Mysore, the city of palaces and gardens. I actually spent 4 days there, but the weekend was my favorite. It started with meeting Sayed, the magician. Find him when you're in Mysore. If you're lucky you'll find him outside the lobby of the hotel Regaalis, and if not then ask the doorman for him. Sayed is a traditional magician, and comes from a family where each generation teaches the next magic.The Mysore zoo had been strongly recommended to me, and so on Saturday I dragged a friend of mine, who unbelieveably had stayed there for an year without visiting the zoo. It's a big big place, and I had the time of my life. I loved the monkeys and apes (as always), and saw an otter in real life for the first time! :)
The second day is what I'd love to rattle on about. We headed to Coorg in a superb Inova. But better than the town of Coorg is what's on the way. My favorite was the "Golden temple", which is actually the Buddhist Nyingmapa Monastery. This place is a perfect example of don't judge a book by it's cover. A modest entrance, leads to a magnificent steeple, which had my mouth dropping open literally. But that was still nothing. An unassuming doorway with a curtain of beads opens into a huge room where there is a celebration of colours and peace. Whoever would have imagined that red could be peaceful? The tall statues, the paintings and the monks with their calm voices and prayers which commanded attention. I could have sat there for the entire day and maybe a couple of more. The gift shop there is the best! It's full of little trinkets like good luck charms, fans and even tea sets (I bought a cute little green one), all at very very low rates.
After the temple, which I reluctantly left we went on to Cauveri Nisargadham.This was a very typical touristy spot, with the main attractions being the deer park and elephant rides. The deer were friendly and eating cucumbers right out of the hands of tourists. The mahouts were pretty mean and constantly hitting the elephant on the head with a stick, so that made my first elephant ride not so enjoyable. But the best part for me was the hanging bridge over the Cauveri river, which had a great view, which was also spoiled thanks to too many people chattering.
The Akki falls did not really impress, but maybe that was because you could hardly hear the water over voices. However the "churmuri" a simple snack consisting of puffed rice, tomatoes, onions, coriander and spices is a must try! Lunch in Madikeri also recommended.
However what I'd love to do is go back to the monastery and sit and sketch every single picture there. I guess a year's sabbatical would be enough for that!
