After arriving at 4:00am, who knows what time in the U.S., a driver picked us up at the airport and we were off! The airport wasn't half as crowded as I'd imagined it would be but...it was 4 am. Our first sights and smells of Bangalore were magnificent. Seeing all the people while driving, living their lives on the side of road. The driver was very good but it was definitely quite the experience: cars, motorbikes, people, cows, trash, dogs, everything is on the road. The sun rose as we drove deeper and deeper into the city. You could really see the divide between wealth and poverty even in the short distance we went. The first thing that caught my eye is the architecture. So many of the buildings are so old and broken but by Indian standards very much still functional. We arrived at the Classic Inn, which was beautiful, equipped with a rooftop deck and an amazing staff, we all made the decision to get some shut eye. However, Katie and I, who are boarding together could not sleep. We found a computer to e-mail home and got some breakfast: scrambled eggs on toast. The service was so wonderful, waiting on us hand and food with anything we could possibly need. We finally napped after that. And boy did it feel goooooooooood! Our agenda for the afternoon: Meet Sapna finally, drive through Bangalore, visit Tippu's temple, see Parliamentary buildings, Bridgate St., and dinner at the Royal Orchid.
Our first taste of real Indian food at the hotel was amazing! I ordered what Ava got because I had no idea what anything was. Chicken Vindaloo soooooooooooo yummy! Although I think my favorite is the raita. It's like Indian Tzatziki! Yum. After months of e-mailing, we finally met Sapna, which was such a treat! She is beautiful and so kind. She brought us all itineraries with emergency numbers and small gifts as well including a small wooden box, a children's toy, and a bracelet. That was a true testament to the hospitality of the Indians.
Sooo...on the road we went. Driving through Bangalore was so fun, Sapna told us it was known as the diverse city because of all the parks that are interspersed between the busy streets. It was beautiful and humbling sight all the same. People were so excited to see us, smiling and waving and nudging their friends to do the same.
The thing I noticed at the temple was the native rate Rs. 5 and the Foreigner rate Rs. 100.....oh man.
The New Parliamentary buildings were beautiful. Sapna told us that the buildings were constructed by prisoners in 1950, after they were finished they let the prisoners free.
The first time I felt like I REALLY stood out was on Brigade St. You could tell people were staring and trying to haggle us. However, there was a lot of diversity in nationalities there. I purchased a beautiful pair of sandals for Rs. 200 ($4.00 ish)...I did see a few things I liked but am trying to hold off. Sapna was with us shopping and did a great job at trying to show us all the good spots to shop.
Last stop of the day...The Royal Orchid. A-M-AZING. A quite fancy place, you could tell there were a lot of business men there. The food was spectacular! A buffet of salads, main dishes, and desserts along with appetizers to start. The chef gave us a full tour of the buffet which really helped us to learn what everything was, what the words meant, and the spiciness of it all. We sat outside in little huts with oil burning to keep the bugs away. All the food was to die for. I can't even begin to pick what was my favorite. However, my favorite dessert was the lychee cream tart. MMMMMmmmmm.....oh and off course the Kingfisher beer. We just had to have one as its a staple in Bangalore.
Last adventure of the evening...walking home at night. When your professor says "If someone dies I'm in so much trouble..." you know its going to be good. Trying to cross the busy street was quite the adventure. But we made it home safe and sound. The one thing I love is that Bangalore is not a tourist town .It's very much a living city. As we drove through you could tell most people were working in various capacities. I'm excited for our next adventure!
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