Back to Bangalore

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Well, after a very long break, I am back in Bangalore!! I came back three weeks ago and brought some visitors with me from Ireland in the form of my mother and two aunts. I wasn't sure how they would take to my adopted home, but after an initial culture shock on the way from the airport at six in the morning, they took to the place like ducks to water. They left today after thoroughly enjoying their three week trip to India. They may not have ever envisaged a trip to India, but they certainly made the very most of it!

The first day or so was spent relaxing in the garden and acclimatising to the weather (otherwise known as sunbathing). This became a morning ritual, so along with the intake of their prescribed medications, it also seemed necessary to soak up some pure vitamin D from the sun every morning, so much so that I think that ponds lightening cream would be considered necessary to restore them back to looking Irish again. Each day a trip and adventure was had except for the few chillaxing days which were spent by the pool with cocktails. We lunched at the Leela palace which is opulence at its utmost, visited the air museum, did the usual trip to Mysore, but this time treated ourselves to a stay at the Lalitha Mahal palace hotel which is a five star hotel often used in films because of it's beauty. We discovered during our guided tour of the kings palace that the Lalitha Mahal palace had originally been the summer residence of the royal family. We did the usual trip to chamundi hill, the kings palace, the silk factory and did some shopping and bought some silk and jewelry. This time however we gave the zoo a skip and went shopping instead where we began talking on the street to a young boy who had very good english. He offered to take us to a cheap shop where we could buy some wooden presents which turned out to be a great success. My mother and aunts seemed to have emptied some of the shelves in the small shop with their delight at the value, (which resulted in clothes having to be left with me to make enough room for them in the suitcases for the return journey) :-) Little did I know then, but this would be the start of a shopping frenzy which was yet to ensue. Initially they bought jewelry boxes, silks and other Indian trinkets which is understandable, but why they needed to come half way accross the world in order to buy a potato peeler, flasks, forks, pots and tupperware boxes, I'll never know!! :-) Eventually the frenzy ended when they all sadly conceded that they had not enough room in their suitcases for a pressure cooker each.

Another of their days was spent alone at home (or so we thought) while myself, mike and Cael went to the Foreign Registry Office to have our residency permits renewed. I thought they might be a bit bored, until we met them sauntering along the street together outside having spent a very entertaining day in the local government school. They passed and asked if they could take some photographs and were invited in for lunch with the kids followed by an afternoon of entertainment in the form of songs, dance and plays all performed by the kids. They thoroughly enjoyed their day.

Well they are on their way back to Costa Del Cork as I write now and their tans are probably fading by the minute which I hope will ensure a quick and speedy return for another trip sometime soon.....

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