Bangalore India Tips
Jan 19th, 2005 | 01:13 PM
#2
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 11
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Anytime you travel to India, it is best to arrange your transportation from the airport to the hotel ahead of time; your hotel can typically help with this. There's not a lot to see in Bangalore, although the Lalbagh Gardens and Cubbon Park are nice. There's also Vankatappa Art Gallery, and it's worth heading by the statehouse (Vidhana Soudha) if you like architecture, although it's closed to the public. Most good restaurants are in hotels (see the ones at the Leela Palace, the hotel is something else too - WOW). Other good restaurants are Sunny's Bistro and Mavalli Tiffin Room (for lunch). Tamarind Tree Restaurant is excellent, but a bit of a drive. Cinnamon and Shop Ayana offer good shopping for clothing, silks and textiles. The shops on M.G. Road and Brigade Road have major shopping centers with fixed prices. Some of the government-run emporiums (Central Cottage Industries, Karnataka State Silk Industries) are good places to pick up souvenirs, although they have fixed prices as well. Hope this helps.
Jan 20th, 2005 | 03:10 AM
#4
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,430
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Hi, Lyndie!
Your flight to Bangalore and from there by train to Hampi is a pretty-exact duplicate of one I did in November. One tip I can give you, to save a bit of money.... there is no need to get an expensive taxi from the airport to the city. The airport exit goes onto a main road with buses every few minutes. Buses heading to the left (as you leave the airport) head towards the city, if I recall. I don't remember the specific routes that take you to the city centre, but anyone there will be able to tell you. It will cost you about 10 rupees as opposed to a couple of hundred for the taxi (airport taxis are always the most expensive, I found).
Have a great trip! I promise you that you will LOVE Hampi!
Your flight to Bangalore and from there by train to Hampi is a pretty-exact duplicate of one I did in November. One tip I can give you, to save a bit of money.... there is no need to get an expensive taxi from the airport to the city. The airport exit goes onto a main road with buses every few minutes. Buses heading to the left (as you leave the airport) head towards the city, if I recall. I don't remember the specific routes that take you to the city centre, but anyone there will be able to tell you. It will cost you about 10 rupees as opposed to a couple of hundred for the taxi (airport taxis are always the most expensive, I found).
Have a great trip! I promise you that you will LOVE Hampi!
Jan 20th, 2005 | 01:57 PM
#6
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,638
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Hi Alan & miche2911
Alan, how long does Hampi deserve for a quick snapshot of the temples etc? I'm not a temple dweller, preferring nature's wonders, to man-made stuff. We were planning to do Hampi as a 3 day side trip from Goa but the train does not run on a suitable day, for our return leg, so now we'll train it both ways from Bangalore. Thanks for the bus info. Local buses really do it for me! A taste of local life & usually a lot of fun! Have booked Hotel Prasanth. Do you know it? Where did you stay?
miche2911 we've booked a accomm in the Fort Mumbai area at Hotel Lawrence. Do you know it? They have been very helpful, taking delivery of my rail tickets & generally being very obliging, all for 500 r's per night for the two of us!
We are serious Indian food lovers and would love some tips on where to eat in Mumbai. We only have 3 full days there but it sounds so exciting with all that "Bollywood" stuff and the Arabian Sea & all. Have you read "Shantaram" written by an Aussie about his life in Mumbai, as a prison escapee from Australia. It is a great read.
Anything you care to post on India will be avidly read and appreciated!
All the very best to you both!
Alan, how long does Hampi deserve for a quick snapshot of the temples etc? I'm not a temple dweller, preferring nature's wonders, to man-made stuff. We were planning to do Hampi as a 3 day side trip from Goa but the train does not run on a suitable day, for our return leg, so now we'll train it both ways from Bangalore. Thanks for the bus info. Local buses really do it for me! A taste of local life & usually a lot of fun! Have booked Hotel Prasanth. Do you know it? Where did you stay?
miche2911 we've booked a accomm in the Fort Mumbai area at Hotel Lawrence. Do you know it? They have been very helpful, taking delivery of my rail tickets & generally being very obliging, all for 500 r's per night for the two of us!
We are serious Indian food lovers and would love some tips on where to eat in Mumbai. We only have 3 full days there but it sounds so exciting with all that "Bollywood" stuff and the Arabian Sea & all. Have you read "Shantaram" written by an Aussie about his life in Mumbai, as a prison escapee from Australia. It is a great read.
Anything you care to post on India will be avidly read and appreciated!
All the very best to you both!
Jan 20th, 2005 | 09:12 PM
#7
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,753
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I've read Sahntaram and unfortunately u are not likely to see either his druggie descroptions nor the slums. U can however go to Leopold which is one of his hangout haunts. Def go to a seafood restaurant - I can suggest Trishna at Kala Ghoda near your hotel. For a different food experience take a taxi to VT and get someone to guide you to Rajdhani where you will have Gujarati food.
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Jan 20th, 2005 | 09:12 PM
#8
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,753
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I've read Sahntaram and unfortunately u are not likely to see either his druggie descroptions nor the slums. U can however go to Leopold which is one of his hangout haunts. Def go to a seafood restaurant - I can suggest Trishna at Kala Ghoda near your hotel. For a different food experience take a taxi to Crawford Market and get someone to guide you to Rajdhani where you will have Gujarati food.
Jan 20th, 2005 | 11:33 PM
#9
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,430
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Hi, again, Lyndie!
Even if, as you say, you're not much of a temple-dweller, I have a feeling that you might well fall under the spell of Hampi, which is far more than a collection of temples..... it's the remains of a large city -- it has more in common with Pompeii than with, say, Stonehenge -- and what makes Hampi doubly fascinating is that, unlike Pompeii, many of the ancient buildings are still being used! One, in the main bazaar street, is a school. Several others are shops. There is no sense of keeping at arm's length from the past, as is happening at places like Stonehenge and Giza. The locals treat these ancient buidlings with such reverence that they are quite happy to throw a tarpaulin over one wall and open a souvenir stand!
We were there 2 days and one night. We walked just about everywhere, and could have used a third day under these circumstances; had we taken some of the offered transport, two days probably would have covered just about everything.
I can't tell you anything at all about your chosen hotel -- or any other hotel -- in Bangalore, as, although we were there for two full days, our accommodation, when evening fell, was the train you are going and coming on. I am, however, very impressed by your accommodation 'coup' in expensive Mumbai: although I don't recall seeing the Lawrence, I am "sold" on the Fort area in Mumbai (we preferred it to Colaba, which is just a bit far south to be central to anything). We searched high and low on the internet for a good deal in the Fort area, but couldn't get anywhere near as low as you have done (we paid 950 rupees at the Benazeer, which was ideally placed for our needs). I would love to hear feedback on the Lawrence, as I am so enthusiastic about Mumbai and India generally, that already we are planning a return trip -- it's just a question of working out how to achieve this on zero bank balance!
Even if, as you say, you're not much of a temple-dweller, I have a feeling that you might well fall under the spell of Hampi, which is far more than a collection of temples..... it's the remains of a large city -- it has more in common with Pompeii than with, say, Stonehenge -- and what makes Hampi doubly fascinating is that, unlike Pompeii, many of the ancient buildings are still being used! One, in the main bazaar street, is a school. Several others are shops. There is no sense of keeping at arm's length from the past, as is happening at places like Stonehenge and Giza. The locals treat these ancient buidlings with such reverence that they are quite happy to throw a tarpaulin over one wall and open a souvenir stand!
We were there 2 days and one night. We walked just about everywhere, and could have used a third day under these circumstances; had we taken some of the offered transport, two days probably would have covered just about everything.
I can't tell you anything at all about your chosen hotel -- or any other hotel -- in Bangalore, as, although we were there for two full days, our accommodation, when evening fell, was the train you are going and coming on. I am, however, very impressed by your accommodation 'coup' in expensive Mumbai: although I don't recall seeing the Lawrence, I am "sold" on the Fort area in Mumbai (we preferred it to Colaba, which is just a bit far south to be central to anything). We searched high and low on the internet for a good deal in the Fort area, but couldn't get anywhere near as low as you have done (we paid 950 rupees at the Benazeer, which was ideally placed for our needs). I would love to hear feedback on the Lawrence, as I am so enthusiastic about Mumbai and India generally, that already we are planning a return trip -- it's just a question of working out how to achieve this on zero bank balance!
Jan 21st, 2005 | 04:19 PM
#10
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,638
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Hi hobbes-thanks for the advice! Will check out your suggestions! Much appreciate your response.
Hi Alan-Hampi sounds magic. I'm so excited and still a month to go before we leave Oz!
Re: Hotel Lawrence, found it in Footprint's June 2004 India guide and also a rec on www.indiamike.com. I rang the hotel and was impressed with their attitude and helpfulness, forgot to ask the rate, so rang back and they told me! Could have blown me away with a feather! Anyway, let's see if it measures up. If it's anything like the Hotel Sheela in Agra, we're in for a treat!
As for travel funds, we just sell something, like our house! and worry about it later! Could be dead tomorrow, although I hope not! So much more to see in India yet!
Happy days!
Hi Alan-Hampi sounds magic. I'm so excited and still a month to go before we leave Oz!
Re: Hotel Lawrence, found it in Footprint's June 2004 India guide and also a rec on www.indiamike.com. I rang the hotel and was impressed with their attitude and helpfulness, forgot to ask the rate, so rang back and they told me! Could have blown me away with a feather! Anyway, let's see if it measures up. If it's anything like the Hotel Sheela in Agra, we're in for a treat!
As for travel funds, we just sell something, like our house! and worry about it later! Could be dead tomorrow, although I hope not! So much more to see in India yet!
Happy days!
Jan 24th, 2005 | 10:16 AM
#11
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
Hi Lyndie - I second the recommendation for Trishna in Mumbai. It's a bit difficult to find, so make sure you (or the cab driver) have directions prior to leaving the hotel. Highly recommend the pomfret, a local fish - there are several preparations that we tried, and all were outstanding. Mahesh Lunch Home (odd name) is also popular, and authentic. Indigo is a hot spot, trendy and fun. A little pricier than the other two, but cool - and great food. Have fun!
