Where's the Beef?: Hampi Hampi, Joy Joy

Yes, Hampi is surprisingly awesome

Wow, just wow. Hampi is possibly the coolest place we’ve visited in our nearly 5 months on the subcontinent. Once home to the richest civilization in the history of India, Hampi is now the site of countless temples and century-old ruins and, even better, countless-er boulders that stretch out in every direction as far as the eye can see. The whole place vibrates with the incredible energy of long-lost empires and wave after wave of crunchy climbers flocking to the allure of the stone.

The little babu at our favorite restaurant with his favorite instruments

Very strange looking statues everywhere

We were on rocks like white on rice on paddies

Having received numerous tips from fellow travelers, the Masala Ballas were ahead of the game and headed straight for the other side of the river for accommodation upon arrival. Staying technically on a forest preserve (one day the police showed up for their recurring baksheesh [bribe] from the dozen+ guesthouses and restaurants that shouldn’t be), it was less than a thirty second walk from our door to a stretch of boulder field that we couldn’t begin to cover after almost two weeks of exploration. However, it was a great place to climb, and climb we did, waking up [relatively] early, hitting the rocks for yoga, tai ch’i and climbing, retreating during the heat of the afternoon only to return in the early evening. We’ll let the photos speak to the experience but it was incredible to have the world’s greatest climbing gym in our backyard.

With refreshed bodies and minds we now prepare to leave our beloved Hampi for Bangalore, site of our Vipassana course [dhamma.org if you’re interested] starting on the 19^th. The course will be a greater challenge than the experience at Kopan monastery in Kathmandu, but we feel prepared by the meditation of travel and our time in Hampi. We exit the Dhamma center on the 30^th; until then peace and love.