Mysore Knee

I arrived early in Mysore after an overnight trip with a decent sleep. First thing I noticed was how fresh and cool it was. 15 minutes later I was checking in to my slightly swanky hotel. A change from the dark mosquito ridden cell I had occupied in Mamallapuram. 

After a shower and some breakfast I set out to find the tourist office which I located after a lengthy walk. Naturally I needn't have bothered as the tour I wanted wasn't operating. So I then made my way to the state emporium to check out the local handicrafts. Another look good walk to discover a rather boring store. En route to both places the streets were dull and lacking the usual Street eye candy.

By the time I got back to the hotel I was hot sweaty and in need of a plunge in it's rooftop pool. So far the pool was by far the best part of my Mysore day. Ominously lurking in the background was my aching knee and by the early evening it had almost collapsed. When I went out for an evening stroll I struggled to make my way through the dark streets. 

A pity because evening life looked way more interesting than day scenes. By the time I reached my room my leg had almost collapsed. Quite frankly this is a serious development and could lead me to cutting the trip and heading home. For the moment I have the knee tightly bound with elastic bandage which has allowed me some short slow and unsteady walking trips and I am currently rethinking some of my itinerary. Trying to streamline the next few weeks and avoid to much leg work. 

As for Mysore so far the only lasting impression it has left on me is My sore knee.

Read the guide books and they all shout this towns praises as a gem of the Indian South. I would say otherwise. Unless you are impressed with endless rows of silk and saree stores. I came expecting a more cosmopolitan environment complimenting the cities annual 2.5 million tourists. Instead I find the place devoid of any real interest. There's a big 19th century center piece Palace and a hill temple and that's it. 

The fabled Bazaar is full of vegetation, coloured flowers, fruits and powders, and not surprisingly lots of people. In fact, thousands, milling around its narrow aisles. Too many for me and my dodgy knee. I made my way back to rest up and hope for better tomorrow when I will pay a tuktuk to ferry me around.

No pictures with this post as I've yet to see anything that makes an impression.