Vancouver is fab…

June 28, 2016June 28, 2016 SFLeave a comment

I really do like Vancouver.

This was my second visit to my youngest son Oliver (thanks for moving there Ol). Its a city that seems to have just about everything. A diverse community, buzzing city with great localities and neighbourhoods, superb veg food, and amazing environment whether its the islands, the sea, the beaches. Its a modern city with snow-capped mountains, the sporty lifestyle, a really great vibe and super people.

I had a great time!

Ok, Ol did try to kill me by taking me to the ‘Tight’ fitness club for a session. Picture it. There is a class of people ‘keenly’ exercising but ALL of them seriously look as if they don’t need to be doing anything of the sort. (maybe that’s the point.. you’ve got to keep at it!!) Except perhaps the old grey haired bearded guy in the back corner getting worrying looks from the trainer… will he survive the class? What is he doing here? Is he about to have a heart attack? Well I did manage to the end and probably did about 50% of the exercises. It’s made me think though I’ve got to reveiw my own lifestyle, loose some of the podge and get fitter. Hang on a minute though, I AM on holiday, ok? There is always rooms for a delicious ice cream and a beer.

On this, my second visit we hired a car and headed for a mini roadtrip into the US (where else?) down the stunning Oregon Coast, (en route visiting the famous locations of the Goonies) then …. into Portland, and Seattle… lovely people, astonishing panoramas and ginormous meals (its true about meals in the USA)… and wonderful micro brewing (sorry drinking) and endless opportunities to go shopping…. (which we both love)

If you’re a previous guests of Mysore Bed and Breakfast…. this is where you need to seriously worry!

Cathy and Mark, who came to stay with us in Mysore a few years ago when Mark was a volunteer vet in Bylakuppa (the Tibetan settlement), live on a beautiful lake on the outskirts of Portland. Well we couldn’t be in the area and not drop in, could we?

What amazing hosts and a lovely place. We were seriously pampered. It was difficult to leave. Mark took us out cycling with our very own MyCycle Tour of Portland, Cathy, who is ever so trusting, let me borrow her open top BMW for an amazing tour of the wonderful countryside and we just chilled out cycling in a great city. Thank you so much you guys, you were so generous and we had a wonderful time.

So why worry?

Because we might come visit you!

This is actually part of reaching my 60th year (actually 59 years old last December) and the ‘celebrations’ will continue. Next up… taking Manjula to the UK. Where we’ll visit: Ben, the eldest son in London, together with his partner Alice and my granddaughter Poppy, their mum in Hebden, a ton of old friends and one or two other guests of the Mysore BnB might also get a knock on the door 😉

So look out!! Who knows where we might head next.

an invitation arrives……

June 26, 2016 SFLeave a comment

No it’s not from the queen to invite Manjula to the UK!

It is however related to royalty…….

This very week Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, the latest in the long line of Mysore Maharaja’s (a previous one was amongst the richest in the world) will be married this week.

The previous Maharaja died a couple of years ago and there was no heir to the throne. This being India there are, of course, flexible ways to deal with such problems. So after a dignified period his widow the Maharani chose to adopt a relative to be the Maharaja. He’s already been crowned and this year gets wed!

The invite to the wedding because that’s what it is, was received by our new friend Dr Pai.

It’s told that a Queen from a neighbouring state, after losing a battle with the Wodeyars, cast a curse on the royal family that in future there would have no children so no natural heir to the throne. The law was therefore changed many years back to allow them to adopt the next Maharaja.

Here’s Dr Pai with his personal invite to THE event.

There is always a back story and in this case, a member of the Wodeyar family is challenging the adoption in the courts, nothing straightforward eh?

The Stars dim over Europe.

June 24, 2016June 24, 2016 SFLeave a comment

Don’t panic! Don’t panic!

are the stars dimming over Europe?

let’s not panic. It’s not a crisis!

It’s a joke combined with a bad dream.

Unfortunately its not and a majority of people in the UK have voted to leave the EU.

The consequences are of course, completely unknown but in my darker thoughts I worry that:

the austerity focussed Tories will use this opportunity to shift the whole country even more into the nether regions of neo-liberalism
this will lead to the end of the United Kingdom
the EU itself may unravel and halt its progress in helping create a peaceful Europe since the last world war.

But I’m naturally an optimist and usually see the beer glass half full. In that case this might be a wonderful opportunity resulting in a new election, different leaders and a rejigging of the political map on the lines of the political movements we’re seeing in Southern Europe in Spain, Italy and Greece.

I see brighter stars… Participative democracy, people’s increased engagement, new inspirational leaders and the sack for the elitist gits who are our current political representatives who have the riches to surf through this turmoil and probably just see it as one big joke!

its 2 am in the morning

June 23, 2016June 23, 2016 SFLeave a comment

It’s 2 am in the morning and I’ve just given the dog, Lucy a final walk of the day. In the shadows I noticed a mother and daughter, covered with shawls, scarves and carrying bags.Waiting tentatively for me to pass. Once I and the dog had passed by they continued on their journey.

Who are they? what are they doing?

As they continue to walk through the area I can hear the wild street dogs kicking off. I guess that they are poor people just travelling through. It must be quite scary and daunting with barking dogs at most corners and now I’m back at home I hear the whistles in the distance of the policeman on their beat.

What must their life be like?

It makes me stop and reflect for a moment and think about those poor people and what I assume are very different and difficult lives.

I might live in India but as you might expect, in a middle class lifestyle and quite detached from the experience of many very poor people.

I recognise how important it is for me to not lose sight of the difficulties that people face and somehow to connect.

Rewards

June 16, 2016 SFLeave a comment

I have three rewards!

No 1 is sharing the absolute joy of Manjula who seems to have won the lottery! Well she has got a visa for the UK… in her terms its a VERY VERY BIG win.

Rewards 2 and 3 are the beers I’ve brought from the US and tonight my celebratory tipple will be the first since I returned from my amazing holiday in the US and Canada, with my youngest son Oliver.

But this affair has been a long and arduous journey, firstly (four months) sorting out the inaccurate and inconsistent forms of Manjula’s ID before we were able to apply for her first ever passport (three months) and the grand finale: two applications (six weeks, at least they’re fast!) for the UK visa

But all that quickly and quietly recedes into the distance as the appreciation of Manjula shown by the intensity of feeling bouncing around our home at the moment 🙂 makes it all worthwhile!

Guess What?

GalleryJune 16, 2016 SF2 Comments

lets introduce some brevity

June 14, 2016 SFLeave a comment

Slogans, pithy sayings, brands gone wrong… there must be tons of humorous examples. I’ve spotted a fair few in my travels and many more since I came to live here in India. So let’s have a break from all this boring stuff about IDs, bureaucracy, passports, visa. Can you find examples from here in India or elsewhere? of often unintended or everyday humour? So the gauntlet is down, let’s see your best examples. …..I’ll start us off….. Here’s a couple on T shirts, to get us going

for me it’s not just the slogan but the context, often poor innocent guys who may have little idea what they’re wearing.

don’t get me wrong. I’m not putting the guy down. just the whole idea that there’s a leap quantum or otherwise, just seems so funny.

Now the next one knew exactly the nuance of the message, I met him on a cycle tour up Chamundi Hill and he was interested to know its origin with the band: Pink Floyd. Now some smart alec is going to inform me it originated somewhere else!

So this is an open invitation, give us your suggestions.

We’re not reaching for the moon.

June 11, 2016 SFLeave a comment

We’re not reaching for the moon …… that we already have

“the moon is all about love.” He said. The moon is about how we love others. About how we just want the best for those we love. We want them to be happy. We want everything to work out for them. The moon wants that for us you know. That’s what the moon is”

from Trains and Lovers by Alexander McCall Smith. A book kindly left by one of our guests.

Its well and truly in…

June 11, 2016 SF1 Comment

Manjula (53 Saris) Vellada, in her latest stunning blue outfit is seen out in the BIG city (Bangalore) with the accessory of THE season: a fetching green plastic folder complete with one hundred and sixty-five pages of documents to try and prove she lives in India and wants and has to return here after her holiday in the UK. Please note the smallest detail. That is the Indian passport for which blood, sweat and tears have been lost in an earlier ten episodes of this story.

Yes, the second application for a visa is now complete. The online from was submitted almost two weeks ago and the starting gun officially sounded on the 6th when Manjula went back for an appointment at the visa processing plant (assistants not allowed in, of course) in Bangalore (eight hour round trip with three hour processing).

Everything is crossed and we’re told we should probably know within fifteen working days if she’s successful. That sort of takes us to the 26th June and if we get it, we fly out on the 29th. Close eh?

We’re used to living close to the edge 😉 and remember those flowers?

Brahmakamla

we are seriously invoking the Gods for their assistance in the matter of the visa. We’ve already reported on the astonishing display of these ‘one-night-only’ flowers that first came when we completed the online form and that kept coming out with more of these aromatic beauties for three nights. Here are some of the photos to show what an exceptional thing this is!

Each are probably larger than two of my clenched fists. (there is no significance in the chosen analogy) We counted a total of fifteen when mostly you’ll be lucky to get one!

So here in hope!

pip pip

Let’s give Manjula a Break

June 1, 2016June 1, 2016 SF12 Comments

Yes, let’s give her a break….. A new visa application is IN.

She needs one, who wouldn’t, after being with Stephen for OVER six Years?! yes Six years!

We’ve been overcome with the support, since the news got out about the rejection, from our wonderful friends, many of whom are visitors to us here at Mysore Bed and Breakfast.

Thank you, it means a lot to get that encouragement and emotional support. We’ve also had tons of invites for holidays elsewhere. Top of the list at the moment (from the no. of suggestions) are UK (ha ha thanks for that ), Australia, Canada, Europe (we’re voting to stay IN) and Israel.

So the thing is, the new application is submitted and we think we’re providing firm evidence on the main issue. She just wants a holiday and she really isn’t trying to slip into the country and stay there!!! She doesn’t want to move to the UK

Can you send an Email to Manjula?

Maybe emphasising something on the lines of:

how she really is Mysore Bed and Breakfast and is critical to its continuing success
how and what you enjoyed about your stay
that you’ll be back
and any other way you can demonstrate your support

Every little might help, who knows?

Manjula@mycycle.co

She has an established life here, a job, she’s critical to the BnB, we have invested in our life here with a dog, a redecorated five bedroom house, a bike, a car, a successful business, a lovely garden that’s taken an age to create, has dependents who rely on her, such as her mother and she doesn’t wish to move to the UK.

So why the photo of the Brahma Kamla flower?

These flowers are very auspices. Each flower only lasts one night. It is at it’s best at midnight and the aroma is beautifully overpowering. They are not at all easy to grow. They are therefore considered very lucky. On the past three nights we’ve had a total of fifteen, yes fifteen of these flowers. So we hope the Brahma is with-us on this next bit of the journey of: ‘The Passage from India!’