Ramee Guestline Hotel (Bangalore)

... went out to the Lal Bagh, a 240 acre botanical garden. We spent quite a lot of time there which was nice after little sleep from the night before. There was a huge rose garden that was fenced off to visitors because "the Indians would steal all the petals off." Bangalore’s population is just over 6 million and it has the drivers on the road to prove it. It has by far the worst traffic congestion I ...

... in the south, others in the north.

He may be the remover of obstacles but Ganesh is also known to place them in the path of those who need to be checked. He’s also an attractive god, shown in a multitude of poses and scenes of daily life. He’s flexible and easy going, attended by a rat, and armed as well with an axe, hook, lasso and lutus flower. And he has an elephant head on his shoulders, the result of an angry father, Shiva, beheading his ...

... to take tourists for “some shopping, sir.” The statue was of heavy brass and I was attracted to the figure's artful strength and command. She is a woman warrior riding, in this case on a lion, into battle with demons. And I paid too much for her. But when I got the statue home and pulled the paper and bubble wrap away I saw her again and knew I’d found a treasure. She sits on my bedside table, serving for now as a bookend, a practical if somewhat ...

... didn’t take puja but rather strung garlands and banana leaves and thoroughly enjoyed himself.

The two younger men in office were charged with smashing the savoury melon on the entrance. Anil had one that was pierced to allow coins to be deposited, and he smashed his on the lintel. Justine was next and put his youth and wiry shoulder muscles into the task, exploding the pumpkin-sized fruit into little pieces that skittered on the floor ...

... of not only distinctly European design but of actual European weed that had found it’s way into the country.

I was heady with smoke and the thought of calling the rooftop my home. From the mosque down the street a muezzin called prayer in a clear and piously beautiful voice. The rain had stopped and sun shone on the roof of red brick that dried quickly. A breeze blew the rattan shades that kept out the sun and rain and softened the grid of bars ...

... 40 cents, for a somosa and fresh pineapple juice at a open streetside vendor. Good, cheap street food is something cities in America lack. One the subject of street food, I tried corn in a cup for the first time the other day. Corn in a cup is a small cart on the side of the road that offered cooked sweet corn off the cob mixed with butter, salt and your choice of added ...

I finally caved - I bought the material for a saree today. Heather and Lauren bought material recently and dropped it off at the tailors for the blouse to be made. I wanted to wait and see what theirs turned out to be before I purchased the material, but then we found it takes the tailor 5 days to complete the work (he must have a lot of business!). It's an interesting purchase to make, as you enter the ...

... like drinking milk directly from a carton or stealing frosting from a cake with your finger. But it is very polite as long as it is done in the correct manner. You might have noticed I mentioned that you were to use your right hand. To do it as the locals do the left elbow is firmly planted on the table, left hand kept out of the action. I guess because it is considered to be the unclean hand, used for more ...

... menu h**e! (th**es 85 to the pound at the moment). Ov** this side of the city ev**yone speaks English, even in conv**sations with each oth**. Women wear west**n clothes, they drive scoot**s and couples walk down the street holding hands. I didnt see any of this when staying ov** the oth** side. A major bonus to this side of the city is the lack of public 'toilets' - urinals in the open on the side of walls in the streets. They also tend to be the areas for huge garbage heaps, goats ...

... then they are basically free for the taking. They are not respected, not put in the same category as Indian women, more like prostitutes.' Her words rattled in my brain. Free for the taking? She had told me that the best response to being touched is public shaming, preferably in front of Indian women. I had read the same thing in the Lonely Planet. This was Johan's second trip to Mysore, and his third to India. He said that he came back to Mysore just to see the light and ...