Mangalore, India.....

Does anyone have any info on Mangalore...southwest Indian coast???

My current girlfriend is from that area, been in the US for 25 years, and has invited me to go with her and her kids to visit her family. She hasn't been home for a few years and finally has a chance to get back for a while.

Going for 3 weeks, then leaving her and her 2 youngest there for another 2 weeks, while her eldest and I come back.

Staying with her family, so lodging is not a concern.

Just checking to see if anyone has been to that area and what I might expect....

Thanks!!

Just a note....Returned from trip yesterday and, at the US Customs area, I heard music playing for a Welcome video....It was the Illuminations soundtrack!

I hope you enjoyed the trip!

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Originally Posted by PopPhan

Just a note....Returned from trip yesterday and, at the US Customs area, I heard music playing for a Welcome video....It was the Illuminations soundtrack!

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Did this happen in Orlando?

I can't wait to hear about your travels. :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by magicofdisney

I hope you enjoyed the trip!



Did this happen in Orlando?

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Nope. Washington, D.C. -- Dulles Airport

Starting a 'slow burn' on the trip report....

This was my first overseas trip. I have been to the Mexican Riviera, Canada, and the Bahamas before, but this was completely new and different.

First things first...Flights/Airports

If you have never flown overseas this will be new info, but if you have you can commiserate with me. LOL

Flew Lufthansa out of Washington - Dulles Airport to Frankfurt, Germany, then from Frankfurt to Bangalore, India. Economy.

Now, anyone who knows me knows that I am not a small man. Seats in Economy are not large by any stretch of the imagination and my seats were primarily in the center of the sections. To say I was uncomfortable would be an understatement. Cramped, no back support and sitting for 9 hours was not fun. Flights were smooth, though. Food on the planes was 'meh' at best. Flight staff, on all flights, was wonderful. Took good care of us and was very attentive to requests and needs.

Dulles Airport was not very impressive for an international airport. Small, little in the way of shops to spend the time waiting to board.

Frankfurt was much larger and nicer to wander through. This was good because we had over 4 hours between flights. I am not much for wandering around in an airport, but there was enough to keep me occupied for the layover.

Did not see much of Bangalore Airport on the flight in. We deplaned, picked up our bags, my friend hit the Duty Free shops for some last minute things for her family, and we met her brother for the ride to his home in Mysore. (More on the actual trip to follow.)

Flights back were much the same -- long, cramped, etc. Another 4 hour layover in Frankfurt, then back to DC. US Customs was a pain in the butt. Over an hour wait in line for a two minute check to see that we didn't bring anything illegal back with us.

In that it was only my friends' eldest son and myself coming back, we flew from Mangalore to Bangalore rather than having someone drive us the 7+ hours to get there. That was a 1 hour flight, so no problems there. Due to the monsoon rains, we left early the morning before our 'real' flight to beat any possible storm related delays. This gave us almost a full day around the Bangalore Airport.

Our homeward bound flight from Bangalore was at 3:05AM and we got to the airport at 10AM the day before. Now what do we do??? LOL Neat thing about Bangalore Airport -- Instead of having all the shops inside the airport, they have an outdoor 'marketplace' outside the main entrance to the airport. We did not see. or pay attention, to this on our way in because it was late at night when we arrived, we were tired, and her brother was there to pick us up right away.

The marketplace had a number of little shops with trinkets, t-shirts, and other souvenirs, as well as more than a few restaurants - mostly fast food (Subway, Pizza Hut, Krispy Kreme, and some 'local' food shops) The layout was nice and got us out of the airport for a while, but not nearly long enough.

We decided to take a walk to the hotel at the end of the marketplace/airport parking and that was a good thing!!! The hotel was called Taj and could be classified as a decent 4-star venue. We asked if there was a way to get a room just for the day to rest and freshen up before heading back to the airport, but nothing was available. HOWEVER, the concierge offered us a "Departure Package" they have that gave us access to the lounge, pool area, free WiFi, spa, steam room, and one meal - either lunch or dinner - at the hotel cafe. For 5,900 rupees (approximately $85) total for the two of us, it turned out to be a GREAT deal.

It turned out that the access to the spa was actually a one-hour full body massage at no additional cost. (Their spa menu had it listed at 6,600 rupees per person!) OMG!!! How have I never experienced this before?!?!?!?!!!! Wonderful!

We really didn't take advantage of the steam room, weight room, or lounge that much, but spent a bit of time lounging by the pool. Outdoors, overlooking the airport and the mountain range in the distance.

Later in the evening, we went down to the cafe for a bite, thinking it would be a small entree and drink. Enough to tide us over, but nothing special. WRONG!!!! The meal included soup or salad, appetizer, entree, dessert, and non-alcoholic drink. Definitely got our money's worth there!

All in all, travel to/from India was basic. If you do something like this, spend the extra for Business or Business Select. The slightly larger space and better seats are well worth it. The early trip back to Bangalore was a good idea with the storms and the thought to go to the hotel to spend the day turned out to be a highlight of the entire trip. LOL

Next, an overview of the trip itself....

I may be going to Japan in December. It could be anywhere from a 17hr-20hr flight (with a layover). Not looking forward to extended time on the plane.

You're not kidding about that hotel deal you came upon. A 1hr massage?? Wow!

So far, so good with this trip. :)

Now, for Part 2....

This trip was during the monsoon season there, so sightseeing was not really in the plan. My friends was taking her children to visit family and to get them baptized, first confession and first communion in her home church. She had much to do and we stayed with different family members throughout the trip. No hotels or that type of thing. I got to see the reality of life for families in that part of India. And LOVED every minute!

Upon arriving at Bangalore Airport, we collected our baggage and did a little shopping at the Duty Free shops. After which, we went outside where her one brother was waiting to load us up and take us to his home in Mysore (Mysuru)...This was about a 3 hour ride and gave me a glimpse of how roads and driving were in India. WOW! Two lane highways were stacked 2 - 4 vehicles across, everyone vying for position, horns blaring everywhere...LOL AND not one single accident anywhere! It was chaos, but one that is the norm for them. No wonder the best cab drivers in NYC are Indian!!!

Homes are modest. Comfortable, with high ceilings to better circulate the hot, humid air. No wood or carpeted floors. Most are marble or high quality tile. No shoes allowed inside homes. Take them off outside and either go barefoot or with socks on. Rooms tend to be long and thin. Any woodwork -- doors, tables, furniture, are intricately carved and mostly teak.

We spent 2 days in Mysore and did get out one day and a bit of the second for a bit of sightseeing. St. Philomena Cathedral, Mysore Palace, and Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens (Mysore Zoo or Mysuru Zoo) were on the docket. These were all lovely places to visit.

The cathedral allows visitors to go down into the crypts where they have a shrine to St. Philomena and a holy water pool to see. Definitely different than anything here in the states.

The Palace was amazing. Going through and seeing some of the history of the area - from the paintings of the rulers throughout the ages, to the architecture, to the
gardens in the center of the palace...There was even an area where you could ride a camel around the grounds. (No, I didn't, but watched a couple children do it.)

The zoological gardens gave you a look at animals that you will not see anywhere around here. Birds, plants, and other animals that are gathered from India and Asia that would not survive in a zoo here. Caretakers riding elephants was a highlight there. Definitely worth the trip.

The following day, we made our way from Mysore to Mangalore (Mangaluru) to where we spent the majority of our visit....

...To be continued...

It already sounds like an amazing trip. Can't wait to read more. :)

It is about time that I continued my report....

Mangalore, and points beyond....LOL

Mangalore itself is a mid-sized city, much in line with the area I live - York, PA - in size.

We stayed (mostly) with my friends' sister and brother-in-law in a 'suburb' of the city called Bijal. As with most homes, it was comfortable and very welcoming. Her sister and brother-in-law treated me like a visiting dignitary. Yes, that well!!!! They are lovely people and I enjoyed every minute with them.

Now, there are a few cultural differences that come into play when staying with families....Mainly, some of the 'western' conveniences that we are so used to, and would be provided in most hotels, are not 'standard' in an Indian home. Bring your own toilet paper if you do this! They do not typically use TP, but will wash after using the 'facilities.' I was 'warned' ahead of time, so was prepared for this. Also, most do not have a working shower or bath tub. Bathing is by 'bucket bath' - there are large buckets to fill with water and a smaller 'pitcher' to pour the water over yourself to wet/rinse. It is another thing to get used to, but I had done similar at times growing up, so it wasn't a big deal to me...

When it was time for bed, the gathered family - because there was always more than one family in the home while we were there - would spread out mats and blankets on the floor of the main room and sleep there. Me, being the "honored guest," would always get a 'private' room with a bed to sleep. I actually felt a bit uncomfortable not joining the rest of the family, but they wouldn't have it.

Meals were delicious. Southern Indian foods are NOT 'hot spicy,' but have a lot of different flavors than we are typically used to here. Almost all spices are picked/prepared daily. Most homes have a spice garden right there. Lots of rice, as you would expect, but different types of rice. My favorite was the 'red rice,' which had a larger grain and reminded me of barley for look and consistency. Always vegetables in a sauce - sometimes a curry, sometimes not. I am not a big vegetable eater, but I tried everything and enjoyed myself. Lots of chicken, some fish - didn't care for the curried fish, but that was because it was mackerel and had a strong flavor, but enjoyed other fish and fish dishes. One, special, meal was clams in a sauce that was amazing. I had never eaten clams on the halfshell, but would be hooked if they were always served this way.

Desserts were mainly fresh fruit. Sometimes cooked, but mostly raw. Had fresh guava, mango, papaya, jackfruit (cooked and raw,) bananas - standard and what they refer to as cardamom bananas, which are much smaller and, in my opinion, tastier. Some baked goods, but these were purchased from a nearby market. Snacks were also much different than what we get here. No potato chips or pretzels. LOL One of the snacks I enjoyed most was Murukku, which is a crunchy, deep fried Indian 'churro' of rice and chickpea flour and different spices. (Very good with beer!! LOL)

This is getting a bit long, so I think I will continue in another post....

I keep reading my posts and see how disjointed they seem....Sorry! This is how my thoughts work when recalling the trip.

Thought I was going to quickly finish up with that last post, but....I'll try to close out with this one...

In our travels, we visited 4 towns/villages to visit different family members. As in previous posts, Mysore and Mangalore were the big stops. We also went to Udupi, where her younger sister and brother-in-law live and Bela, Kerala, where she was born and raised. Her eldest brother has a home in Bela, and her mother's home is 'next door' to him.

Udupi is about 1 1/2 hours north and Bela is about 1 1/2 hours south. Other than Bela, all the places we stopped are in Karnataka state.

One thing to know...When you arrive at someone's home, expect a full meal within 30 minutes of arrival! LOL I think most days I ate 4 meals, or more, just due to visiting!!!

All the homes were beautiful and the drives, when it wasn't pouring rain, were just beautiful. Lush countryside, lots of wide open spaces. Farms everywhere.

For those who might be wondering --- Yes, there are cows wandering in most suburbs and outlying areas. A few in the cities, but not that many. A lot of homes have two or more that they keep for themselves. 'Street dogs' ARE a thing, but they keep pretty much to themselves and shy away from people. There is trash in the streets, but mainly in small areas and organic in nature to feed the cows and dogs wandering around. India has started paying people to pick up trash to clean up what had been a real problem. Streetside vendors are everywhere, and you can get some really tasty treats at some of the stands. Anything from fresh coconut milk (They top the coconut and put a straw in it right there while you wait!) to something called Pani Puri, which is a savory snack. (Hard to describe, but easy to google! LOL)

There is construction around every city and larger village. They are modernizing (read "westernizing") everywhere and are very happy to see visitors from other countries...especially Americans! If you visit, you WILL be stared at! Outside of the largest cities - Mumbai, Delhi, etc. - Americans are rare.

I know I have left a lot out of this, but my mind is bouncing like a rubber ball going down a huge flight of stairs!! All I can really say is that, if you get a chance, and have someone to show you around, GO! Visit and enjoy everything India has to share. BUT, don't do it during monsoon season!! October - May is prime time to visit. March and April are best for seeing plants in flower and being dry. June - September is the monsoon season, so you can expect HEAVY rain daily, if not constantly, through that period.

Will I go back? Absolutely, if I have the chance.

Thanks for putting up with my rambling. I can answer some questions, if anyone desires, but I think I have done enough 'damage' here for now.