Tuesday, November 07, 2006

My Bangalore trip

Left Chennai Thursday night. Spend a restless four hours on train after waking up at 1.30 am. As the train enters Bangalore, I notice that it looks beautiful in the early morning light, but I am hungry and cold.
Conned by rickshaw driver who look me 40 bucks in one direction before pretending there was misunderstanding and taking me 110 bucks in the other direction. I pretended the misunderstanding too, because I am frightened to test my Hindi abuses on him.
Day a blur as I chat with friends and have breakfast for the first time in months. See Umrao Jaan and visit a old book store, Blossoms. Brigade Road has changed a lot. I could not locate the videogame parlour, but later I notice they have moved to a new place. Wonder if the same people are running it. My cousin used to take the night bus from Nagercoil, come to Bangalore, play games through the day, and take the bus back. That was during the 1980s before the PC revolution.
In the night I meet up with friends from ACJ. We have what my friend says is India's most expensive whiskey. I still hate it. We say some unprintable but funny things about a lot of people, eat Lebanese food, and I nod off a few hours after midnight.
Saturday I watch a lot of movies, including the most watched of all time, Gone with the Wind. Beats me why so many people like it.
Visited Pekos (did i spell it right?) on Sunday. Place has become run down. In fact, they are trying to show off that they are run down. Beer is still all right, though. Have Death by Chocolate, which four of us share. All of us live. I remember eating it alone during my first Bangalore trip. I suddenly miss my camera. Come down with an irritating cold. Come home and sleep the rest of the evening. Catch the night train back. Central never fails to rekindle my love of Chennai. Back home, my roommate is up early typing his novel, a lit cigarette between his fingers.