HSR CYCLE DAY

The day for cycling has finally arrived. The skies are clear, the timing is just right, and my child is enthusiastic. Additionally, our camera's battery is fully charged!

The Rotary Club of HSR Layout organize this event on the last Sunday of every month.  Fitness buff, cycling fans, and families with children gather on a tranquil street that has been pre-approved by the authorities. 

I consider this a wonderful effort to promote the use of bicycles in our daily routines, particularly among children.Here is a detailed outline of how our event unfolds before, during, and after the cycle day.

We wrapped up early the night before to ensure an early start. At the break of dawn, we began preparing for our exciting day of cycling, which is not only enjoyable but also educational and a great opportunity for community building. 

My child cycles to the venue while my husband and I follow in our electric vehicle. We park at the venue where everyone gathers. All the children sit in the front row as the Rotarian/organizers begin an engaging talk about cycling. When asked why we cycle only on Cycle Day and not daily, the kids provide various answers—some rational, some creative, and some imaginative. The main message is to encourage using bicycles in everyday life. 

Cycling offers numerous advantages, including physical health benefits, promoting environmental awareness, enhancing mental well-being, and being cost-effective.Following the inspiring pep talk, cyclists of all ages begin their group ride.

As the children cycle in an orderly manner, they are  and safeguarded by a dedicated team of adult cyclists, the Bangalore traffic police, and an ambulance from Narayana Hospital. I think group cycling teaches essential life skills like bike safety, traffic regulations, decision-making, teamwork, and taking calculated risks, which promote safe navigation.

This event also promotes community engagement, chances to interact with neighbors, and collaborative efforts. This exactly illustrates how our cycle day takes place.

After this energetic event, we end with a hearty breakfast and get ready for the next cycle day, prepared to participate in the upcoming cycling activities.

 

 

We boarded the bus and used our Roma pass and got down at the bus stop near our hotel. It was around 7.30 or 8 pm .,the sun was about to set , perfect time to grab a bottle of wine or beer after such a long day.. There was a small pizzeria near our hotel, men ordered beer while I was checking for vegetarian cuisine. Spaghetti is the only vegetarian food they had..After Dinner we went to the bed early, so that we could start early to the Vatican city ,the next day..We were supposed to reach there as early as possible because it is always crowded and the summer vacations add to the crowd.. 

So the next morning we get ready, since we were going to the church, we were all dressed to cover our knees and shoulders. I had read about it earlier,that visitors need to dress appropriately(avoid shorts and sleeveless).We hired the taxi to the Vatican museum. PYT had prebooked our entry tickets, we could just show the vouchers and enter.. 

We were about to enter when a Bangladeshi stopped us. He was trying to sell the tickets which we already had. He wouldn't stop there,he offered another package for 20-25 Euro per head, and that he would help us see the museum in shortest way possible! We were skeptical and didn't entertain him. He started like, you have a baby and it's very difficult  to explore by yourselves and silly things like that. For one moment I wanted to believe him but he suddenly reduced the package amount from 20 Euros to 15 Euros and said he did that because he thought Indians are like his brothers! . Now we weren't doubtful but clear that this guy is a waste of time and money and be aware of such agents. There is no need to hire such guides ,they are not authentic. So we firmly said 'no' to  him and entered the museum..

We produced our PYT vouchers at the counters and went through the security checks, they allowed the

Baby food and stroller, we also had another stroller that had extra few things which they didn't allow. They issued us token , upon producing it we would get our bags back.. So tickets were verified, our extra bags at the security deposit, we were all set to explore the Vatican museum !! The moment we hear the word Vatican ,it reminds us of our history books back in school days! Not only does it have a rich history,but is a mystery in itself ! The country lies within the Rome city, population less than 5,000 and is a home to the pope. Sistine Chappelle is the largest Catholic church in the world.and Vatican museum is the largest museum in the world. It takes months to explore Vatican museum. 4-5 days to just  glance at all the paintings and monuments briefly,but with that summer crowd and a overactive kid,We had no option but to cover it with-in 4-5 hours..  The paintings and monuments are centuries old and so beautiful that they take your breath away. And it's difficult and unfair to describe its beauty in words. Just go there and watch it and bring back the memories..We have been there, watched the paintings, touched the monuments (check before, if you are allowed to touch), we could feel the presence of the artists who have poured their hearts out into the paintings and monuments ! 

We collected our bag from security deposit and arrived at the exit. we found a Caravan selling snacks, just what we needed. we ordered double scoop Gelato and a vegetarian sandwich, so now we had our quick lunch and we had a half day left and we were super tired.. just wondering what to do next and Voila!! we found a hop on hop off bus, just what we needed..it was €12 per person and they would cover the major attractions and it would take around an hour..so  it was a good idea to give some rest to our legs while we see the city. so we hopped on quickly to gaze  the beautiful city of Rome. We hoped, the journey of cobblestone streets mediaeval buildings and clear skies never ended but all beautiful things must end !!  Bus dropped us at the Saint Peter's square which is  just besides the museum ,we walked down till the Saint Peter's square observed the beautiful architectural buildings  and headed back. on the way back we found few water taps and we were quick to refill our bottles and not to forget there was a queue for that.There are lot shops in that square, One can buy gifts and souvenir back home.. there were also tobacco shops ,it's called tabacherri shops in Italy,where we bought some beer . we hire the taxi to our hotel we again enquire taxi fare before we hire.As soon as we reached the hotel,  we all got the quick nap and were up for some more sightseeing.We had couple of things on mind, like trevi fountain and Spanish steps, which would again be energy consuming and super crowded , we just wanted to spend some alone quality time with the city !! So we skipped it (but some would want to see it,if it attracts crowd,it must be worth seeing)and took a off beat path and started walking down any street which we felt like walking....After walking some distance, we found a square (you'll find such squares every few kilometers).My daughter was sleeping in her stroller, we just sat on the steps and started to stare our surrounding, which looked like it was a beautiful painting. The sun was about to set, the sky was golden,the breeze was cool.. I just wanted to sit there forever staring at nothing !!

After that , We took the tram to the same Jaipur restaurant and ordered some rice, to keep it light because we had train the next morning to the Florence !!

The Italian Traveller

For an Indian who travels on the Bangalore roads, any foreign street would appear magical. Imagine Rome! You will instantly fall in love with the city and with the people.. Italians are quite cheerful people..

We arrived at the Rome airport in the afternoon. Emirates have better cook comparatively, since we ate sandwich in the flight,we weren't really hungry. After learning on which counter our bags arrive., We collected our bags and my baby's stroller ! The airport is not as big as Dubai's or Singapore.. So we collected our bus pass, called the Roma pass at stall near exit..Also we took new sim,TIM .

 Since we booked the trip through 'pick your trail' ,they had prebooked our Roma pass, which could be used for train , bus within the city and free entry for few museums. After collecting the Roma pass we went on to buy a sim. Because we had just arrived from India,35 euros was a lot of money for us. With 15 GB data and minimum talk time, 35 euros plan was sufficient for our 8 days trip in Italy.. our agent had booked a taxi to the hotel.. the driver would be waiting with our name on a board.. so this was easy for us, we didn't bother which bus/train to catch to go to the hotel, especially after a long flight journey.The driver seat is on the left, and seat belt is a must for everybody, Even if you are sitting in the back seat.. these taxis are quite different from ours.. they have a huge trunk space, all our bags including baby stroller could easily fit into it..The airport is quite far from the city.. it's about 30-40 minutes drive from a city center..(I guess that's okay, because we drive 2-3 hours to reach our Bengaluru international airport)

The moment we got off the taxi(didn't pay anything, since it was prebooked) ,we came to know that our trip is going to be full of ups and downs,  literally , everywhere there are steps up and down and roads as well.  Our hotel,Palazzo Al velabro was in the city center and quite easily accessible to bus stop and pizzeria..It was like a service apartment ,we had a dining hall and and a kitchenet as well. After almost 12-18 hours of journey, we were desperate to fresh up. We had a half day to roam around so we asked our receptionist about nearby restaurants. The guy was very friendly and helpful and advised us to go to a nearby locality.. Trust me, instead of Google, Consult a local about how to properly see their city..and only in the hotels and few tourist place, Italians talk English (if you don't speak English,no big deal, unlike INDIA) So, He told us to go to a area called 'Trastevere' about a kilometer walk and across the Tiber River.The area was built in15th century,it's old charm will take you back to olden days..

Believe me ,it was a very beautiful walk. Rome is best explored through a walk. Cobble stone Street, beautiful walkways, narrow roads tucked by old fashioned  medieval buildings, nothing less than a magic. Our stroller was very helpful ,my daughter is 2 years old. Carrying her is difficult and she can't walk long distance.. so the stroller was a bless !!

We crossed the bridge on the Tiber River and took stairs down,on the river banks ,you will find few caffeteria.and hookah bars..My daughter was hungry and we ordered her favorite dish, french fries and my father and my husband ordered beer. For 5 Euro we get a large quantity of fries.After spending some quality time we headed to a nearby Indian restaurant, restorante indiano, as Italians call it.The prices are reasonable, the waiter said that they collect table charge, which is 1 euro per person..so recommend to take away food to our hotel..So very nice of him. While we were at restaurant,my husband went to a nearby store to get some fruits for my daughter..you will find a lot of Bangladesh people,at a local fruit stall, selling small objects, selling water bottles and stuff like that..

It was 8.30 pm ,the sun was about to set. We hired a taxi from there. On asking the fare,the drivers will give you the average cost,  if it suits your budget you can hire..

It's 10 th August, we welcomed the sun.. the Summers are really hot there.. we didn't face any problem as we are used to hot climate back here .

We had the typical English breakfast in the morning.the list goes like this.....bread ,butter, variety of jam and ham and cakes and crossiants and mozerella,my favorite and Hot chocolate !! Its really yummy.

Never search for an Indian restaurant till you are in Italy !! The Italian Cusine is popular world wide..Eat Italian when you are in Italy, for rest of your life you can eat parantha(north India) or sambar rice(south India)..

We enquired about the bus which goes to St.castle angello. The receptionist told the bus number 81 and where would it stop. Actually the bus stop is very close to the hotel and the buses have numbers which Take the certain routes and what all stops it would cover..

So after 10-15 minutes wait(they have got a display board to show which bus number is next and approximately what time it's arriving),the bus arrives and we must get off near st.castle angello, but the fun part, nobody knows where it is, we tried asking 3-4 local italians,they all looked puzzled after hearing that word. Because we pronounced it wrong,or say we asked in English! They call it santa cassello.Italian buses wouldn't display the next stop names, so it's a bit difficult to Know about the stops and where exactly we need to get down..

 Fortunately,we came across our far relative, I mean ,Mr. Bangladesh understood what were we looking for., He guided us really well and we finally reached 'santa cassello' as italians would call it . Their stood a magnificent castle across the river 

PYT  had mailed us the tickets voucher, so we easily cut the queue and were about to enter the castle when a security guy came running behind us, we are not supposed to take stroller inside because there are a lot of steps up and down and we can't carry both the baby and the stroller. So we left the stroller in the locker room near the entrance..

The castle has a history of over 1000 years. Some part of it was reconstructed. The castle is a must visit giving you the glimpse of a history..They have a story for every stone and pillars ! And the story worth to be told..

You get a beautiful view of a city on reaching the first floor.It will take minimum of 2-3 hours to explore the castle. Before going to the castle, opposite to the bridge,we found a small tobacco shop and they were selling a carton of water !! Hurry !yes ! Yes !! Water and why not , we we're paying a euro to half litre bottle..My husband was more interested to buy water than to visit st.castle..Whenever you come across such shops buy a carton of water bottle without a second thought..

After our trip to castle , we were quite exhausted, Just across the the castle, take a opposite road going down, you will find few pizzeria.We ordered spaghetti with basil pesto and a mozerella topping pizza .It was pretty tasty and the bill around 20 Euros . After that we hired a taxi to our hotel 'Palazzo Al velabro' , as usual before hiring a taxi we enquired about the fare, and the driver said it would be around 9-10 euros, since we were very tired to go by bus we agreed on that fare and started our drive..  Here's a small story about a driver, rather a experience ,he was young and carefree but honest person,  he appeared drunk and took few extra rounds before dropping us but he charged us the exact amount what he had mentioned before we boarded the taxi. We came to know that he was going in the wrong direction, we said something he said something else and after few exchange of statements he came to know what we were talking about. The taxi meter shows 15 euro but he said the bill is 10 euro because he had taken an extra round., Why would we care? We got to see the off beat streets in the taxi for free !! 

In the evening we were set to go to the Colosseum ..since it was 2-3 kms from our hotel, we decided to go by walk.. There it is , the Colosseum, again we had pre booked with 'PYT',so we could cut the queue, really a bless!! Because of it popularity,Italy attracts crowd from all over the globe..

Security check again ! and this time there weren't any lockers !We had a mini stroller which had the following items -water bottles, baby food, diapers, camera , selfie stick......and so on, maybe the would have allowed camera and bag pack, the stroller and few other items weren't allowed..So my husband waited along with the stroller while me and my father and daughter completed our much waited Colosseum trip.. there's not much of walking and it might take 30-40 minutes to watch it , unlike the museums which requires 2-3 hours. We just kept staring at those fallen walls and broken bricks, it surely take you back to those days, i mean  around 1000 years back.... It's really amazing to see something which is 1000 years old.

We boarded the bus and used our Roma pass and got down at the bus stop near our hotel. It was around 7.30 or 8 pm .,the sun was about to set , perfect time to grab a bottle of wine or beer after such a long day.. There was a small pizzeria near our hotel, men ordered beer while I was checking for vegetarian cuisine. Spaghetti is the only vegetarian food they had..After Dinner we went to the bed early, so that we could start early to the Vatican city ,the next day..We were supposed to reach there as early as possible because it is always crowded and the summer vacations add to the crowd.. 

So the next morning we get ready, since we were going to the church, we were all dressed to cover our knees and shoulders. I had read about it earlier,that visitors need to dress appropriately(avoid shorts and sleeveless).We hired the taxi to the Vatican museum. PYT had prebooked our entry tickets, we could just show the vouchers and enter.. 

We were about to enter when a Bangladeshi stopped us. He was trying to sell the tickets which we already had. He wouldn't stop there,he offered another package for 20-25 Euro per head, and that he would help us see the museum in shortest way possible! We were skeptical and didn't entertain him. He started like, you have a baby and it's very difficult  to explore by yourselves and silly things like that. For one moment I wanted to believe him but he suddenly reduced the package amount from 20 Euros to 15 Euros and said he did that because he thought Indians are like his brothers! . Now we weren't doubtful but clear that this guy is a waste of time and money and be aware of such agents. There is no need to hire such guides ,they are not authentic. So we firmly said 'no' to  him and entered the museum..

We produced our PYT vouchers at the counters and went through the security checks, they allowed the

Baby food and stroller, we also had another stroller that had extra few things which they didn't allow. They issued us token , upon producing it we would get our bags back.. So tickets were verified, our extra bags at the security deposit, we were all set to explore the Vatican museum !! The moment we hear the word Vatican ,it reminds us of our history books back in school days! Not only does it have a rich history,but is a mystery in itself ! The country lies within the Rome city, population less than 5,000 and is a home to the pope. Sistine Chappelle is the largest Catholic church in the world.and Vatican museum is the largest museum in the world. It takes months to explore Vatican museum. 4-5 days to just  glance at all the paintings and monuments briefly,but with that summer crowd and a overactive kid,We had no option but to cover it with-in 4-5 hours..  The paintings and monuments are centuries old and so beautiful that they take your breath away. And it's difficult and unfair to describe its beauty in words. Just go there and watch it and bring back the memories..We have been there, watched the paintings, touched the monuments (check before, if you are allowed to touch), we could feel the presence of the artists who have poured their hearts out into the paintings and monuments ! 

We collected our bag from security deposit and arrived at the exit. we found a Caravan selling snacks, just what we needed. we ordered double scoop Gelato and a vegetarian sandwich, so now we had our quick lunch and we had a half day left and we were super tired.. just wondering what to do next and Voila!! we found a hop on hop off bus, just what we needed..it was €12 per person and they would cover the major attractions and it would take around an hour..so  it was a good idea to give some rest to our legs while we see the city. so we hopped on quickly to gaze  the beautiful city of Rome. We hoped, the journey of cobblestone streets mediaeval buildings and clear skies never ended but all beautiful things must end !!  Bus dropped us at the Saint Peter's square which is  just besides the museum ,we walked down till the Saint Peter's square observed the beautiful architectural buildings  and headed back. on the way back we found few water taps and we were quick to refill our bottles and not to forget there was a queue for that.There were also few Pizzeria and tobacco shops,it's called tabacherri shops in Italy,where we bought some beer . we hire the taxi to our hotel we again enquire taxi fare before we hire.As soon as we reached the hotel,  we all got the quick nap and were up for some more sightseeing.We had couple of things on mind, like trevi fountain and Spanish steps, which would again be energy consuming and super crowded , we just wanted to spend some alone quality time with the city !! So we skipped it and took a off beat path and started walking down any street which we felt like walking....After walking some distance, we found a square (you'll find such squares every few kilometers).My daughter was sleeping in her stroller, we just sat on the steps and started to stare our surrounding, which looked like it was a beautiful painting. The sun was about to set, the sky was golden,the breeze was cool.. I just wanted to sit there forever staring at nothing !!

After that , We took the tram to the same Jaipur restaurant and ordered some rice, to keep it light because we had train the next morning to the Florence !!

India Vs Australia

I may not have observed Aussies very closely, but in a short trip I could make out a few differences between them and us!

Go to the Gym? I don't have time!

One thing I have noticed is, most of them are always running. I mean, not running between office and home (like most of us) but yes! Running!! With their Nike shoes on and their ears stuffed with earphones and not to forget those shorts, revealing their long attractive legs! If Aussies are not eating or working, they are running. Well, we Indians? If we are not eating, working, cooking, watching T.V, gossiping or stuck in traffic, then we think of going to the gym ..

Well toned bodies! Don't we love it?

Because physical exercise is an important part of their lifestyle, their bodies are well toned.Almost any dress goes well on them. Once, I spotted a fruit stall near a convenience store on a busy street in central Sydney. I saw a beautiful young lady in her 20's standing next to that stall. With that simple white T­shirt and jeans shorts and a pony tail, she looked utterly stylish.Yeah! I remember all the details!! I was wearing my shades so I had all the liberty to stare at anybody who were in their shorts. Since in India, we don't usually bump into such beauty on the streets, I just couldn't help but stare. I was looking for the fruit stall owner, after a few minutes, the same lady approached me with a big smile on her face. "Hey there! Are you looking to buy some fruits?" WHAT?? She is a fruit seller???? I would have believed her if she were Chinese (with the whole world being "made in china", the Chinese are found on every corner of this planet). She said "buy three apples for two dollars”. How on earth did she know that I was not going to spend anything more than two dollars!! You have got to believe me, I looked like a fruits seller in front of her, in spite of being a software engineer.

Ever smiled at a stranger?

Once a middle ­aged lady at the airport smiled at me, just like that. I had no clue why she smiled, because we were strangers to each other. Was there something on my face? Or did my hair look funny? It kept bugging me for some time. Yes! We Indians don't exchange smiles with strangers unlike foreigners. I have noticed it several times, if there is even a minute of eye contact, they instantly smile. The first time I experienced it, I was head over heels!  YAY!! A foreigner smiled at me, it felt like I  be-­friended Barack Obama. (One suggestion,don't ever try this with our people, or you would be sending out a lot of wrong signals!!!!)

Traffic, we hate it as much as we hate losing a match to Pakistan.

It’s very common to see Indians break traffic rules! We try to always rush because it’s only when we are stuck in traffic that we realize, time is precious!! It may also be because, our administrative system is not strict.

We find it really annoying to segregate our wastes.

We bribe god to cut through the queue in the temples!!

I think, we are the number one rule breakers in our own country. But the same Indian in another country cannot afford to break any rules. May be because we follow what we see. But foreigners follow their country's rules, like a five year old following orders from their granny. Their cars are neatly parked, drivers following the lane, public(kids to elders) follow the queue. However crowded the place is, because of public co­ordination everything is administered in an orderly fashion. With everything appearing so orderly, you yourself get the sense of discipline without anybody's command!

Some Butter Please (makhan maar ke) !

I once heard that, "firangs" have dinner very early. Early is not 8.pm or 9.pm , early is 5.30 to ­ 6.30,in the evening!! Me being a hard core Indian, had two questions, truly and completely based on Indian mind set.

1) What time do they have snacks??

2) Don't they feel hungry again while sleeping??

for us, 7.pm is Pakoda and chai time and dinner would be after 10.pm.

Anyway, I am proud to be Indian and "We are like this only" !!