hello from Hampi Bazaar

I first heard about Hampi from Richard Padmos, owner of Cathedral Lakes Lodge, and he raved about it. I finally made it here and can see why! It is an amazing place.
After a 7 hour train ride from Goa shared with many European tourists we all got into autorickshaws and raced to Hampi. My driver went the fastest and I got here first.

My first impression was one of awe, and I sensed similar energy that I feel in Sedona, Arizona, which also has amazing rock formations. Hampi was the site of an idyllic Hindu kingdom until it was destroyed by Moslem invaders in 1565. There are still enough ruins to imagine what it must have been like. The site is naturally picturesque with stone heaps everywhere for miles around, and the buildings were built and carved in stone as well.

It is very difficult to describe and almost impossible to capture with a camera , so all I can say is come and see it for yourself if you possibly can.

I leave Monday for Bangalore and hope to spend a night there and leave on Feb. 4 for Trichy where I will go to Shantivanam Ashram where Father Bede Griffith lived until his death in 1993. I have been very inspired by his book, The Golden Thread and his journey from Philosophy to religion and how he combined the best of Christianity with the best of Hinduism.

Cara is back in Kelowna, Joseph is in Ooty and Manoj is still in Coimbatore but plans to join Joseph and travel together towards Delhi where they will leave for Canada on March 1 so they will be home before me. My Australian friends, Kate and Trent are headed to Bangalore so may see them there before they return home. I miss all my 22 year old friends and it seems strange to be on my own.

Bye til next time!