An adventure

Since I really only have the weekends free (even though right now I haven't officially started my research, I am still trying to get everything situated, even though it is a bit less than successful).  However, yesterday was Sunday, and Sundays here are 'holidays'.  Sunday is also the only day I do not have yoga classes at the crack of dawn so I decided to try and do another day trip very close to my city.

I decided to go to another temple about 30km from Mysore, called Somnathpur.  I went specifically to see the amazing Keshava Temple.  There really is nothing else in this tiny little village.  The temple was built in 1268 and is what they call an excellent example of Hoysala architecture (I would have to agree, it is amazing).  The carvings all over the outsides of the temple depict scenes from the Ramayana, Mahabharata and Bhagavad Gita as well as the lives of the Hoysala kings.  It is so amazingly intricate.

While I walked around the temple, I noticed a woman speaking German, so I started a conversation with her.  It turned out she was from Austria and was on vacation with her two friends.  They were so nice when they found out I was wandering around alone, they offered to let me join the private tour they had set up which was going to go to five more temples and the waterfalls that day.  It was so nice to actually have people around I could have a nice conversation with, and they were such nice women.  Even at the end of the day when we got back to Mysore, I joined them for dinner as well.  All in all, it was a very nice day for me and of course I hope they enjoyed my company as much as I did theirs.  

Today was a Shiva festival, though I did not see much of anything going on other than some stores being closed.  I went to yoga as usual this morning, and then began trying to contact people who may be able to help me set up a translator only to realize my phone was missing.  This meant I had to spend most of the afternoon trying to get a new one and set up a new account etc.  I managed that, and if anyone would like the new number please just email me.  Also, if any of you have skype, I have downloaded and we can call each other for free from our computers!  (Maybe someone should teach grandma how to do this, and get her set up with some internet? ;) ) Love you grandma.....

On a very bright note, as I was eating dinner this evening I noticed an Indian man sitting behind me speaking with what was definitely an American accent.  I asked him if he had lived in the U.S. which he had, but when he found out what I was doing here and I mentioned the problems I was having finding a translator, it turns out he actually works in development and was on his way to a meeting at the development sector of the university here in Mysore.  He arranged a meeting for me tomorrow with a professor who agreed to arrange someone for me.  I am so incredibly happy, and it just goes to show that being friendly and talking to some people around can lead to great things.  Yesterday, to a very nice day with the women from Austria, and today with someone who doesn't even know me taking the time out of his evening to help out a stranger in need.  I have uploaded all of the pictures to the picasa web album i shared with all of you, and if you have trouble accessing it please let me know.  I will put a few here though just as a teaser!