Days in Mysore, India

This is our second day in Mysore which is a three hour bus ride west of Bangalore in south India. We are staying in a comfortable but inexpensive hotel a bit away from the noisy, crowded city center and we are especially enjoying the delicious vegetarian Indian food offered in our hotel’s restaurant.

Today we took a three wheeled taxi to see some old ruins and temples outside of the city. On the way back we asked the driver to stop at a coconut stand beside the road in order to quench our thirst. I noticed a dirt road, almost a path, going away from the paved road we were on, so we decided to take a walk and see where it led to. This small road went along a river bank. It was a very peaceful scene as we observed the people working the land with oxen and doing other work. We observed some bid life along the river and saw the small houses the people resided in.

At the temples and tourist places we have visited the hawkers can be aggressive as they swarm around you and don't give up until you buy something or walk away. One of them would not give up on me until I finally bought a small wooden elephant he wanted me to buy. The beggars can also be very assertive. The good thing is that away from the sellers the people are very friendly and we feel very safe walking around India, but of course you better still be vigilant about your stuff. Also, the three wheeled motorized taxis are very cheap and many people speak English, so we can get around easily.

A while ago we saw a school. Entering the gate, we met with some teachers (all women) and they invited us to come back for an evening ceremony at the school. We went back that evening to witness the open air event with families and their children. It was nice to see the parents’ interest and participation and also the presence of so many girls who make up half the student body. It was a program with speeches promoting the importance of education and cultural events. Instruction at this school (financed by the National India Rail Company) is in English, but I have a hard time understanding most Indians as we speak a different dialect of English. The school was originally only for children of railway workers but is now open to anyone (if you can pay).