Posing in Aihole, INDIA

Today, we checked out of our nice hotel in Hospet and drove 120 km. to Badami.  On the way, though, our driver brought us to two other places, Aihole and Pattada Kulla, or Pattadakul.

I'd already come across Aihole in a history book and the Ladkhan temples there are also mentioned in Lonely Planet, but I didn't think we'd have time to make a detour, so this was a lovely surprise.  There's an extra of one of the temples, the one I like to call a 'blender'.

The other place was Pattada Kulla, or Pattadakul in ancient times.  This was a complete surprise.  There's a fairly large, impressive temple complex inside this small village and you'd never guess it if you were just passing through.  We both thanked the driver as these stops were eye-openers, even though it was quite a hot day.  In fact, for the first time this trip, I was the one who got bogged down a bit by the heat and AW who had to wait whenever I sat down.  He has well and truly recovered.  I can't stop being thankful about that.