Mysore Palace, Lake, and Green Hotel

watching other trains go by…

Train from Bangalore to Mysore, India

women by train tracks between Bangalore and Mysore

It was somewhere on the train between Bangalore and Mysore that I first noticed the sky, shiny and blue overhead.  There were clouds, real, white clouds, and, it being early enough in the morning, I even saw the moon. How I had missed the sky when it had vanished behind pollution.

sunset on Mysore Lake

one of the most peaceful spots on our journey…

bridge near Mysore Lake

Mysore was unlike any part of India we’ve been to yet.  For one, it was quieter.  It was cleaner.  Kevin and I left the hotel every night, walking down a dusty road to a tree-filled university.  We’d wander through the trees till we came to a lake.  Then we’d slowly follow the path around the edge of the dark water, staring at the giant white birds flocking in the trees.

welcome to the Green Hotel

The love-fest continued at our hotel: Hotel Green, a former palace to the princesses of Mysore. Tile floors, exposed wood beams on the ceilings, green plants everywhere; I could have lived in the place quite happily.  Outside, manicured gardens (a little too manicured for my taste, but still quite lovely) were as refreshing as the blue sky, and an outdoor restaurant served delicious food.  Add to that, this was a British non-profit.  The workers received fair wage, the building was eco-friendly, and all the profits went to the improving the local community, this was a special hotel and probably my favorite out of the whole three-month trip.

Note: there is a planned power outage in Mysore every night for about an hour, but the hotel & restaurant were well prepared & we experienced no problem with it.

inside the Green Hotel

dining area of Green Hotel

Another place to see in Mysore is the beautiful Mysore Palace:

Outside the Mysore Palace, Mysore India

Mysore Palace

Mysore Palace