We had high hopes about this city that is famed at being the epitome of the modern forward facing India that is set to be a world super power, shoulder to shoulder with the Chinese battling for the number 1 slot.
Admittedly we did not get out to the shopping malls and gated communities and industrial complexes around the city, but the famous MG Road that is meant to be the center of the new westernised India where the newly moneyed urbane elite of the IT and call centre boom come to shop and drink (booze !) was a little shabby to say the least. It had its share of big name brands and chain fast food restaurants, but also the worse paving we have seen to date, and a decidely weird take on the whole Christmas Shopping concept.
Check out the scary Santas, that were dancing to thumping Euro Techno
Stranger still was the lack of internet cafes. We spent ages searching for one and the one we found had a ludicrous system of registration and pre-payment at a comically inflated price per hour. It was better to stick to the tried and tested postal service.
Thankfully the city still retains the parks that gave it the nickname of the Green City. By Indian standards it was a blissfull refuge from the dust and the dirt and the noise of everyday life. We strolled around and chuckled at lazy security guards who ocasionally found time to bark at unchaperoned couples, and watched kites fish in the lake.
Obviously it wasnt completely relaxing as we still got gauped at by all and sundry, asked "hello, how are you?", "what is your good name?" and "what is your country?" a million times, and asked if we could have our pictures taken, and Nicky got leared at by groups of lads walking round holding hands with one another, but aside from that it was peaceful until we got mobbed by a group of at least 100 school kids. It was like a scene for a Hard Days Night. I wish we had some footage of us being mobbed by hundres of little smiling schoolkids in neat little uniforms, waving and screaching hello at us, desperate to get a handshake.
Sadly even somewhere as nice as the park still fell foul of the Indian attitude to litter
We finally got to see Shahruck Khan, aka 'King Khan', in action at a showing of Rab na Bana di Jodi, check it out on youtube
Thankfully the city still retains the parks that gave it the nickname of the Green City. By Indian standards it was a blissfull refuge from the dust and the dirt and the noise of everyday life. We strolled around and chuckled at lazy security guards who ocasionally found time to bark at unchaperoned couples, and watched kites fish in the lake.
Obviously it wasnt completely relaxing as we still got gauped at by all and sundry, asked "hello, how are you?", "what is your good name?" and "what is your country?" a million times, and asked if we could have our pictures taken, and Nicky got leared at by groups of lads walking round holding hands with one another, but aside from that it was peaceful until we got mobbed by a group of at least 100 school kids. It was like a scene for a Hard Days Night. I wish we had some footage of us being mobbed by hundres of little smiling schoolkids in neat little uniforms, waving and screaching hello at us, desperate to get a handshake.
Sadly even somewhere as nice as the park still fell foul of the Indian attitude to litter
We finally got to see Shahruck Khan, aka 'King Khan', in action at a showing of Rab na Bana di Jodi, check it out on youtubehttp://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ltDwBTF8-tU
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