I will try to speed things up here because nothing too outrageous or hilarious happened for the next few days. We finally arrived at the farm guesthouse at about 7 pm. Because we were late, even though we called, they had given our veranda room away to some Bostonians. They gave us a room off of their living room and told us it would be just like we were family. Family indeed, our bathroom was off the dining room! We were kind of choked, especially when they told us it was the same price. The husband was super annoying that evening, we went out to dinner and for some reason he felt the need to lead us to the restaurant. Once we arrived, he kept telling us if the price of the room wasn't ok, we could go somewhere else where it would be more expensive but he kept smiling while he was doing it. Plus, they wouldn't give Suresh a place to sleep, but they wouldn't tell us that, they just kept saying how he would be ok. Fortunately, he didn't stay for dinner.
The garden and pool at the farm. 
Farm puppies. They weren't always tied up. 
The stairs to the upper veranda room. Looks nice eh? I guess we'll never know.Let me go back to drivers and their sleeping arrangements. Technically, they are responsible for their own rooms, finding, paying etc. However, as I mentioned, we had come to think of Suresh as more than our driver, he was now our friend. Some hotels offer driver rooms for free. Other times, Suresh has found his own cubby hole. It turns out when we had our cabin at Bandipur, he ended up sleeping in the car.
Anyway, I was tired and hungry and didn't like the man who ran the farm so I was not happy. But without too many choices and with Suresh assuring us that we should not worry about him, his job was to make sure we were comfortable and he would take care of himself. He also said that the couple were good people and that we should stay there. ok. So we stayed. Another quick side note. Judy had finally assembled all of the pieces for her Sari but, obviously, she couldn't try it out in Hunusur. Our room was way too small here to try it on so again, it had to wait for another day.
The next morning, with some sleep and some food, I had a better perspective on the whole Suresh and sleeping arrangements business. The price he charges per day includes his food and room. In our case, Judy always paid for his food when he ate with us, which was pretty much always. So unless I was willing to pay double to house myself AND him, I can't really blame the hotel folks. Plus, Suresh could always get his own room, technically he is fee covers that, but he chooses to sleep in his car occasionally to save money. It was painful, but I managed to justify my comfy bed (at least in my own mind - probably only temporarily).
So we didn't have the terrace room but we were really there for sleep. We had visited the Golden Temple the previous evening. The Golden Temple is a Buddhist Temple in this unnamed town that was inhabited by Tibetan refugees. When they arrived in the 50s, the Indian Gov't gave them land and money and they are pretty well set. The Temple is huge - and Gold. There are monks everywhere. Again, I suck at taking pictures of people and I particularly suck at taking pictures of people worshipping. So few photos. When we got to the temple, it was open but nothing was happening. No (stuck for word here - I guess Mass is wrong) event (event? - not much better than Mass).
Going to the Golden Temple, bare feet again. 
The Golden Buddha, hidden behind a screen, which if you went to the back of the temple and lean over a barrier, you can take a picture of - just. 
All of the temple walls are covered in murals. 
Mural detail. 
There were other giant golden statues beside the Buddha which weren't hidden. This is one of them. I am jumping around here, sorry, no time to properly edit. Back to the morning. Mrs farm lady, whose name is in Lonely Planet, that section long ago ditched, asked us if we wanted breakfast. We were sitting on the very lovely downstairs deck (not the much more very lovely upper veranda) and eager to sit and enjoy our coffee and toast. But when breakfast was ready, we were ushered back into the dining room, with no windows and a view of the bathroom, to eat. Insult on injury, we could here Suresh out on the deck being served his breakfast. I assume that we were the special guests so we got to eat where the family ate and Suresh, the servant, had to eat outside. hrrumph.
After breakfast, Judy had to pack. Have I mentioned Judy's bags. She was travelling with one big bag and one shopping type bag. She had left two bags with Suresh to pick up back in Bangalore. Anyway, the shopping bag was a wonder. Out would come trays and cups and who knows what all so that in an instant, her bathroom needs were comfortably available. It was a wonder of efficiency on arrival, not so much on departure. So after breakfast, I was just hanging around while Judy packed up, when the owner was about to show Suresh the farm. So I tagged along. Well it turns out to be a coffee farm!! (Yes, Nikki, I got you a pound of coffee, it was hard to convince them that I wanted 'seeds' and not 'powder'.) But not just a coffee farm, it had everything. I love farms in other countries. Here I wrote a list: avocados, jackfruit, sapota (?), mango, papaya, banana, coconut, betel nut, coffee, cinnamon, cardamon, allspice, vanilla, rice, ginger, vegetables, several types of oranges, lemons and limes, rosewood, teakwood and silverhook wood. Every inch was used to its fullest.
Our downstairs deck where Suresh had his breakfast. 
The owner showing off his farm. This is the rice paddy. 
Farm guy showing off his coffee. 
Papaya
pepper 
As we left the farm. 
Tibetan prayer flags hang from everywhere here. Another visit to the Temple, still nothing too much going on. I'm sure Judy must have been disappointed not to see an 'event' with the bells and monks and whatnot. A bit of shopping and off we went to Hassan.
Our visit to the Temple in the morning meant I could take pictures of the outside. This is the entrance.
The Temple from the entrance gate.
Prayer candles. 
Random posing children. Check out the awesome outfits. 
A monk at the alter. Wandering around the Temple grounds
A novice monk having a nap on the lawn.
Ummm, maybe it`s because they are behind the sign. 
Young monks playing cricket.
Me in front of the Temple. My notes are sort of unclear here so this is likely in the wrong order. My photos tell me that we stopped at a Jain temple next. It is known for the massive statue at the top of the mountain. But you have to go up 650 stone steps and because it is a temple, no shoes allowed. It was getting on in the day so I declined the climb. Judy was up for it though. But first she and Suresh tried to hire some men to carry Judy up. Apparently, this is what the rich and weak do. But they were just about to close the gate for the night so there weren`t four men available to man the four corners of the basket. So Judy and Suresh made the climb. I hung out at the bottom where I could keep my shoes on.
The mountain Jain temple. You can see the massive stature over the top of the wall.
Judy waiting while they try to round up four men to carry her to the top. 
Not enough carriers so Judy gets ready to climb. They were the only ones on the stairs because it was about to close. 
But then all of a sudden tons of people arrived and started runnning up the stairs. 
Since I stayed at the bottom, I did a bit of sightseeing. Plus I spent some time haggling over postcards. We stayed at a very nice hotel. Hassan's claim to fame is that it is near to two ancient temples with intricate carvings. The first temple was Belur (Suresh called it Chennakeshawa) with carvings of dancing women. We hired a guide here who I couldn't understand a word he said but he did keep yelling at us to move there or come here. Plus, there was this odd man who just joined us and is in almost all of my pictures. You will have to wait for pictures of this temple and the next one, Halibib, also carved but much more broken.
Entrance to Belur
Outside detail. 
Dancing statue.
Actual worshippers, not just lookie-loos like us. 
It`s blurry but here is Judy, our guide and Suresh with our crasher in the background. Outside the Temple
Elephant detail completely circled the compound.
The Courtyard, these stones were sooooo hot (and of course, we were in barefeet.)
Just an excuse to take a pretty picture of a woman in a pretty sari.
More women in colourful saris. 
Suresh taking Judy`s picture (and some freakin` amazing architecture under them.)The next temple, Halebidu (Halebib)
Take our picture
Here`s the rest of the family, take their picture too. 
Detail. The builders of these places had a lot of ambition (and apparently, time on their hands.)
Just a random photo from outside Halebib. I like the way it looks like it is on fabric. My camera isn`t so good taking pictures from a moving vehicle at night. That night, we were finally in a nice place so the 'Big Sari Unveiling' began. Judy had been a given basic idea of how it all worked. By the time we arrived back at the hotel, it was too late to find a lady to help so we were on our own. But, after many attempts and reattempts with the non-pure-silk sari, we got it on and it looked pretty good. Then I tried it on while Judy graduated to the silk one. Then Suresh was beckoned and he took our pictures so that we could prove that we could put on a Sari! I must say, Judy looks great in her pure silk sari. Me- not so much. Wait for the pictures and you can decide.
Judy in her sari and me in my burgandy kurta and pant set from FabIndia. I only have 15 minutes till this place closes so I will try to whip through Hampi. After Hassan, we headed to Hampi which was a full day drive away. There was lots of road birding and we managed a flat tire. Lunch was uneventful although I got to use the kitchen bathroom. Never use the kitchen bathroom!.
Some images from the road between Hassan and Hampi.
Judy taking advantage of nature's bathroom. 
Suresh fixes the flat tire. 
Ok, while uploading my pictures, I realized I was correct and have given Hampi it's own post.
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