Month: June 2014
Bannerghatta National Park
Safari, Zoo & Butterfly Garden
Om Namah Shivaya
Lord Shiva is “stands” 65-feet tall from his cross-legged lotus position in front of Mount Kailash. We walked along with some of his devotees, a few of the thousands of visitors who come to pray, pay tribute or seek blessings. 
Lots of breakfast choices
Pongal, an Indian comfort food 
Breakfast includes a little of everything for European and Asian travelers. This kitchen was devoted to Indian fare. This morning I tasted Pongal, which was described as a breakfast comfort food — and also something you might eat if you weren’t feeling well. It reminded me of creamy grits with a mild Indian seasoning. Tasty! Many thanks for the chef who sizzled the grill to make the fun photo below.
Ingredients for pongal: rice and yellow lentils, milk, ghee, ginger, cumin seed, peppercorn and curry leaves. Here is a link with a pongal recipe. This one has the addition of cashews.
Moooove over: cows in India walk along at the same pace as those at home. Drivers toot to let the cows know they are coming, but they never seem to pick up their pace. Bovine are just another obstacle along the course.
In India, cars drive on the left side of the ride, cows wonder the streets, and traffic lanes are a suggestion. Drivers squeeze into every inch of the lane — scooters, two-wheelers (motorcycles), auto rickshaws (motorcycle with an open carriage that can carry two ladies and their three children). When squeezing up to the next driver, each person honks. It’s not an angry honk. It’s just toot, toot, coming up next to you. Don’t move over now. If you reached out the window, you could pat the shoulder of the fellow next to you.
Who has the right-of-way? Arne’s take is that whoever noses out first gets to go. Case in point: the mango cart started across the road and a van coming faster got into the street first. He tooted the horn telling the mango man “I’m going.” Without shifting even one fruit from the perfect pyramid, he slid his sandals across the pavement halting the cart in time to yield. Mango man needs a horn…
