(Not) Wining and dining in Hampi

Hampi is a Hindu holy city, so that means no alcohol or meat allowed. You can find beer in Hospet, but it's a no-no in Hampi (bring it along at your own risk).

If you ever go to Hampi, I highly recommend eating at Shiva Moon restaurant. It's down by the river and a bit off the beaten path -- you might need to take a rickshaw to get there, but the food and ambiance are well worth it. The proprietors lay out candles and mosquito coils all around the table, and even put some incense around you. This creates a very romantic, exotic feeling. The Indian food was excellent, and the chicken schnitzel and hummus with pita were unbelievable. In general, you'll find lots of German and Israeli food in Hampi. We're not really sure why.



Later on we went to Shanti's, which has psychedelic Lord of the Rings tapestries for sale. It's cool, though, because you can sit on pillows on the floor to drink your chai:



We also went to Under the Mango Tree cafe. All I have to say is, man! Those mango trees are HUGE! All of the seats (straw mats with a stone table in front of you) face out towards the river, so whether you're traveling alone or in a group, you can feel at one with nature. They also have a nice wooden swing hanging romantically from the mango tree itself.

To get there, you have to walk down a path surrounded on all sides by banana trees.