Happy Republic Day people.... I could kiss whoever made today Republic Day in India because today, we got a day off work.
This morning my alarm clock was Simone calling me from work, about to finish his on call... at 9am.... ahhhhh bliss, I slept till 9am, happy days. I waited for Simone to arrive from work, with the mocha on and the breakfast cooking... cause that's how I roll (and how I would roll every day if I didn't have to work ;)). After he arrived home we got ready and headed out in to town to a place called Lal bagh, which was a recommendation from a friend at work. It is a huge botanical Garden with a flower show, especially for the celebration of Republic Day. We took the bus there and found the place. We entered and the atmosphere was pretty nice, lots of people selling popcorn, fruit, samosas etc and lots and lots of people, hoping to get a peek at the flower show we were all there for. We came across some stalls selling bags, honey, food items and jewellery, to be honest I was in heaven. Then we decided to queue for the entry in to the flower show. There were lots of people hoping to get inside so we joined them.
After a short queue (as it was continuously moving) we got inside, and got pushed, shoved and generally trampled on by people trying to get a closer look. There were Policemen protecting the displays by poking bats in peoples faces. We took a quick few photos and tried to get out as fast as we could, with one kind man helping make room for me to dart closer to the exit. As we exited, I almost got a police bat in my eye.... almost...
Next was a walk around the gardens with every other person stopping us "Please can we have photo?" to which Simone's blank response was "No". But it was a nice place I have to say, despite the fact I then needed to use the bathroom... 2 rupees for the pleasure of entering in to what I can only describe as a chamber with a hole in the ground... Next time I'm gonna join the 95,000 men I see every day taking a leak in the street. If you can't beat em.....
So we stopped to take an ice-lolly and just as I was getting my chops around it a lady and gentleman with a big camera (he) and microphone (she) stopped us and asked us to talk to them on camera for an Indian TV station. Seriously you couldn't make this stuff up..... As she interviewed us for around 4 minutes, a crowd was gathering around us ( now I know how Posh and Becks feel) and I was desperately wanting to lick my lolly...... SO if you see an interview with 2 white people in Bangalore on Republic Day, with one of em uncouthly sucking on an ice lolly, that's us..... Bollywood here we come.
I have to say I was quite surprised that there weren't more tourists at Lal bagh, I really thought there might be quite a few white people, but there weren't... there were 2.
Next stop was MG Road, as by this time I really needed an alcoholic beverage. We walked a liitle bit, took a bus, got taken to God knows where, got off the bus, found another bus and eventually ended up in MG Road. We found a street with a lot of bars and nice eateries on it and so stopped by for a drink in one. Simone had set his heart on a burger as I had mentioned the words "Hard Rock Cafe" earlier in the day, and so we ended up in there to eat............ And found EVERY SINGLE WHITE PERSON IN BANGALORE. No, they're not taking in the culture at the Republic Day Parade, they're drinking pints in the Hard Rock Cafe.... and now, so were we :)
The journey home was the same as every other journey home from MG Road, walking about 6km trying to find a bus that goes in our direction.... but the highlight had to be when we were sat on the bus, minding our own business, and then a 'bus' pulls up next to us.... The WHOLE of the front of it was missing. It was a platform, with the driver sat in the drivers seat and lots of seats behind it, but with no outer shell on the front corner.....
NOW I've seen it all..
Buona notte xxxxxxxxx
This morning my alarm clock was Simone calling me from work, about to finish his on call... at 9am.... ahhhhh bliss, I slept till 9am, happy days. I waited for Simone to arrive from work, with the mocha on and the breakfast cooking... cause that's how I roll (and how I would roll every day if I didn't have to work ;)). After he arrived home we got ready and headed out in to town to a place called Lal bagh, which was a recommendation from a friend at work. It is a huge botanical Garden with a flower show, especially for the celebration of Republic Day. We took the bus there and found the place. We entered and the atmosphere was pretty nice, lots of people selling popcorn, fruit, samosas etc and lots and lots of people, hoping to get a peek at the flower show we were all there for. We came across some stalls selling bags, honey, food items and jewellery, to be honest I was in heaven. Then we decided to queue for the entry in to the flower show. There were lots of people hoping to get inside so we joined them.
After a short queue (as it was continuously moving) we got inside, and got pushed, shoved and generally trampled on by people trying to get a closer look. There were Policemen protecting the displays by poking bats in peoples faces. We took a quick few photos and tried to get out as fast as we could, with one kind man helping make room for me to dart closer to the exit. As we exited, I almost got a police bat in my eye.... almost...
Next was a walk around the gardens with every other person stopping us "Please can we have photo?" to which Simone's blank response was "No". But it was a nice place I have to say, despite the fact I then needed to use the bathroom... 2 rupees for the pleasure of entering in to what I can only describe as a chamber with a hole in the ground... Next time I'm gonna join the 95,000 men I see every day taking a leak in the street. If you can't beat em.....
So we stopped to take an ice-lolly and just as I was getting my chops around it a lady and gentleman with a big camera (he) and microphone (she) stopped us and asked us to talk to them on camera for an Indian TV station. Seriously you couldn't make this stuff up..... As she interviewed us for around 4 minutes, a crowd was gathering around us ( now I know how Posh and Becks feel) and I was desperately wanting to lick my lolly...... SO if you see an interview with 2 white people in Bangalore on Republic Day, with one of em uncouthly sucking on an ice lolly, that's us..... Bollywood here we come.
I have to say I was quite surprised that there weren't more tourists at Lal bagh, I really thought there might be quite a few white people, but there weren't... there were 2.
Next stop was MG Road, as by this time I really needed an alcoholic beverage. We walked a liitle bit, took a bus, got taken to God knows where, got off the bus, found another bus and eventually ended up in MG Road. We found a street with a lot of bars and nice eateries on it and so stopped by for a drink in one. Simone had set his heart on a burger as I had mentioned the words "Hard Rock Cafe" earlier in the day, and so we ended up in there to eat............ And found EVERY SINGLE WHITE PERSON IN BANGALORE. No, they're not taking in the culture at the Republic Day Parade, they're drinking pints in the Hard Rock Cafe.... and now, so were we :)
The journey home was the same as every other journey home from MG Road, walking about 6km trying to find a bus that goes in our direction.... but the highlight had to be when we were sat on the bus, minding our own business, and then a 'bus' pulls up next to us.... The WHOLE of the front of it was missing. It was a platform, with the driver sat in the drivers seat and lots of seats behind it, but with no outer shell on the front corner.....
NOW I've seen it all..
Buona notte xxxxxxxxx
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