Greetings from Bangalore, Part II

So let us please return to our regular scheduled report on Bangalore, after our short break in which we announced our FREE DOWNLOAD, a short comic story that I created after a visit to Beckenham, Kent, England, titled, The Wolfman of Beckenham, Kent.

We left off with me singing the praises of the Dosa, a thin crispy crepe-like treat that originated in South India. I also mentioned that things are changing in Bangalore... upscale shops, higher prices, more traffic and pollution, and now I hear of high-rise luxury apartments. "Sheesh", you say, "you sure are selling the place!" Well, just hold on, please. First off, I do try to tell it like it is, because travel comes with enough surprises. Second, I DO recommend the place as a primo place to visit, and I will try to convince you of that.

One benefit to the recent boom in Bangalore is more flights, and more direct flights. Once upon a time it could take 24 hours to fly there from New Jersey, with multiple stops, including a layover in Bombay (Mumbai) which could go on for hours. A nightmare... trust me. You're first view of India shouldn't be meeting the mosquitos at 4 in the morning with 90 percent humidity and 85 degree temps, and being hassled by hucksters trying to convince you to rest at their nearby hotel until your plane arrives.



So now you can arrive in Bangalore after only 18 hours, and hopefully no stops. From there, I suggest if you are not travelling with friends, or a tour group, you hire a car. Hopefully you did this ahead of time, but still, a car and driver helps. And stay in a decent hotel. In my experience, even when the dollar went far in India, a 4 or 5 star hotel was still expensive. What you get for your money, however, is fab; Outstanding service, and a place of comfort to retreat to when jet lag or culture shock sets in. I've already covered this in my book, 3 Knights in India, so let's continue.



Kannada is the language of Bangalore, although you'll hear many a native complain that the languae is falling out of favor with the influx of so many others moving in. Hindi is still spoken by everyone, and many speak English, or try to at least. At the hotels and bigger shops you will not have a problem. At smaller shops and out if the way places you'll have to take it slow and be sure that you and the proprietor understand each other.

Now, I'm sure to get a lot of flack for the next photo, but most people laugh when they see it, and it does give one an idea of the language gap, and the importance of understanding what you are saying. And remember, mistakes go both ways. :0)




It seems I have a lot more to say, so let's continue with Part 3 at a later date.

Cheers, JOHN :0)

Greetings From Bangalore, Part I

Snacks in the park.


I'm not actually in Bangalore right now, but I liked the title. I actually had a page with this title at my website while I was working on my graphic novel 3 Knights in India, and at the time I had indeed visited the garden city.

So, I've had a few complaints about that post I made a few weeks back concerning a rough experience in India. I'm not dwelling on bad experiences, and I certainly do not mean to imply that this is all that India is about. I love India, or I wouldn't have spent 3 years of my life on that graphic novel, nor would I have travelled there so many times. My visits to India have had some spectacular moments, and I've had some wonderful times there... some of the best in my life.

So let me now take you to Bangalore, a city with a great climate, decent food, and a whole lot of culture.

Bangalore is in the southern part of India, and features simple but healthier food than its northern counterpart (but wait... there's more on that later). Being of a very temperate climate, the city's parks and residential areas are beautiful to look at, with the abundance of various flowers doing a decent job of competing with the colorful saris and churidars that the ladies wear. However, since becoming the Silicon Valley of India, and boasting some of the highest paid college grads, and basically becoming a booming city, the place is developing into THE place to be. Where once upon a time the American dollar could go very far, there are now places that have become very upscale, and money talks. Shopping malls, luxury condos, and a car in every yard is now the norm.

Of course, the downside is incredible traffic that has to be seen to be believed. I've mentioned elsewhere that I've seen two or three laned roads with 12 lanes of traffic trying to get through. Of course, in India traffic can mean three wheeled motor rickshaws, motor scooters, ox drawn carts, bicycles, motorcycles, and others all squeezing between the cars and trucks that one would normally expect. Pollution has also increased, as well as litter, as the citizens of Bangalore are adopting a more western lifestyle of fast food on the go.


Some of that traffic I mentioned.


I can't predict where Bangalore is going, but I believe that for a while yet it will still maintain its cultural distinction, and its natural beauty. Bangalore offers some outstanding hotels with luxurious service that you wouldn't believe, and the restaurants are becoming world class, with distinctive offerings found nowhere else.

On my last visit, a blend of North Indian dishes and Chinese dishes seemed to be the specials at every top restaurant in Bangalore and nearby Mysore. I've had 'Chinese' food in Indian restaurants in America with very mixed results, and so far have found little of interest. In Bangalore, however, chefs familiar with a wide variety of spices and cooking techniques can turn Chinese food into something absolutely spectacular... definitely worth blogging about, and I highly recommend that you try 'Chinese' food while in India, as well as trying a wide variety of styles of food. Although not all experiments work, you'll find much of the food in Bangalore to be worthwhile.


My version of the oxen above, available as a high quality print here.


I mentioned earlier that south Indian food is "simple and healthier", and I am of course referring to traditional south Indian foods, such as idly, sambar, and dosa. Idly is a steamed rice dumpling, sambar a spicy tomota soup, and dosa? Dosas are a crispy crepe-like treat made from rice and dal flour, and the original recipe probably came from Heaven itself. Plain, spicy, or stuffed with a potato mixture, dosas go great with coffee for breakfast, or with chutney and sambar for lunch or dinner. A real treat which I recommend highly. Nowadays, South Indian restaurants are cropping up in America and elsewhere, so you may be able to try a Dosa locally.

Part II coming soon!

Meanwhile, here's another look at the above topic from the afore-mentioned 3 Knights in India.



Thanks for visiting, JOHN :0)