Bangalore
I’m sure the title of this post will get a snigger or even full blown laugh from some people, esp those that know me. It never struck me as a place that I wanted to visit that much but being in a Hampi made it inevitable that if I wanted to fulfill the objective of making it to Kerala in time for Xmas that Bangalore would need to be at least passed through. The plot thickened even further when I learnt that a mate of mine from Mayo was over at around the same time on work duties so meeting up with him for a few beers along with a proper hot shower a good bed and pretty much a break from the crazy 100 mile an hour mess that is india certainly seemed like a good idea.
So I booked myself onto the 10 hour bus journey from Hospet to Bangalore. I managed to book a single sleeper this time, which means that I didn’t have to share the bunk with anyone else! The problem with this senario though was that the bunk was at the very back of the bus, furthest point away from the back axel so therefore those who remember their physics classes from school should know that maximum displacement occured every time we passed over one of indias endless unmarked speed bumps. I felt like one of those chump wrestlers that gets wheeled out every week to face the champion except that this bout lasted 10 hours. Time and time again just as I was about to doze off THUMP,BANG,WALLOP and it feels like my head is hanging out of my arse!!
This bus trip was also pretty cold. If I had’ve paid the lonely planet a little more attention I would’ve noted that its 1000 metres above sealevel – about the height of irelands tallest mountain so for the first time in india I actually shivered, I know those at home with the current minus 5 degrees will hold little sympathy for me but when you are only wearing a tshirt and the rest of yer clothes are stowed away in the boot it definitely was a desperate times, desperate measures kind of scenario. So I had the in genious idea of taking down all the curtains that were around me and wrapped myself around in them and that did the job nicely!! Though it was an amusing sight indeed for the bus porter when he came to the back of the bus to tell me we had arrived at the terminus.
Arrived into Bangalore at about 7 in the morning. Jumped into an autorickshaw right away and directed the driver to brendans place in the diamond district not too far away from the airport. The one outstanding thing that hits you about bangalore is the sheer military presence that is in the town. Nearly every second building or complex was a military or naval base of some description. People went on about the traffic alot but to my eyes it was no worse than mumbai. Arrived over to brendans place at about 7.30, it was nice, well all I saw of it at that stage was the lobby as the hungover fecker was still comotosed in his bed and couldn’t hear the phone ringing. Eventually made it up to his place and it was class, 3 bed appartment, big huge fresh bed, hot water showers and premiership soccer on the tv – it was just like it was in dream I had on the rough journey there. At this stage I was wrecked, no sleep at all I just wanted pure unaldulterated kip, if I was a playstation game my energy bar would be flashing red red red!!!
But coffee was also called for, went into town on a tuk tuk with brendan. We had a cup of coffee and walked down the main shopping street of Bangalore – to be honest it was like anti india, plenty of people walking around with the latest mobile phones, drinking lattes with a laptop over their shoulder so I didn’t get the same ‘Oh look at the big white boy’ attention that you get in other places. We did call into a tailors shop as brendan was getting a suit made before he went home, while he was off talking to the man of the shop some of the assistants came over to me trying to sell me a suit – he started to show me a whole selection of fabrics going on about how they were so fashionable, pure italian whatyamacallit etc etc Spotting the potential for comedy I asked him with the straightest face ever if he could cut me one in bright pink, I swear it was the first time I have seen an indian speechless!!
After that little episode we went back to brendans place where I got my sleep and him off to work. We went to the pub that night for a few scoops and some food before getting back to bed again. The next day brendans driver ravi brought me around the city to see the sights, now when I put up the pictures on the site you will notice one thing about them compared to most other sets of pictures. There aren’t many – there is fook all to see in Bangalore. I went to this Hindu temple which had one cool statue and a little cave, inside the cave was a load of scenes depicting hindi traditions made out of wax models, paper mache and the movement was driven by some hydraulic machinery – it was hilariously bad – if an 8 year old presented this stuff as an art assignment they would just about scrape a pass for effort. I went to see some palaces and some parks but they were all crap – the palace reminded me off the furniture store at home. I managed to get one picture of that place before a gun totting guard and his whistle quickly made me stick the camera into my bag again.
That night we went for more beers and food this time joined by brendans girlfriend and work mate. We had a good laugh talking the usual rubbish before hitting the sack once more.
Saturday myself and bren went back into the tailor to pick up the suit, it wasn’t quite ready so we headed for a few beers, ya know for a change. In there we got talking to 2 guys, one indian and one english guy. The english guy asked us about this mystical place in dublin that his mates had told him about where the women were so friendly etc etc some place called Coppers!! Told him I never heard of it
That night was brendans work xmas party. I managed to worm my way into the fray. Again another great night was had, indians know how to enjoy themselves. There was a dancefloor there that by the end of the night was completely wrecked with people jumping up and down on it, shaking their rump and generally doing their thing. Hardly any of them were drinking so it makes you wonder are they actually crazy or is there something wrong with us that we feel the need to plough alcohol into our systems to shed our inhibitions. Either way it was still great craic.
Sunday we took it easy, visited Leelas palace for some hangover remedies. A really beautiful shopping centre worth visiting if you are ever in bangalore. Went to watch the abject liverpool utd match before heading to a kareokee bar out beside where brendan worked. It was a funny sight, they had no johnny cash so I didn’t step up to the plate. Plenty did and entertained all.
When we got back to the appartment we threw on a luke kelly dvd and had a few more beers before hitting the sack. Monday as a result was a complete write off, I left the house once for a bounty and twice for good. It was really good meeting up with brendan there, bangalore is a party/drinking town. Don’t go there if you want to see sights, palaces, parks or whatever big cities typically offer. The bus stop in the city market was the only place that really resembled the rest of india, a shambolic mess of people all over the place ether tucking into street food, begging or trying to sell you a rolex. In a weird kind of way it was comforting, it was tough leaving brendan and the easy life but it was time for me and india to reconnect. So onwards to the hill station of ooty – 2400 metres above sealevel!!!
Happy Christmas to everyone/anyone that reads this – and Best wishes in the new year
Christ I am corny!!!
Phil
Tags: Bangalore, India, India
Phil Gill
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