DAILY PHOTO: Bangalore Beef Market

Taken on March 16, 2014 in Bangalore.

Taken on March 16, 2014 in Bangalore.

Taken on March 16, 2014 in Bangalore.

Taken on March 16, 2014 in Bangalore.

You may be curious about whether one can get a steak or a burger in the land in which McDonald’s restaurants substitutes [chicken] Maharaja Macs for the iconic beef Big Mac. Indeed one can, and it’s not that hard to find, nor that expensive–though it does often involve going a little out of one’s way. A typical supermarket–if they sell meat–sells only chicken and mutton (the two globally non-offending meats–except among the vegetarian/vegan crowd.)

As one might expect, the beef trade is dominated by Muslim merchants.

I couldn’t recommend this particular place. (I have a robust digestive system by Western standards, but eating a steak acquired here would probably kill me instantly.) While you could probably get an animal butchered right there–insuring the ultimate freshness–I suspect these are mostly the garbage-eating cows seen around the city. The fact that there is a pet store attached to the beef market and that carrion eaters are constantly circling overhead is enough for me to shop elsewhere.

The Beef Market is located quite near the Russell Martket, near Commercial Street.

 

DAILY PHOTO: The Colors of Holi

Taken in October of 2013 in KR (City) Market in Bangalore.

Taken in October of 2013 in KR (City) Market in Bangalore.

As I skipped posting Daily Photos over the weekend, I’m posting two today–in honor of a Western and an Indian holiday respectively.  Holi is the festival of colors, and today one can see plenty of people with faces and clothing powdered in vivid colors. In the markets one sees these conical piles of color defying gravity in a most stubborn fashion. FYI- Today isn’t the day to wear your finest, pristine white dress shirt.

DAILY PHOTO: Saint Patrick’s Church in Bangalore

20140313_064206This is Saint Patrick’s Church in Bangalore in honor of St. Paddy’s Day.

 

DAILY PHOTO: Coracle Captain

Taken in November of 2013 at Hampi

Taken in November of 2013 at Hampi.

This 89 pound man rowed tourists (usually weighing much more than 89 pounds a piece–and sometimes including five or six per group) upstream, and then float them back downstream.  He was definitely putting his back into it.

First World Problems Are So Adorable

 

How deep is it? No one knows.

How deep is it? No one knows.

In the interest of enhancing global understanding and camaraderie, I’ve built a translator of common first world (FW) problems–putting them in terms of their Rest of the World (RoW) equivalents.

FW: This food needs salt.
RoW: This food needs food.

FW: My health insurance premiums went up $20 per month.
RoW: My right foot, which recently turned from purple to black, just fell off.

FW: My car is in the shop again.
RoW: My right foot, which recently turned from purple to black, just fell off.

FW: It’s raining again today.
RoW: My house was washed off its foundations and is currently floating down the Brahmaputra River.

FW: Looks like those devils from the other party got a majority in the legislature.
RoW: This coup was particularly bloody.

FW: Squirrels are getting into my bird feeder.
RoW: A tiger ate my family.

FW: A traffic jam made me late for Pilates class.
RoW: While limping through the Kyber Pass to get antibiotics for my right stump, I was socked in by an unanticipated blizzard.

FW: My GPS says this road cuts under the interstate, but now I’ve got to go around.
RoW: What’s GPS?

DAILY PHOTO: Peeking BBMP Building

Taken on March 12, 2014 in Bangalore

Taken on March 12, 2014 in Bangalore.

Taken from across Mysore Road near the front of Badami House (the Karnataka State Tourism office.)

DAILY PHOTO: Bangalore Fort: The Tiny Attraction You Probably Missed

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20140312_171102

20140312_171018The inscription reads: “Through this breach the British assault was delivered March 21, 1791.” I guess that means that the 223rd anniversary of the British attack on Bangalore is right around the corner.

Bangalore Fort is a tiny piece of the 16th century Vijayanagar fortification that remains intact–it’s all that remains. It’s located between city market and Tipu Sultan’s Bangalore Palace. As it takes only about 10 minutes to walk through, a lot of people don’t even realize it’s there.

 

DAILY PHOTO: Say, “Hello Kitty,” and Eat Lead

Taken in January of 2014 at Phuket, Thailand

Taken in January of 2014 at Phuket, Thailand

These billboards are all over Phuket, which isn’t to say that it’s one identical billboard (or even just one shooting range), but billboards showing ALMOST the widest possible demographic enjoying their arms.  I say “almost” because for some reason they don’t include any old folks. I’m a little offended by that. Do they think that seeing crotchety elders holding guns will scare their potential customers, or are the old just not sexy enough for the advertising world?

I wonder if there was irony intended with the little girl with the Hello Kitty! shirt, bows in her hair, and gun bigger than her head in her hands?

DAILY PHOTO: Sittin’ on the Grass: or, I Don’t Get Art

Taken on March 10, 2014 in Bangalore.

Taken on March 10, 2014 in Bangalore.

This sculpture is on the MG Road Art Station promenade. If it were an actual guy, he’d be hauled off to the drunk tank, but because he’s stone, it’s art.

DAILY PHOTO: Corporation Circle Monument

Taken in February of 2014 in Bangalore

Taken in February of 2014 in Bangalore