Mysore

Pete and I took advantage of the weekend to do some sightseeing and did a quick day trip to the city of Mysore. The trip started bright and early for our 3 hour 150 km ride. Along the way our driver suggested we stop for a traditional south Indian breakfast of idly, a steamed cake-like mass made from lentils and rice. You take little bits of it and dip it in savory sauces. Not what we would normally have for breakfast but it was quite satisfying and I'm glad we tried it.

Although Mysore has several worthwhile sights, in the end we were glad we took the advice of locals and opted for a day trip instead of staying overnight. The highlight of the trip was Mysore Palace, which was the main palace of the Mysore Maharaja. This palace is much grander than the Maharaja's summer palace in Bangalore. While the palace was mostly devoid of furniture (much like the Bangalore palace), the interior decorations were well preserved and very opulent. You could easily picture the Maharaja socializing with the British in its large halls.

Our only regret was that we weren't able to go through the palace at a more leisurely pace. The crowd that day was crushing and you kind of had to go with the flow. Indian schoolchildren are currently on summer holidays and many families were taking advantage of the time off for family vacations. The other reason for the crowd was that we were visiting on a Sunday, when the palace is lit between 7 pm and 8 pm, attracting an extra large crowd. Nevertheless, we were glad we chose to come on a Sunday as the palace is quite glorious when lit.

As we lounged on the front lawns and waited for the lights to come on, Pete and I were approached by a group of curious little children who wanted to know all about who we were and where we came from. We were also again stopped by locals for photos a few times.

We're still getting used to being routinely stopped by locals for photos or questions and find it all somewhat amusing. In my travels, I have certainly attracted my share of curious stares but I've never had so many people actually come right up to ask questions or ask for a photo. We're not sure if it's mostly Pete's gleaming white skin or my exotic yellow attracting the curious. There is also the possibility that it's because we're a mixed couple, which according to my guidebook is frowned upon in India. Regardless, if this continues, Pete and I will feel like minor celebrities by the time this trip is over! LOL