I’ve been a member of Kew Gardens for many years. Although it’s on the other side of London from me, there’s an Overground train that goes there. We didn’t have the ingredients to make a picnic, so we picked up sandwiches on the way. It was a lovely sunny day. We were both getting used … Continue reading / view photos Spring in Kew Gardens
Category: Culture
Back in London at Mildred’s
Returning to London has been quite an experience. The most notable change is the temperature. The other change is the quiet. After three months of incessant noise in India, London seems a quiet place! During my time In India, the average temperature was over 30°C. The last two days in Abu Dhabi averaged about 43°C. … Continue reading / view photos Back in London at Mildred’s
Seikh Zayed Grand Mosque
Most workers I’ve seen in the UAE are foreigners. So far I’ve spoken to people from Nepal, Pakistan, India, Philippines, and Rwanda. Several of the Uber drivers said to me that they can’t become UAE citizens. They have visas, which have to be renewed every two years. One Uber driver told me that Uber take … Continue reading / view photos Seikh Zayed Grand Mosque
Louvre Abu Dhabi
Having arrived in the evening, I couldn’t get a proper look at my surrounding area. It was too dark. When I woke up, I looked out of the window. This was my view. Despite having two nights in Abu Dhabi, I had only one full day to see anything. I narrowed sightseeing down to two … Continue reading / view photos Louvre Abu Dhabi
Leaving India
The homeward journey required going from Bangalore to Kochi and then to Abu Dhabi. In the afternoon, I flew to Kochi. I was back where I landed three months ago. I checked into the same homestay that I stayed at on first landing. I’d got to know the owner, Babu, three months ago. He was … Continue reading / view photos Leaving India
The search for a tuk tuk
I wanted to buy something small to remember my trip. Tuk tuks (autos) are everywhere, buzzing around, getting you quickly to your destination, usually breaking the traffic laws. They are so abundant that it’s easy to forget that they are a symbol of India. Helene suggested buying a toy tuk tuk to bring home. Last … Continue reading / view photos The search for a tuk tuk
Bangalore Creative Circus
Someone had told me about the Bangalore Creative Circus. It’s “an urban living lab for regenerative systems, communities, and cultures”. This seemed worth exploring. I took an auto there. The ride was over 30 minutes. The place seemed to be in the middle of nowhere. I wasn’t even sure if it was open. The urban … Continue reading / view photos Bangalore Creative Circus
Ticket, tika, chaap
I had to leave my hostel because there were no rooms available. My hostel was in Indiranagar, which I’d grown fond of. There are lots of restaurants, shops, and supermarkets in the area. The new hotel was in another part of town, perhaps closer to the centre. After checking into my new hotel, I went … Continue reading / view photos Ticket, tika, chaap
Art at Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath
Yesterday, I stayed in for most of the day. I have to vacate my room in a couple of days. I would have liked to stay at the hostel but there were no rooms free. I booked a room at a hotel for my final few days in Bangalore, the capital of Karnataka state. The … Continue reading / view photos Art at Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath
The Diplomat
Having enquired about subtitles at the cinema a few days ago, I returned there for a lunch time showing of a new Hindi film, The Diplomat. The film definitely had English subtitles! The screen itself was incredibly plush. It looked like a large sitting room with incredible speakers. There were only four people watching the … Continue reading / view photos The Diplomat