A traveler has no plans and no destination the travel is itself the goal and the destination. I had already left the memories of Hampi behind as I boarded the plane from Hubli airport to Mysore. A new city awaited me, but first I had to make the hour plus flight time. The Mysore airport is on the suburbs a more quite side of the city, as usual I took a taxi to my hotel the Grand Mercure Mysuru, a five star and a very opulent hotel of the city, reminding me more of a maharajah’s place it has been a delightful stay. Firstly, the food is excellent and more suited to my palate, no chillies and spicy food, just the right kinda of masala, I have just had the mutton and the fish gravy and they were excellent. The rooms are five stars and the showers are just perfect. I have made it a habit of befriending taxi drivers once I am in a new city where I don’t know anyone. The taxi driver to the hotel can then become your tour guide to the city. I made a pact with my taxi driver and now for the next three days he will be taking me around the various places in the city, like the Chamundi Hills and the Mysuru Palace.
I took a quick walk around the area and roads next to my hotel to get a little peek of the city. It has brand roads and shops all around the weather is still warm but not as much as the weather of Hampi.
Mysuru is a slow city very relaxed and not so crowded, there are temples everywhere this place is steeped in Hindu and Dravidian culture. I did take the taxi to Chamundi Hills but decided to go against my wishes and turned back I wanted to enjoy the afternoon at my hotel room that was more fun. The Hotel has a SPA and a Pool that is also something I want to try out, unfortunately I only have two more days left in the city and I haven’t seen a thing as yet. I did manage to go to a local shop selling sandalwood perfume, its quite a rage here, special oils made out of flowers lavender and exotic sandalwood. There where foreigners they’re trying to get bargain, I did smell the perfumes and they were also therapeutic oils used for massage, and meditation that’s how they were being sold.
I didn’t end up buying anything just did some window shopping my taxi driver pushed me to buy some saree or Mysuru silk for my wife and politely told him I was not married. My hotel is next to a huge shop selling raw tree wood. I meandered there for an evening smoke and was quickly booed away by the owner who was peeved with me smoking on his premise. It is quite cool during the night as the sun goes down the city has a sleepy regal feel to it. It surely transports you to another age, Mysuru does have a personality a texture and a soul of its own which is distinctive yet authoritative.
The buildings are old but have a distinct personality of their own, people are dark but friendly, I feel people in the south are on an average shorter then, The people in the north or west of India.
Looking forward to covering more of the city in the coming few days.