Mysore cont. and onwards ....

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Thanks to the reader who corrected me re the Mysore Palace being built by a Maharaja, not a Sultan - call it poetic licence or ignorance on my part!

Had a busy few days, so had better get it down or I'll forget details - will continue with 'stranger in a strange land' info bit if/when I run out of news......

After the Palace visit, we bade farewell to Mysore with some relief - interesting place but hot, overcast, dusty, noisy and it was getting us down a wee bit. Boarded a train for the 2 hour journey to Bangalore, a stop over for the night. Also known as the 'Silicone Valley' of India, the city has exploded over the last decade - IT professionals abound, Parade Street is comparable to Oxford Street, all major stores/Macdonalds/coffee shops are present and correct, clubs, bars,restaurants proliferate - just like home, but the poor are still in evidence and there seems to be an unnaturally high proportion of disabled street dwellers who have lost limbs/appendages.....

Discussing our plans for this trip with my Dad, he set to reminiscing about his time in India as a young officer at the end of the war, mentioning in particular the parade ground in Bangalore where football matches took place....In Mysore we got chatting to a hotel guest (from New Malden, weirdly enough) who spent the first 25 years of his life in Bangalore, and he confirmed the parade ground was still there and still in use with parades held on high days and holidays....So we set off to locate it, turned out it was 10 mins from our hotel. Standing at the perimeter fence, watching a game of football in progress, rang Dad in B'ham......'Hi Dad, you'll never guess where we are......' from the same place he stood 63 years ago - and incidentally Dad, the parade ground is 'bloody big' and the surface that used to skin your knees is still skinning squaddies' knees.

Pleased to leave Bangalore next morning, hotel was diabolical - should sue under the trade descriptions act, 'deluxe air conditioned'? I should co-co.....

So we headed for the airport, hopped on a plane (20 quid each entrance fee to Paradise.)and 2 hours later landed in Goa - blessed relief, sun, sand, sea and civilised people. Bit of trouble finding accommodation initially, we had decided on Benaulim S Goas a base and empty rooms near the brilliant beaches were hard to find - success eventually, right on the beach with nice restaurant staffed by Nepalese folk who are particularly suited to customer relations work, easy going and chilled, no pressure....Only had confirmed room for 2 nights as loads more people than we expected were arriving, so went into the village to sort out alternative.....Ken went off for 10 mins, came back saying 'found it, you're gonna love this one....' Had to wait till today to see/move in and its absolutely brill!!! Sadly no web site so I'll have to paint the picture, , huge airy 2 dble bed/living/dining room, kitchen, hot shower, Sky tv,......switched on TV to test it, Chelsea match was on......good omen or what? Such a relief to unpack for first time since Dec 31 07.

15 Feb

Set off to explore the village and what it has to offer, happened upon an Indian band gigging at a beach bar - made a valiant effort before a largely unresponsive and unappreciative audience , repertoire included Men at Work numbers, in Hindi....must have been a challenge finding appropriate translation for 'chunder' and 'Vegemite sandwich'...Another gig, another evening 'Alan from Up North' vainly trying to inject some enthusiasm into diners in a 'posh' outdoor restaurant with terrible overpriced food - we had responded to the leaflet handed out advertising 70's/80's music - after 2 numbers Ken realised our mistake - to qualify for entry you had to be 70 - 80 - large numbers of OAPs are in Goa, merrily spending their kids' inheritences, and good luck to them, but he sez things ain't what they used to be in God's Own Country. We will continue our search for the best entertainment venue, 4 beach bars/restuarants down, 30 odd still to go - its a dirty job but someone's gotta do it, and all in the name of research and to save the youngest daughter's sanity when she arrives next week......

In brief, went to Magao market with the intention of whipping up a genuine Goan curry in our apartment, having withdrawals from cooking after 6 - 7 weeks.

Bought a recipe book in Cochin, selected what seemed one of the easier menus, bought (amid much misunderstanding) herbs/spices/vegs at market, went to beach for coconut cos I forgot to buy one, created a meal from scratch, then threw it away - how could it go so wrong? Ken reasonably polite about my efforts, but think I'll stick to eating out for the foreseeable future.

Anyway, enough for now, I'm off to get a hairdo (60 rupees, less than a pound, should my friendly London hairdresser be reading this...) and tonight is full moon just about, so back to the beach to see if there's any action...

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