It has been an adventure-filled weekend: starting from late last week with our uneasiness about the planned safari; to our adventures yesterday including a zoo visit and experiences with knowledgeable, business-like auto drivers. Everything about the past two and-a-half days has caused me to be happy about our decision to tour around Mysore. I have had many opportunities to reflect on my reluctance to leave India, as well as my thorough enthusiasm over magnificent, fascinating animals (especially elephants and Bengal tigers).
Asiatic elephants = smaller; African elephants = larger
It has been a wonderful to way to end the semester, with only two of us spontaneously touring this down-to-earth, traditional, historical, friendly, small Indian city, Mysore. The leeriness of arriving at an initial invisible hotel quickly passed as we were greeted by friendly hosts and brought to our simple, yet quite acceptable hotel room. It was eight in the morning after our night train arrived in Mysore. Jess and I were quite excited and geared up to start our sightseeing with the magnificent, flashy Mysore Palace. Yes, honestly the palace was quite beautiful; it was a great subject to take pictures of and walk around barefoot, as required. Nonetheless, I must note that this was not what was most memorable to either of us. The first thing we jotted down in our journals that evening was our curious walk around and behind to a quiet and secluded part of the palace – which we quickly realized was private and publicly not allowed. In defense of Jess and I –there were no physical barriers or signs. The sight which attracted us was exciting; it was the five Asiatic, gray, feeding elephants, casually grazing under a tree with only two people looking over them. When they kindly waved us over neither Jess or I had an idea of what was to our immediate future: a policemen and the couple owners’ encouragement of Jess and I to touch and ride the friendly elephant. Naturally, pictures were part of the process. Eventually we had to remember: not many situations are ever fallen upon without the simple request for money. It was DEFINITELY worth it.
Our elephant “excursion” was only the first notable experience of many on our two-and-a-half day trip. It was a great change of pace, not having any plans or daily schedule to follow but only a small checklist, a Lonely Planet India guidebook (borrowed from a friend), a couple alarm clocks, and many friendly auto rickshaw drivers eager to take us and inform us of many stores. Those stores consisted of Kashmir, silk, sandalwood, and incense shops. One day specifically involved a “personal” auto driver taking us to hole-in-the-wall, local tobacco rolling establishments as well as incense making factories – each of which the small city is well known for.
Our trip ended quite well with a nice dinner at a fancy hotel, attracting tourists but also being characteristically quite classy. They made delicious Indian food while we sat outside under “candles” with the fantastic breeze of the cool, inland, November weather. Our food was chosen with anxious minds, ready to eat some of the last Indian meals of five months: a couple roti, garlic naan, a couple gravies (or curries) to split – dal (or lentil) butter curry and paneer (Indian cottage cheese) Manchurian, and may have as well consisted of a small quantity of refreshing Kingfisher beer.
Now that we are back on campus, it is time to think more seriously about packing up our loaded closets of the common Indian products: gifts, scarves, jewelry, and spices. I cannot believe that the past four and a half months are already over, with only a one-week relaxing, scenic trip in the future. I am extremely excited to see my family and friends, to get off that plane in the middle of November, no matter how cold or how much snow there is, to see everyone, return to my home in the U.P. woods, and to have a morning cup of hot black coffee. Nonetheless, it is hard to imagine that these are some of my last meetings with friends in the social work department, several of the last open-window train rides into the city, or last traditionally made Indian meals. It’s that bitter-sweet.
Asiatic elephants = smaller; African elephants = larger
It has been a wonderful to way to end the semester, with only two of us spontaneously touring this down-to-earth, traditional, historical, friendly, small Indian city, Mysore. The leeriness of arriving at an initial invisible hotel quickly passed as we were greeted by friendly hosts and brought to our simple, yet quite acceptable hotel room. It was eight in the morning after our night train arrived in Mysore. Jess and I were quite excited and geared up to start our sightseeing with the magnificent, flashy Mysore Palace. Yes, honestly the palace was quite beautiful; it was a great subject to take pictures of and walk around barefoot, as required. Nonetheless, I must note that this was not what was most memorable to either of us. The first thing we jotted down in our journals that evening was our curious walk around and behind to a quiet and secluded part of the palace – which we quickly realized was private and publicly not allowed. In defense of Jess and I –there were no physical barriers or signs. The sight which attracted us was exciting; it was the five Asiatic, gray, feeding elephants, casually grazing under a tree with only two people looking over them. When they kindly waved us over neither Jess or I had an idea of what was to our immediate future: a policemen and the couple owners’ encouragement of Jess and I to touch and ride the friendly elephant. Naturally, pictures were part of the process. Eventually we had to remember: not many situations are ever fallen upon without the simple request for money. It was DEFINITELY worth it.
Our elephant “excursion” was only the first notable experience of many on our two-and-a-half day trip. It was a great change of pace, not having any plans or daily schedule to follow but only a small checklist, a Lonely Planet India guidebook (borrowed from a friend), a couple alarm clocks, and many friendly auto rickshaw drivers eager to take us and inform us of many stores. Those stores consisted of Kashmir, silk, sandalwood, and incense shops. One day specifically involved a “personal” auto driver taking us to hole-in-the-wall, local tobacco rolling establishments as well as incense making factories – each of which the small city is well known for.
Our trip ended quite well with a nice dinner at a fancy hotel, attracting tourists but also being characteristically quite classy. They made delicious Indian food while we sat outside under “candles” with the fantastic breeze of the cool, inland, November weather. Our food was chosen with anxious minds, ready to eat some of the last Indian meals of five months: a couple roti, garlic naan, a couple gravies (or curries) to split – dal (or lentil) butter curry and paneer (Indian cottage cheese) Manchurian, and may have as well consisted of a small quantity of refreshing Kingfisher beer.
Now that we are back on campus, it is time to think more seriously about packing up our loaded closets of the common Indian products: gifts, scarves, jewelry, and spices. I cannot believe that the past four and a half months are already over, with only a one-week relaxing, scenic trip in the future. I am extremely excited to see my family and friends, to get off that plane in the middle of November, no matter how cold or how much snow there is, to see everyone, return to my home in the U.P. woods, and to have a morning cup of hot black coffee. Nonetheless, it is hard to imagine that these are some of my last meetings with friends in the social work department, several of the last open-window train rides into the city, or last traditionally made Indian meals. It’s that bitter-sweet.
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