11 Mar - Rest day in Belur

Wednesday - Rest Day and Chennakesava Temple visit

So, after a pretty good night's sleep I'm off to the internet shop to buy some wifi connection time and
then it's off to visit the temple.

I pop into bicycle shop to watch a wheel being trued (sad but true!). There is absolutely nothing in here that is compatible with my bike, not even an air pump to fit presta valves. I'm still running on Portuguese air at the moment......touch wood! I show him a photo of my bike thinking he might be interested......of course he isn't, he hates the sight of them. I'm an idiot abroad.

Truck art - that sign artist is everywhere.......I want my panniers painted.

I am literally overwhelmed by the complexity, artistry, scale and antiquity of the soapstone 

sculpture and friese-work in the temple. This was executed some 1,000 years ago, when 

Belur was the capital of the region, by the finest sculptors in the world. I doubt these skills still exist today. It is mind-boggling. I'm amazed there is no security, no fencing, 

you can touch the intricate carvings. Spiritually I've come to the conclusion that I am a desert, a godless creature, but I am an interested observer of the devotions of others. Plenty to observe here.

I'm expecting one of them to fall off as they scamper barefoot around the scaffold.

I'm not up to seeing another temple tomorrow at Halibedu, even though it's only 15km down the
road. I've checked the weather and it's maxing at around 37 deg in Hampi on Friday. That's in
the shade. That's hot. But first (spur of the moment decision) I'm heading back to the Ghats to
a place called Agumbe, because waterfalls sound a lot more tempting.....and it's only 33 deg. Oh, and I'm talking bed bugs with the hotel manager when he comes in at 6 pm.