Quick note from Bangalore

We took an express Volvo bus (an air-conditioned coach) from Mysore to Bangalore--a journey of about three hours.  This was such a comfortable trip that I was able to knit for a while, and we arrived here without feeling that we've been beaten up by the wind!

We're staying in a lovely guesthouse run by two brothers called Mass Residency.  This was a strong recommendation from a Canadian couple we met in Singapore, and are we ever glad we followed up on that recommendation.  We are sorry we're only staying one night!  Sid took us on a walk around the neighbourhood all the while expounding on his philosophy of life (we're of very like minds), Indian culture and politics, and so on.  We visiting two big markets, one is the face of the new India and felt like any super mall anywhere in the world, complete with McDonalds and Subway.  And the 2nd market was much more traditional--from food and flowers, clothing and textiles, to housewares and everything in between.  This one was much more interesting of course.  Both places were full of people because tomorrow is a big holiday, a Shiva festival, and many people have poured into the city from the surrounding areas to celebrate.

The guesthouse residents are an assortment of long-term residents working in the high tech industry for which Bangalore is well-known, and travelers like us.  We went out for a late lunch with one of the residents named Partha, born in Tamil Nadu and working in IT both in Toronto and here.  We enjoyed Gobi Peshwari and stuffed tomatoes (stuffed with masala--maybe chick peas too??), ghee rice and butter naan.

I'll close with a few images of my current knitting project...

It's a triangular shawl using yarn that I bought in Singapore.

Here's a detail image:

I generally am using two yarns in alternating rows, but changing in the middle so as to maintain the Yarn Over edgings.

And finally, here's a view of us relaxing in front of our room at our Sultan Bathery homestay in the Wayanad.

Complete with laundry drying...