Our train pulled into the Bangalore city station around 5:45am and we were met by a driver who took us to our hotel in the city. It was really conveniently located right downtown, in the shopping district. Our rooms weren’t ready yet so we dropped our things and headed out in search of breakfast. There was a Krispy Kream and Starbucks located just steps away, much to everyone’s delight, but they didn’t open until later so we picked a restaurant a few blocks away instead. My order of French toast came out in giant fluffy cut pieces of bread with a sweet syrup. Others’ omletts looked equally as good. Following breakfast Claire, Lauren, and I went to check out the Krispy Kream situation and I immediately regretted my large, sweet breakfast. But disregarding that, we ordered a dozen donuts (four each), justifying it with the 12-pack savings we got. We hung out in the shop a while, the only ones there, as Claire and Lauren used Wi-Fi. When we left the Starbucks still wasn’t open yet, but we vowed to come back in the afternoon.
We met up with Katie Jo and the group for a visit to a development program in a local slum community. The program we learned about seemed really interesting. Part of it involves employing local women to make purses and crafts out of old juice cartons and scarp materials and other parts focus on education for children. We dodged a steam of water flowing between houses as we wove through small alleyways to reach the building where the women produce their products. We spoke to them briefly and sifted through the storeroom, some people buying things, before heading back. Overall the meeting was interesting but not particularly substantive and seemed to almost border slum tourism. Not at all to the extend slum tourism is a thing in Kenya, but still seemed like parading foreigners through a poor community. It was a stark reminder of the glaring income inequality that exists in India, though. From high-end stores and malls, Starbucks and Krispy Kream, to a neighborhood without running water, garbage system, small homes, etc. all within a 15-minute difference from one another.
We met up with Katie Jo and the group for a visit to a development program in a local slum community. The program we learned about seemed really interesting. Part of it involves employing local women to make purses and crafts out of old juice cartons and scarp materials and other parts focus on education for children. We dodged a steam of water flowing between houses as we wove through small alleyways to reach the building where the women produce their products. We spoke to them briefly and sifted through the storeroom, some people buying things, before heading back. Overall the meeting was interesting but not particularly substantive and seemed to almost border slum tourism. Not at all to the extend slum tourism is a thing in Kenya, but still seemed like parading foreigners through a poor community. It was a stark reminder of the glaring income inequality that exists in India, though. From high-end stores and malls, Starbucks and Krispy Kream, to a neighborhood without running water, garbage system, small homes, etc. all within a 15-minute difference from one another.
We ate lunch at a Chinese/Thai restaurant and I had the best chicken momos (Tibetan dumplings). I can’t believe it has taken me this long to order momos, but it was worth the wait. After lunch we had the afternoon and evening free so we got our Starbucks fix before meeting up with a recent Manipal grad, the daughter of the women we took cooking lessons from in one of our first weeks in India. She took us to Commercial Street, a huge street lined with shops and vendors selling jewelry, saris, kurtas, bangles, and so much more.
We only stayed a short while before heading back to the hotel for a quick nap and to get ready for the evening. Claire, Lauren, and I took an auto to a nearby mall called UB City, recommended to us by a few people, especially for good food. The mall was over-the-top fancy. It looked like it could have been a palace from the inside. We chose a French restaurant called Café Noir, also from a recommendation. We enjoyed the cool Bangalore breeze on the patio as we at the most incredible food. I got Mediterranean spaghetti that almost melted in my mouth.
After dinner we wandered the mall, but there wasn’t much to see so we headed out to walk along the streets until we happened upon a Swiss Ice Cream shop. None of us ended up ordering anything but the samples were great! Exhausted and still sick I headed back to the room to shower and head to bed as others went out to find Wi-Fi and coffee for the next morning’s drive.
We only stayed a short while before heading back to the hotel for a quick nap and to get ready for the evening. Claire, Lauren, and I took an auto to a nearby mall called UB City, recommended to us by a few people, especially for good food. The mall was over-the-top fancy. It looked like it could have been a palace from the inside. We chose a French restaurant called Café Noir, also from a recommendation. We enjoyed the cool Bangalore breeze on the patio as we at the most incredible food. I got Mediterranean spaghetti that almost melted in my mouth.
After dinner we wandered the mall, but there wasn’t much to see so we headed out to walk along the streets until we happened upon a Swiss Ice Cream shop. None of us ended up ordering anything but the samples were great! Exhausted and still sick I headed back to the room to shower and head to bed as others went out to find Wi-Fi and coffee for the next morning’s drive.