In Hampi

So like there are monkeys walking around here. If Hospet was difficult to process, then Hampi is a fantasy land. It's like a mix between rural India and Diney World, except with ancient ruins from the Vijayanagara Empire instead of Mickey Mouse.

A riddle: What's a cow with a hump on it's back like a camel and horns like a ram?
Answer: I have no fucking idea, but I saw it outside of the internet place here.

I think Blogger has a new autosave thing, which is great because the power has gone out here several times since I arrived Thursday night. It gets very hot in the room without a fan. I haven't had A/C since the train ride to Hubli about a week ago, but no fan is almost unbearable. There are red ants in my bed. This is the first time I haven't had a tv in the room. It would very easy for someone to lock me in the room the way it's designed and I'm paranoid about that for some reason.

So that stuff and more is making me very upset, but there so many things that have made me very happy in Hampi. People are very nice (when they're not trying to sell you something, which most likely they are). Your waiter is also a tour guide. So is the guy at the internet place. So is the guy at the hotel. So is the homeless person.

So many people have come up to me to talk. I feel like Big Bird. They ask me, "What is your name?" (Big Bird) "What country are you from?" (Sesame Street) and questions about my stay in India. The kids are thrilled when I acknowledge them. They smile and wave just like they would at Big Bird. Many kids ask me for a "school pen, chococalte, and 1 rupees," I have no idea why specifically those things. I got fed up with everyone asking me questions so I decided to be more selective with the answers that I give. For kids I always answer the truth, but sometimes I'm not into the whole test of manhood that many men try to pull here, so I've ben saying that I'm from Moldova to their ilk. It's worked like a charm. One guy asked me after I told him I was from Moldova a couple of times, "In English please." I replied, "Moldova, that is English."

The ruins are breath-taking. I couldn't do them justice if I tried to describe them. It's really cool to be able to see the place that I put a semester's work into learning about. When I saw specifically the Lotus Mahal and Elephant stables I was very moved.

I had dinner with a Japanese guy which was cool and met a woman from Hungary. She was shocked that I knew where Hungary was located and that I had actually been there. I got a kick out of that. She was also surprised that I was there during the music festival and didn't go. I may pull the same thing with Goa. Everyone goes there; it's cliche. People assume I've been or I'm going. I'd love not to, but it's on the way and a logical stop. We'll see. I'll write more about Hampi and Anegondi tomorrow from Hospet where the rate is cheaper and the connection is better.