Bangalore..Cont'd

Arrived from Goa about a week ago on Kingfisher Airways, a new discount airline owned by the folk at Kingfisher Breweries. Ironically you can't get a beer on the plane! Against the law to serve booze on board in India. (imagine trying to pass a law like that in Oz LOL!)
Not a whole lot to see in Bangalore. Used to be called "The Garden City" but clearly the gardens have been massively encroached upon by the recent expansions of the city. Went out to see Mother Theresa's Orphanage (for Angelo). Found the suburb ok, then went onto holding pattern as we were (mis) directed to several churches, schools and other catholic institutions. The nun in charge was friendly enough and took the time to show me around. (Sorry, no photos allowed) The orphanage is home to about 50 kids aged between, I'd say 3 months and five years. Most appear to have cerebral plasy of some kind or another. They were very sweet and came up and held my hand or wrapped themselves around an arm or leg. Many of the helpers had grown up in the orphanage and are now paid to work there, so they are relatively self sufficient. I'll pop into the Mother House in Calcutta when I get there later this week.

The night before I left for Mysore, I had dinner at the Oberoi hotel. On hearing that I was to take the train, she said "Who is your chaperone?" I told her I was going alone....."Aren't you scared? says she aghast!!
The station was like any generic Indian train station - read: jam packed with passengers, porters, staff, hangers on, rats and the odd dog. Hot, filthy and chaotic. Engaged a porter to carry my ridiculously heavy bag (more about that later) up the overpass and down to the relevant platform. The going rate for porterage is 25 rupees per bag. I gave him 50. He wanted 100. I told him politely to bugger off and that for 100 rupees I'd carry his bag. Irony is lost on the average Indian porter.

Next post: Mysore.
(Photo on top is of Mysore Palace)