First and foremost, let me introduce myself and clarify that this trip to India was primarily for work purposes. I didn’t go there for leisure. However, as luck would have it, I had one day of free time, which happened to fall on a Sunday, and I was staying near Brigade street. Seizing the opportunity, I decided to take a leisurely stroll, relax, and immerse myself in the lifestyle of the Bangaloreans for a while.
As mentioned earlier, I embarked on a solo trip to India for work purposes. The majority of my responsibilities were centered around the city of Bangalore, also known as Bengaluru. Initially, the city was known as Bengaluru, but the name was later changed after India came under British rule and various important cities underwent simplified and tongue-friendly name changes (such as Bombay to Mumbai, Cochin to Kochi, or Thiruvananthapuram to Trivandrum). Bangalore is located in the southern part of India and serves as the capital of the state of Karnataka. If you draw a horizontal line from Bangkok, you’ll find that Bangalore is almost on the same latitude. However, the weather in Bangalore is not as hot as Bangkok, as the city is situated at a higher elevation above sea level. The daytime temperature ranges from around 27 to 33 degrees Celsius, while the nighttime temperature hovers between 18 and 25 degrees Celsius. It’s safe to say the weather is quite comfortable. Bangalore is a large and significant city in India, experiencing rapid growth, particularly in the field of computers and information technology. It has earned the nickname “Silicon Valley of India.” Of course, with a bustling metropolis comes dense population and traffic congestion. These are just some brief insights into Bangalore.
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When it comes to Brigade street, it is considered the most important and bustling business district of Bangalore (and the most chaotic as well). It is a short street that connects MG Road and Residency Road, and the interesting part, which is the shopping and tourist area, spans only about 1 kilometer. It’s within a comfortable walking distance. If I were to compare Brigade Road to a place in Bangkok, I would liken it to Khao San Road, as they might be the closest in resemblance. This is because both have a variety of local shops, souvenir shops, fast-food restaurants (such as Pizza Hut, McDonald’s, KFC), and entertainment venues (like pubs or discos). Today, I decided to live a laid-back life on Brigade Road because I had asked the local Indians before where I should spend my day off, and they recommended that there was nowhere more interesting than here.
Me : Tomorrow is my day-off. Where should I spend the time in Bangalore?
Local people : Ahhh….You’re staying at right place. You can do interesting thing at Brigade road.
Me : Interesting, not exciting? 🙂
Local People : Sure. Just interesting (and smile)
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That day, I woke up a bit late, around 9.30AM, as it was a holiday. After getting ready and taking a shower, I headed downstairs to have breakfast at the hotel’s lower level. I must admit, I was feeling quite lazy. Even after finishing breakfast, I didn’t venture outside immediately because my workaholic spirit kicked in, and I went back up to my room to turn on the computer and start working. By the time I finished my work, it was almost noon. Then, I found myself turning on the TV in the room. At that moment, it happened to be tuned to HBO, and they were airing “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End” from the beginning. Initially, I thought it would be dubbed in Hindi, so I considered switching it off. However, as the dialogue started, it turned out to be in English (almost 100% of Hollywood movies here are in English, making it like a second language for people around here). So, I decided to sit and watch for a while. I got so engrossed in the movie that I ended up watching it till the end. By the time it finished, it was around two in the afternoon. Feeling a bit hungry again, I finally made up my mind to follow the good advice and take a stroll on Brigade street.
The first thing I went to find on Brigade street was food, of course. It was clear to me that wherever I went, I had to try KFC there. So, without hesitation, I made a beeline for the nearest KFC outlet. Once there, I proceeded to order fried chicken, French fries, and a soft drink, following the usual routine. Due to the cultural norms in India, eating with your hands is common, so it wasn’t surprising that there were no knives and forks at this KFC. People simply used their hands to enjoy the meal. And when I took the first bite of the fried chicken, let me tell you, I knew I was in the real India. The taste was undeniably Kentucky-style fried chicken, seasoned with aromatic spices. It had a stronger hint of turmeric than its counterparts (think of heavily seasoned curry powder on fried chicken). I couldn’t help but devour it all because I was both hungry and impressed. As for the French fries, they were ordinary, although I regretted not taking a picture to show you. But from the outside, they looked just like regular KFC store.
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Once I was full, it was time to explore the shopping options and the ambiance of Brigade Road. I started my stroll from the beginning of the street (which was close to the KFC store where the metro rail track passed by). As I mentioned earlier, the street had everything, just like our local marketplace. Along the roadside, there were local products and fresh goods. In the stores, there were some branded items and souvenirs. And in the alleys, there were roaming spots like pubs and liquor shops, which seemed rather discreet and less flashy compared to our hometown.
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I spent about two hours leisurely walking along Brigade street and exploring the small alleys. If a certain alley seemed unreliable or unsafe, I didn’t take any risks (even though I was an adventurous traveler, there were certain things that looked risky in terms of crime, so I decided to pass on those). Around five in the evening, I started feeling hungry, tired, and hot. I craved something sweet and refreshing, so I decided to look for a bakery. I stumbled upon a Krispy Kreme store located in one of the nearby alleys, close to the MG Road junction. I had never tried the famous doughnuts from this place back in Thailand because the queues were always so long that it was a struggle to get a taste (I’m not the type of person who chases after hard-to-get food items because I have a busy schedule). But here, there was no one around. The shop was completely empty, without a single customer. It was the complete opposite of what we usually experience in Thailand. So, I made the decision to give it a try, a once-in-a-lifetime experience. As I entered, the staff immediately changed the music to some Indian pop songs that filled the entire store. They must have assumed that since I entered, they should switch to Justin Bieber right away. Maybe it was their store policy to play Western music, but seeing that there were no other customers, they secretly played Indian pop music just for themselves. I ordered one doughnut and a strawberry smoothie. I can’t remember the name of the doughnut because it was difficult to pronounce, but it tasted incredibly delicious (at least it didn’t have that KFC spice aroma). However, I can’t say how it compares to the ones in Thailand because I’ve never tried them before.
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After finishing up at Krispy Kreme, I felt exhausted (the past week had been tiring, not because I’m old 😀). Around 6PM, I decided to walk back to the hotel for some much-needed rest in my room. At that moment, I just wanted to lie down and relax. Luckily, the hotel was no more than 300 meters away from the bustling Brigade street. It took me just 5 minutes to get there. So, today turned out to be a day of relaxation, an “Indie” day, where I could go out whenever I wanted, come back whenever I pleased, and eat whatever I desired. Being an indie visitor to this vibrant city of India had its charm. Many things seemed unfamiliar yet intriguing. However, there was one thing that resembled home: on holidays like this, some people still struggled to find sustenance for themselves, while others took the opportunity to relax and enjoy their own leisure time. It’s a system that society has created in urban settings, and it will continue to operate this way. As for me, I considered today a day of rest, a chance to recharge and be fully prepared for the work ahead in the coming days…..Cheer !
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Written By : SHIPY SIWARIT TIASUWATTISETH
Shipy-Ship 