.    Since I didn’t leave it long enough, it faded pretty fast but I enjoyed it while it was there.

I am hoping to try to recreate it as a quilting design sometime!!!

On Saturday morning we were picked up by our trusty driver.  We finally asked his name and he shyly told us that it was Vinod.  Through the day, we found out that he is married and has a 15 year old daughter.  He has been more than a driver, playing the part of caretaker as well.  When we shopped for groceries, he showed up at the check out line and carried our bags for us, when we arrived at the Palace he parked the car and went with us to purchase the tickets 

But, the funniest story was a few days later when Michael needed to go to an ATM on the way back from work.  Vinod stopped in front of an ATM vestibule where there was a woman inside and 2 younger men waiting for their turn.  Michael stood back a bit to allow the young men to go first, but Vinod rolled down his window and said something sternly to them.  When the woman exited, the men motioned for him to go first…obviously Vinod had told them that Michael had the priority!!!   It was a sweet gesture, but made Michael VERY uncomfortable!!!

I have mused over drivers in India.  They have to be so vigilant as they drive because you never know when someone is going to pull out in front of you, whether a car, truck, pedestrian, motorcyclist, bicyclist, Tuk-Tuk, or cow.    Added to that, you have to keep a wary eye out for potholes and road construction sites and there are LOTS of those!  All of these pavement issues makes for some uncomfortable riding as you are always having to shift around in the seat to keep balanced.

I have also found that sometimes driving in India is a lot like playing a game of chicken.  Almost all of the roads are a single lane in each direction and If you pull out to pass someone there is a good chance that there will be a car coming toward you.  The trick is to know when to return to your lane and when to pursue the overtaking!  There seems to be lots of headlight flashing going on during these interactions but I am not sure that it really helps!

Finally, I have decided that Indian vehicles must come equipped with REALLY good brakes!!

It was an interesting drive, made more enjoyable by the stares and double-takes that people did as they saw two white people in the back of the car.  We passed fishmongers in the beach areas and huge speakers with music pouring forth.  Most of those were associated with Hindu temples celebrating Ganesh.

We found out that we were traveling even further south in India, which is pretty amazing considering that we are almost already at the very tip.   We came to a checkpoint, complete with a gate to go thru and asked Vinod why it was there.  He told us that we had now left the state of Kerala and entered the state of Tamil Nadu.   It is interesting to think that you have to go thru a checkpoint to change states….yet another freedom that we take for granted!!

We passed this very colorful open-air market……

Now, back to the palace……As I said earlier, Vinod helped us to buy our tickets for the palace, but was apologetic that an Indian ticket was only 35 Rupees, where a foreigner ticket was 300 Rupees!!! Maybe we should have started shaking our head and pretended to be Indian!!!

After we got our tickets, we started to enjoy this gorgeous complex.   It was built in the 1600’s and refurbished in the 1750’s and is only 20 miles from the far tip of India.  It is considered to be one of the best examples of traditional Kerala style architecture.    It is located in the state of Tamil Nadu, but is considered to be part of Kerala and the Government of Kerala owns it.

We entered the first hall and were immediately directed up a STEEP set of stairs to the second floor……

Many of the women were having serious problems navigating them with their Saris.

The “Manthrasala” is the room where decisions concerning the administration of the kingdom were made.  This first photo is a bit dark, but probably truer to the look and feel of the room….

Closer inspection (with a flash) revealed the beauty in the details of the wood and carvings…..

We entered the next building thru a tiny door……

…arriving at the “Oottupura” which was a dining hall where 2,000 per day were served free meals.  Each floor of this building was designed to hold 1,000 people at a time…..

Although the sheer size of the room was outstanding, I was more smitten with beams in the roof (do you see a quilt design???)…..

We now came to the residence of the palace grounds.  The first thing that I noticed were these cool shutters…..

…soon to be outdone with the intricate carvings inside the palace.  They were a little hard to see in the low light, but the camera illuminated them perfectly….

These support pillars were made from Jack Fruit trees. 

One of the things that we enjoyed was interacting with the other people touring the grounds.   This man posed and waited for me to get the camera set so that we could have his photo…..

His entire body language says “yes, I am the man!!!”.

This was the King’s bed and is said to be carved from medicinal woods to help keep him healthy…..

Most of the windows had wooden screens of some sort and I found them irresistible…..

I also appreciated the profusion of red tiled roofs…..

This is a very simple thing, but it was fun to see this bit of decoration in one of the rooms…..

 

There was a support beam in one of the walls, and they had added a three dimensional “end cap” to give it more class.

We passed this room….

….and immediately knew what it was, but a woman looked at Michael and said “Restroom….Indian style”.

Many of the beams in the buildings were wonderfully carved, although it was once again difficult to see them…..

 

This area is called the Ambari Mukhappu and was built for the kings to view chariot races and to appear before the public on special occasions……

The word “Ambari” refers to the seat put  on an elephant’s back during safaris.  This platform is based on the shape and structure of the ambari.

Before leaving this high spot, it was fun to look down on the well manicured palace grounds…..

Our next building included the kitchen that had huge built-in mortar and pestles.  One family was trying to tell us what they were and she decided to demonstrate…..

The final building was the Navarathri Mandapam, a building built from a solid rock.  It was quite a change from looking at the wood……

We enjoyed walking around the gardens before we returned to the courtyard, where we marveled at this set of leaning stone steps…..

The last visit of the day was to a small museum that held various artifacts originally in the palace.   After that we retrieved our shoes…..

…..yes we did the entire tour with bare feet!!!

We decided to stroll down the main street of shops before we called Vinod to pick us up, but he was apparently watching for us from his car because he magically appeared when we were about 1/4 of the way down the street.  We both felt like school kids who had been caught off-campus!!!

Vinod stopped to let Michael take a photo of this”feat of engineering”…..

We just wonder how he can see to drive…..

…and as I look at this picture now, I wonder what happens when he meets a big, wide truck on these narrow roads!!!

The trip back to Trivandrum was uneventful, although we did see a man carrying a LARGE goat on his motorcycle.  It looked like a college prank!!

We got stuck in some traffic so I had time to shoot some photos out the window.  These guys waved and smiled happily……

….and, I loved the display in this fruit and vegetable market…..

Those are apples that have been woven together to form the long “cords”.

All in all, it was a wonderful day and we were happy to get to visit one of the architectural wonders of Kerala!!

Our last 3 days in Pune were fairly uneventful, although I did find time to do some shopping at the “Bombay Company”.  It was only a few blocks away from the hotel and I enjoyed shopping and carrying my two big bags of stuff back.  I was tickled to see two “Tuk-Tuks” (Auto Rickshaws) slowly following me, hoping that I would decide  to catch a ride instead!!

There was a small mall just across the street which provided the perfect place to buy a small suitcase to get the purchases home!!!   As I entered the mall, I walked thru the ever-present metal detector and put my purse thru a scanner as well.   I was alarmed to see one older lady removing a HUGE knife from her bag but was happy to see it in the hands of guards and not her!!!

I also wandered thru a local grocery store and was surprised that they used a plastic zip tie to close my purse before I entered.  They very wisely advised me to take my cell phone out before they zipped it up, because Michael called me while I was wandering around!!   After shopping, I passed the “take-out” section and bought two Samosas for lunch….wonderful!!!

Our hotel was older but was extremely comfortable.   I read that this area of town was established when the British were still in India and I can totally see where the hotel fit into that context.

The decorations included ribbons stretched across the lobby….

…and a very cool wall hanging…..

On Sunday night we decided to visit the local Marriott hotel for dinner and drinks.  We had a marvelous night, complete with excellent food, great ambiance,  and a medium size fruit bat flying thru the dining room!!!   The staff did a great job of cornering and removing it with a minimum of distraction, although Michael (who worked on bats for several years) offered to carry it out for them…..they declined!!!

We have grown to love  Kerala and were looking forward to our return to Trivandrum.  Unfortunately, we found out that our hotel reservation had been messed up and we were being transferred to a different hotel when we returned.  We were initially disappointed about this but have really come to enjoy our time at this new hotel.   It is part of the same chain, “UDay”, and has a bit quieter atmosphere.

The staff has been magnificent, first retrieving our stored suitcase from the original hotel, then helping us pay for an item that was being shipped to us, finding someone to give me a Henna tattoo and working to make sure that we are happy!!

The complex is very pretty, especially at night….

It is decorated with 3 dimensional wall murals….

….and is landscaped with some beautiful flowers…..

This butterfly obviously enjoys it…..

Michael’s host, Hema, told him that this is a “Southern Bird Wing  Butterfly” and is endemic to this area in the southern part of the Western Ghats.  Whatever he is, he was huge and beautiful!!!

Michael was supposed to have been working on Friday (September 2nd) but there was a Nationwide strike happening so they closed IISCER down and told the kids in the course to stay home.  Strikes here can often get violent, especially when you are found in a vehicle on the road.  So, we took the advice and stayed close to the hotel for the day.

The strike began at midnight and the  night before we had gone to dinner in town with some of Michael’s colleagues.  As I looked over the ledge of the hotel, I could see the men standing around with torches in their hand…..

…sadly, it reminded me of the Ogre hunt in Shrek!!!

On “Strike Day” we did venture out to the beach, about a five minute walk away, however we avoided the corner that had men holding clubs!!    We passed a group of young men playing Cricket…

…the perfect pastime for Strike Day!!!   We enjoyed watching them for a few minutes and could tell that we were the topic of conversation and the source of much laughter.

Michael and I have wondered whether the strike was just a way to get a 3 or 4 day weekend.  Monday is a holiday in some areas as it is the start of the Hindu  Ganesh Festival and in much of Kerala as the start of the Onam celebration.  People certainly did seem to be enjoying themselves!!!

We arrived at the beach, stopping to watch a few fishermen working on their nets….

We new that we had to at least stick our toes into the Arabian Sea…..

……. but Michael got a little carried away…..

One other interesting thing from the State of Kerala….. it is illegal to sell alcohol on the 1st day of each month.   The premise is that, since most people get paid on the 1st, they can protect them from spending all of their money on booze.  Based on the length of the lines on the last day of August, I am not exactly sure that it is working!!

On Friday we made the decision to move out of the guesthouse and into a hotel.  The Guesthouse was NOT comfortable and the thought of trying to relax there all weekend was too much to deal with!!

On Saturday, we had another fun day planned with Chalo Heritage & Nature Walks.  This time we were excited to be joined by Rashid’s wife, Jan who was born in Southern Ireland, but  fell in love with India (and Rashid)!!

We had given them the power to choose where we visited and they picked the Jejuri Temple, the main temple of Lord Khandoba, a form of the god, Vishnu. 

They picked us up at the hotel and we enjoyed a 45 minute drive thru the town of Saswad, arriving at the temple complex entrance.  We loved this ox cart driver talking on his cell phone…..

….such a dichotomy!!

Rashid found a parking place and was immediately blocked in by another car and an auto rickshaw.   We wondered if we would ever be able to get out again.

The street leading to the temple complex was lined with stores selling Turmeric powder ….

…and other interesting accoutrements….

Two boys asked us to take their photo and the group quickly grew from two to FIVE…..

The first shrine that we saw gave a hint of things to come……

….as did this powder encrusted pup…..

We now began the long climb up the steps leading to the temple…..

There were litters and litter bearers available to carry the less athletic up the stairs…..

Although this lady did not look particularly comfortable with her descent….

There were stalls and vendors all along the stairs…..

…and we were bombarded with offers of goods and services.

This young man was hurling coconuts onto the steps to break them open….

Rashid told us that this is a symbolic gesture.   The coconut represents the head and breaking it breaks the ego and then it can be offered to the god…..or eaten as the case may be!!  Just after this one was broken open, another gentleman picked up two pieces and offered them to us.   We ate them…..

…repeating our mantra that “we have antibiotics” (for any potential stomach upsets)!!

We laughed watching the people come down the steps as they were covered with hand prints of turmeric…..

Rashid and Jan had told us that two times each year (on new moon Mondays) the god was put on a horse and ridden down the steps and then dunked in a pool to be cleaned.  There is a special horse that carries the idol and we figured that he had the best job in the world….work two days and have 363 off!!!   The horse breed is called Mawari  and can be recognized by the ears that point inward.   There was no photography allowed of the holy horse, but here is a photo from the internet…..

All along the stair route, worshipers were putting the yellow powder on their hands and arms.   One man put his forehead into the pile of Turmeric and came up with it covering his hair and forehead.

The stalls were all filled with interesting delights…..

We hadn’t walked far when I was approached by a man and his two sons, asking if I would take a photo with them…..

A few minutes later, a woman stall keeper asked where I was from and asked to take a photo with myself and Jan…..

As other people walked past, the woman said “she’s from America” and more photos were requested……

There were MANY such occurrences  through out the day!!  We talked later that, if we had charged 10 Rupees for each photo, we would have paid for our entire tour!!

We continued ever upward…..

…passing small vignettes of life, including this little boy getting marked for worship……

We passed smaller shrines, each covered in bright yellow Turmeric powder…..

….some so encrusted that we couldn’t even tell what the statue was…..

At one point we had to remove our shoes and do the rest of the journey in bare feet.   As we stored them in a small room, we asked how much it cost.  Her answer was simple….”as you wish”!!

We entered the temple proper by stepping OVER the entry stones, continuing to wind our way up tall, deep steps.  We passed thru several metal detectors and each buzzed or dinged as we walked thru.  We asked the purpose of them, and Rashid said (tongue in cheek)  that it just makes sure that they were working.

Many people were selling flowers and other  items to be used in worship…..

We were intrigued with this man in his Turmeric covered turban….

It is customary for newly married couples to visit this temple to receive a blessing for a long, happy life together.  This woman was one of the people offering such a blessing…..

There were bells all around the temple complex and I love that the lampstand has peacocks!!!

This sweet family posed for a photo op……

….and then later found us and asked for us to take one with them!!

This very nice couple did the same thing…..

As we approached the main temple, there was a large bronze disc that had people sitting or laying in worship and others throwing the turmeric powder high into the air……

The powder was raining down…..

All of the powder flying in the air seemed to eclipse the beautiful design on the temple and I honestly never got a good photo of it…

Rashid was telling us about a huge sword that was displayed in the complex, and one of the guides there asked if we wanted to see it.   We went into a side room and Rashid (on the right) and the two other men pulled it out of the safe…..

….and then encouraged Michael to pick it up……

The guy in the back (all in yellow) said that he would take us thru a private entrance if we wanted to see inside the temple (for a fee of course).  We didn’t really want to stand in the long line so agreed to his price.   

Now came the surreal part of the day…..

We walked thru a series of metal detectors and iron barred walkways (stepping on something gooey along the way but refusing to think about it)……

…to reach the (very small) inner sanctum of the temple.   After crossing the threshold we could see a line of worshipers and a turmeric covered horse statue…..

We walked up to the god and were given a handful of powder to throw and at this point, all photography ceased as we tried valiantly to keep the cameras clean.   After we threw the turmeric, we were each handed a coconut.  We moved to the next station and were marked with the powder.   The guy was pretty nice to me…..

….but he laid it on thick for Michael….. 

After we left the temple we were told that we had to walk around the temple one time, stopping to throw powder at the front and then give away all of our coconuts on the way down.    We honestly started to wonder if they were making it up as they went, just to see exactly how far we would go….silly Americans!!!!

There was much laughter along the way…..

We continued walking around the courtyard to begin our descent, passing a place that you could sit and have lunch…..

….although Jan strongly suggested that we keep walking!!!

We passed thru a series of porticos that had wonderful quilt designs (maybe they will show up in my artwork at some later time)…..

….and lots of families eating their lunches.   This smiling young man let me take his photo…..

We slowly made our way down the steps, finally finding our shoes.  Rashid kept stopping to give away our coconuts to those in need…..

…although one got loose and we watched the “holy” coconut careen down the steps!!

I loved this stall carrying bangles….

We returned to the car and found it well and truly blocked in……

….but by the time we had used Jan’s wet wipes to clean ourselves up…..

….the way was clear for us to leave.

We had one stop on the way home to eat lunch at Vithal Kamals, a chain restaurant  that is known for its cleanliness.  Michael and I both had a Dosa with curried potato stuffing…..

It was so yummy!!

As we neared the hotel, I told Jan that my original thought had been “Not another temple!!”,  but this had proven to be a magnificent day in a fantastic place and like no other temple we had ever seen.  They told us that they only did this tour for “special” people, but we are pretty sure that the word they were looking for was really CRAZHY.  And, it seems that we DO fit that bill!!!