Today, Christian and I went on a little adventure. I got to pick any place that was within reason of the scooter ride and he would in turn drive us. I’m not sure how I convinced him to go with me. Just the other day he told me that he wasn’t interested in the culture and that he doesn’t care about sightseeing. Whatever it was that changed his mind, I’m grateful he wants to go.
The plan was after breakfast we would head to Brindavan Gardens and then check out Mysore Palace and Chamundi Hill late afternoon. Brindavan Gardens was a bit farther than the road signs indicated and the trek took us a little longer than we expected. The ride up there was beautiful and very green and we also found the bird sanctuary, which will be another one of our excursions.
I don’t really have much to say about the garden, which in all honesty I am just too lazy to write about it. I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves. Email me if you want a link to the pics or look on FB.
In the afternoon we headed in to town to find this bookstore that supposedly had a huge selection of yoga books. The traffic and the air quality in this part of town is horrendous. There isn’t much breathing room between riders, cars and buses and I worry about someone snatching my bag. We found the bookstore and it was closed. Our next stop was the palace and that plan didn’t work out either. The streets were so crowded and there were so many people that we ditched the idea and headed up to Chamundi Hill.
Chamundi Hill is about a thousand feet above from the city. The further away we got from town the cleaner the air and fewer people. Throughout the ride there are signs posted that plastic bag weren’t allowed up on the hill. I thought this was cool and strange at the same time. It’s India.. We can’t get people in the United States to stop using plastic bags and here is this country that is considered third world concerned about the environment.
The top of Chamundi Hill was not what I imagined. The streets are lined with various vendors selling chotskies and the best part of all are the monkeys! There are lots of monkeys hanging around and playing amongst themselves. There are also cows or bulls or whatever they are defecating everywhere. I know they are sacred and all, but do they really have to defecate every where? Where is the poop police when you need them?
We walked around the temple and saw that there was an entrance leading inside. Shoes weren’t allowed inside so we had to leave them with shoe valets. The shoe valet is about a 100 feet from the temple entrance and that was far enough for me to be walking barefoot to think twice about going in. As I was standing there debating this guy walking barefoot steps in the biggest pile of poop. He looked down for second to see what he stepped on and kept on walking. If that were me, I would have been crying and screaming for the CDC. I eventually got over it and made it inside. Christian was making fun of me as I walked carefully on the side of my foot not wanting to completely step down. I don’t even remember what we saw inside. Cameras weren’t allowed and the only thing I remember are these guys holding some tray with a flame around it asking for donations. I don’t think that was worth taking my shoes off for and risking stepping on poop, but the outside of the temple is beautiful.
Lessons learned:
1. Taking B Complex #1 to prevent mosquito bites doesn't work
2. Before getting a massage, research the type of massage
3. When traveling overseas, bring lots of snacks
4. If the water is murky do not drink it. Regardless if it’s in a water jug
5. When disgusted in public it is best to not make a funny face
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