Hello there!
After a good relaxing night from our first day in Mysore (Have a look at the first day here), we got ready to head out for our second day of exploring Mysore. It was a sunny Sunday and we had multiple spots lined up and had a long day ahead of us so buckle up!
Original Vinayaka Mylari
|
|
|
|---|
Started in the year 1938, this aged old hotel serves only two dishes, Masala Dosa and Idlis.
Masala Dosa, a popular South Indian dish is a crispy crepe made from fermented rice and lentil batter. Inside the dosa, a potato filling is added, and this is served with some sambar (lentil-based curry) and coconut chutney (coconut pulp ground mixed with spices and water).
An Idli is another popular south Indian breakfast that is typically a savory rice cake. They are made by steaming a batter consisting of fermented black lentils and rice. This fermented rice cakes are usually served with sambar and coconut chutney as well.
So, what makes this hotel special other than the fact that it’s been running for 87 years? – the Dosa!
|
|
|
|---|
As opposed to the commercial masala dosa, the dosa here is always well fermented and fried on a wood fired grill. It’s fluffy and soft on the inside with a crisp outer layer. Another difference is instead of a traditional potato filling, a mixed vegetable filling is added inside, and it’s topped with a dollop of a homemade butter and served along with fresh coconut chutney.
My girlfriend always likes a good crispy masala dosa and we were skeptical that she might not like a fluffier one. We spread the butter all over the dosa and that was that. No further skepticism or doubts, this is now her new favorite masala dosa. Even though the filling was well-seasoned, it was easy on the stomach which made it a very healthy and wholesome breakfast. I was tempted to have another one, it was that amazing, but I held back since we had another spot to visit.
We quickly ordered some coffee and paid a total of 147 INR (1.71 USD) for two masala dosa and two coffees. Unbelievable that we can get amazing food that cheap!
We quickly headed to the next spot which was not on our radar but decided to give it a go from an online recommendation. This was a bakery in the heart of the city which would open its doors at 10:30 AM and have limited baked goodies for the day, so they close the shop once everything is sold out.
The Local Friendly Bakery
This small café had only 2 small tables to sit outside since many who visited preferred takeaway. We reached a few minutes early and had a check through their window where they displayed the baked goodies.
We ordered the Apricot Hamantaschen and a Peanut Butter and Jelly Croissant. We had 30 minutes to spare before heading to the next location, so we decided to sit outside the shop. The café was a small and cute with an open kitchen and friendly staff.
|
|
|
|---|
The croissant wasn’t very flaky, but it tasted like a nice crisp PB and J sandwich, which was good enough for me. The hamantaschen was new to me and I probably wouldn’t order it, but it was my girlfriend’s pick and like always, she was spot on. The apricot flavor came through so well amid the buttery pastry on the sides.
We also got a Blueberry Lemon Meringue Danish since a fresh batch just came out while we were paying the bill, and we just couldn’t resist. We took it in a to-go box and moved to a big part of the itinerary- to visit the oldest zoo in India.
Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens, aka, Mysore Zoo.
Opened in the year 1892, the zoo was initially made as a private menagerie for the Mysore King. Over the years the zoo has been renovated multiple times, and it now holds over 168 species spread across 157 acres.
The Zoo layout has been well planned with each renovation making the exploration much more efficient. We parked our scooter in the dedicated parking across the road. The Zoo had an underground entrance so we could avoid crossing the road.
We reached the booking counter and realised there was an option to book it online as well which was seamless and fast. The ticket cost us 200 INR (2.33 USD) per person. They had other fees such as 200 INR (2.33 USD) for carrying a Video camera, 100 INR (1.17 USD) for still camera/DSLR and 50 INR (0.58 USD) for a child’s ticket.
We moved in and began our journey through the bird enclosure. They had almost 47 species of birds in the enclosure- from Pheasants, Owls and Parakeets to the more exotic Macaws and Flamingos, we enjoyed seeing these vibrantly colored creatures. Although it was a bit sad to see them restricted, it was nice to see the enclosures kept clean and the birds being kept as a couple/group. The Zoo also had a few leopards, two Bengal tigers and a few lions in the enclosure.
Most of the animals were bought in from another country or were transferred from another zoo around the Globe.
Since we were in the zoo during the feeding time, most of the animals were either eating or taking a nice nap after a big meal. The sun was not in our favor today and the heat was so atrocious, that these majestic giants were taking refuge under their gazebos too.
We came across a gorilla enclosure with a very grumpy silver back gorilla whose lunch was late, and he was portraying his frustration by kicking the door repeatedly.
|
|
|
|---|
|
|
|
|---|
We then made it to the reptiles who were having a lovely afternoon nap. The python was cuddling himself while there were two cobras cuddling each other, the green vine snakes were exploring the enclosure while the king cobra was just relaxing on his rock watching the visitors.
The crocodiles were trying to get some shade from the harsh sun while one came out of her bath and sat to get some sun.
Next, we entered an open bird enclosure where there were countless birds which are typically found around the lakes and riverbeds. We noticed a beautiful pair of black swans having a calm swim.
|
|
|
|---|
As we moved out, we noticed multiple species from the Deer family, some extremely muscular Indian Gaurs, Sloth bears as well as Asian and African Elephants. Upon asking the elephant caretaker, we came to know that the elephants had a special oil on their forehead and toes to keep them cool despite the heat from the sun.
|
|
|
|---|
At the end of the park, we encountered the most beautiful and calm animals, the Giraffes.
These majestic beings were having their afternoon lunch. Among multiple adults, there was a baby giraffe who was born a year ago and was still not used to humans staring at her while she eats her lunch. All of them were being watched by the eldest giraffe from a distance. This elder was standing tall in pride. My girlfriend particularly enjoyed these ones, and they quickly became her favorite animal.
We head toward the exit and we both put experiencing an Animal Safari on our bucket list. While seeing these animals was really enthralling and the Zoo seemed to be extremely focused on their welfare, it still feels like they would rather be in their natural habitat, wild and free.
After walking almost 5KM, the hunger was beginning to kick in, so we headed to a restaurant which has been running for almost 50 years and makes some amazing Andhra Biryani for lunch. Stay tuned for that!
