All the dogs in India

(You know. Like 'all the tea in China'. )

I'm going to have serious trouble leaving this country without a dog. I adore them! And they follow me around. I mean, I know this isn't because of some kind of fate or misguided affection - Like everyone else who follows me around in India, they probably assume I have something to give. But - look at this face!


If I did have anything to give, I tell ya, that face would get it. I'm thinking about buying some food to carry around just for the dogs. I realize I'll have a small pack after me, though . . . like the pied piper, only less creepy, and probably a little crazy looking.

This little guy accompanied me on part of my walk through Cubbon Park on Sunday, where I found out exactly what my tolerance is for getting stared at by every. Single. Person. (It's about two hours before I start getting twitchy.) Some photos:

An unfortunately fuzzy photo of a family playing some kinda . . . horseshoes-like thing, which I had to snap because it really, really seemed like the cow was watching. You know the way people watch tennis? The cow was doing that. The next photo is of the State Library, which is pretty incredible. I went in there with some other tourists from Canada I had met outside (they were lost, I was - surprise! - also lost, or at least wandering somewhat aimlessly. We bonded.) We waited out the heaviest part of the daily Bangalore torrential downpour inside the library:

This place smelled like old books and rain. That smell always reminds me of the weirdly packed used bookstore on Ambleside in West Vancouver. (or maybe it's technically part of North Van? I don't think so.)

If you're ever in Bangalore, this is a nice place to get out of the crazy for a while, and sit quietly. There is, in fact, a man there whose job it is to make sure that you sit quietly. I believe his job title is 'shusher'.




Another view, from the second floor:

Pretty incredible! The place is huge. I think I'll be going back sometime - it's walking distance from my hotel, and even if I have to run the gauntlet of stares through the park, I think it's worth it.

After the rain stopped, the other Canuckians and I - their names are A.G. and Ruth, and they have been travelling for a year now - put some solid effort into finding our way back to the main road. It's difficult because none of the roads have names, and the ones that do are in Kannad, which I believe is the main language of Bangalore. Someone correct me if I'm wrong. - But the map books, the tourist guides? Well, they have conveniently translated everything into English for us. Actually, I might have had better luck just trying to match the symbols.

Key word: Might!

So onward - we stumbled into a market, where Ruth and AG tried to buy raisins. I don't know why . . . they travel well? They prevent scurvy? Some people actually like raisins? The point is, it was harder than you would think, but we did finally find a woman selling them on the street.


I do have a sharper photo than this, but it doesn't show the scales as well - and that was the best part. Some more haggling practice for Canadians, and we went for dinner. It was nice to spend some time with them, talk about traveling, remember why I miss the hostel experience - although it's nice not to have to worry about bedbugs/theft/getting up early enough to get some hot water out of the shower. Still, I hope I meet more people like them as I make my way through this month and the first part of November.

On that note, it looks like my team will have October 13th off for the Canadian holiday. Barring any major setbacks or any feelings I may have about how much we really need that extra day - and both of those things are serious possibilities, at this point - I might get a long enough weekend to go away somewhere. There are two weekend trips I really want to do. One to Mysore, which is close to here and home of a very famous spice market and the Maharaja Palace of Mysore. The other one is to Goa, which would be better for a long weekend (much further away). So we'll see. Fingers crossed that training goes well!

Anyway that's enough outta me. The Blogger Bosses have blocked my blog as they think I am a robot. I have to convince them I'm a real person by typing various words shaped like inkblots into blank spaces, so this may not post for a couple days. If it turns out they're right about the robot thing, it might never post.

I'm just saying.

You never do know....

Love to all,

Gwen(bot?)