No, I don't want to get out of the car.

We love any chance to ride in air conditioned cars, and when we end up in really lovely places, it's an added bonus. Such was the case with Bhimilee. Our first stop was at the ruins of a Buddhist monastery.



It was so peaceful. No car horns. I can't even recall crows cawing. Buddhists know how to choose their sanctuaries.




We tried to soak in a little of the atmosphere.



And tried a little harder.



The only drawback was that the pool wasn't well-maintained.




Next stop, the Dutch Cemetery. Just kidding! It was locked. “This has never happened before!” Krishnayya cried with dismay. We assured him it was fine. We even offered to climb the fence if it was that big of a deal, but our Ganesh said he would find a way. In the meantime, we explored the beach. We found boat-building,



mermaids,



giant heads and cows (there are never not cows),




a badly dead giant bat (the first time I've been able to get a photo of one),




a one-handed goddess after my own heart,




and some rebellious foreigners.



Still no word on the keyholder, so we went to a temple (Nirisimha?) on top of a hill. A really big hill. With many, many stairs.



We even went up stairs that you probably aren't supposed to go up. What can I say? We love stairs. Worth every ache in my quads for the view.




I closed my eyes and listened to the sounds of India: the waves on the shore, noisy rickshaws, horns, hammering, confused roosters, children laughing and crying, crows...and even though I was stinky and sweaty, I couldn't have been happier. Here's my happy-in-India pose (up the sketchy stairs):



We did make it to the Dutch Cemetery after all. It was...a Dutch Cemetery. Read all about it: