Sorry to do this in a two-part post! But otherwise it's going to be super long . . . we thought that we'd better get out and see a little bit of Bangalore before we have a new two-year-old along for the ride.
When we set off in the car, Anya started talking about things she was seeing outside her window. That started a conversation about what was different between Kolkata and Bangalore. She asked for paper, and began writing up a list of things that were the same, and thing that were different about the two cities. She has been doing very well with having her schedule thrown so dramatically off kilter. She is such a trooper about traveling, and has done remarkably well with the different environments we find ourselves in, and the sightseeing and travel schedule. Her main obsession during the trip has been counting dogs that are loose on the street: we have seen 52 so far! A close second for her is counting cows, which are allowed free reign in India.
We began our day by visiting one of the well-known Hindu temples. We've noticed that there are many more temples here in Bangalore than in Kolkata -- you don't have to go far before you see tiered sculptures ornamenting a roof, telling you that you're near another temple. We visited Belurmath, or The Bull Temple. There is a massive sculpture of a bull there, and we walked through the temple to see it from all sides.
Next, it was on to Tipu Sultan's Palace. Built in the 1700s, this summer residence is harmonious and symmetrical, and was completed in 1781. There were fire buckets and extinguishers all over the place because it's made of teak wood, and is very flammable. There are museum labels on the first floor showcasing the history of the structure and Tipu Sultan. Here again, young people asked us to take their photos -- so we insisted on taking their picture in return!
We then went to a park in the heart of Bangalore. As we walked, we saw the Parliament Building, the High Court for Karanataka state, and a public library. We loved the park -- there were lots of people enjoying the sun and trees. There was a tiny girl named Manya startling a flock of pigeons . . . we loved watching her run toward them, only to become shy at the last minute while they rose in a startled flurry.
Then it was time to head to Kavya's orphanage . . . so we began the one-hour drive, thinking that we would soon be stuffing another little person into our already-full car.
When we set off in the car, Anya started talking about things she was seeing outside her window. That started a conversation about what was different between Kolkata and Bangalore. She asked for paper, and began writing up a list of things that were the same, and thing that were different about the two cities. She has been doing very well with having her schedule thrown so dramatically off kilter. She is such a trooper about traveling, and has done remarkably well with the different environments we find ourselves in, and the sightseeing and travel schedule. Her main obsession during the trip has been counting dogs that are loose on the street: we have seen 52 so far! A close second for her is counting cows, which are allowed free reign in India.
We began our day by visiting one of the well-known Hindu temples. We've noticed that there are many more temples here in Bangalore than in Kolkata -- you don't have to go far before you see tiered sculptures ornamenting a roof, telling you that you're near another temple. We visited Belurmath, or The Bull Temple. There is a massive sculpture of a bull there, and we walked through the temple to see it from all sides.
Next, it was on to Tipu Sultan's Palace. Built in the 1700s, this summer residence is harmonious and symmetrical, and was completed in 1781. There were fire buckets and extinguishers all over the place because it's made of teak wood, and is very flammable. There are museum labels on the first floor showcasing the history of the structure and Tipu Sultan. Here again, young people asked us to take their photos -- so we insisted on taking their picture in return!
We then went to a park in the heart of Bangalore. As we walked, we saw the Parliament Building, the High Court for Karanataka state, and a public library. We loved the park -- there were lots of people enjoying the sun and trees. There was a tiny girl named Manya startling a flock of pigeons . . . we loved watching her run toward them, only to become shy at the last minute while they rose in a startled flurry.
Then it was time to head to Kavya's orphanage . . . so we began the one-hour drive, thinking that we would soon be stuffing another little person into our already-full car.
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