In this post I am trying to simply share some of the impressions we got while walking around in Bangalore and Mumbai – mostly without further ado and comment. In all fairness these places are a riot to all senses – they smell, they are loud, they are humid, soiled, dirty, chose your own attribute… There is not much to see in India aside India itself. Temples and old buildings don’t last very long time wise (especially as they are repetitive) – so in the end you just have to absorb what is around you. So just enjoy…

Alternative transportation…

Lalbagh garden in Bangalore – one of the beautiful parts of it…

What a tree

The old bird house – totally run down

The aquarium

Well, there hasn’t been any maintenance for a long time… And they even charge entrance fee for the park…

Nandi temple

Generations of gee application

a small bull…

Typical traffic congestion (really typical!)

The ITC Windsor hotel

Preparations for Sunday brunch

A cosy place to spend some time…

Especially with the Champaign option with unlimited refill We made sure that this didn’t pay out for them…

Indian Food counter

The Magician

Looks more like a crook

To see a little bit more of India we decided to have a flight to Mumbai (Bombay) and spend some 2 days (3 nights) there as well…

The city is for sure chaotic, hectic and (badly) smelly, but the views are amazing… At least from our window

In the entrance hall

Good example… No helmets…

Sugar-cane crusher (to get the juice)

Government street

Instant shoe repair

One of the 33 million spirits

Lottery tickets sale

Public cricket grounds

34° and 85% humidity…

Cooling down…

A very typical example of the public infrastructure

Manual loading

Motorcycles confiscated by the police

I guess they haven’t been able to pay the fine or bribe…

Street vendors without end

Jesus – Indian taste

Just to make sure at the entrance they sell these… You never know…

Ok – that’s a nice typo

Very comfy co-driver seat…

Apartments (no kidding!)

This is one of the better areas!

Crawford market

If you have to have a nap and no other option…

Sandwich magician

Next to it we got some lovely fresh coconut juice which is just the right thing on a hot day…

Typical street view…

Better don’t check what they are smoking

Our hotel interior

Sunset from our room (due to the smog the sun disappears without any colours…)

Nightly entertainment

Some flowers we had in the room…

Jackfruit in a small version…

That looks rather annoyed…

Funpark

Lunch…

Devotion in a Jain temple

You have to take your shoes off before you enter any temple (this time Hindu)

devotional requisites

Fresh ice!

Indians love sugar

Around the temple

As we got tired of almost everything we headed for a place to cool off… A nice pub!

The beer was good and the waiters had funny t-shirts with slogans. The best two were:

• Avoid hangovers – stay drunk
• I swear by Drunk – I am not God

Any resemblance?

Fake old windows…

Sleeping II

And now without too many words just pure impressions

Who says you cannot get 6 ladies in a taxi?

The betel leaves are filled with condiments and then chewed. The spit turns red so most walls (where people spit against – brr….) are red, too

Keep the cow close-by

Sacred cow-dung

A Jain priest

You better take care…

On the way back…