Whitefield, Bangalore in Pictures - Part 1

A water buffalo crossing the road amidst heavy traffic in Bangalore. I realized that it is not uncommon to see a cow, water buffalo or a hard of goats traveling on the roads in India. Even so, it's always fascinating to see animals in the mix of cars and people.

One of many flyovers being constructed all over Bangalore. There is construction going on everywhere you turn in Bangalore - new roads, metro stations, office buildings, hotels, malls and homes/apartments are being built at a phenomenal speed.

Once upon a time, Bangalore was known as the Garden City of India. 

Sadly, 50% of it's trees have been cut down to make way for modern development.  In the past 2-3 years, a whopping 50,000 trees have been sacrificed.

Phoenix Marketcity in Whitefield, Bangalore is a brand new mall that opened recently to cater to the emerging middle class of Bangaloreans. Indians love malls, it's a perfect place for a family outing. The only California Pizza Kitchen outside of Mumbai is located here, it is jam-packed on the weekends, 5 - 6 tables are put together to accommodate extended Indian families. We've been there now 3 times and each time the salad is fresh, pizza piping hot and delicious. The American-style wait staff have met our expectations and more. Is it that I miss California cuisine? The food here seems to hit the spot for me.

Phoenix Marketcity outdoor area

Phoenix Marketcity food court

Recycling in Bangalore

Streets of Bangalore are a feast for the eyes. 
Can you guess what they do?

No helmets, no rules, no problem. You are at your own risk.

People perched over cardboard boxes behind a truck. 

This kind of huge truck hauling 'what-have-you' is seen everywhere in Bangalore. It's not fun being stuck behind one of these trucks, I worry that something might slide off when it goes over a speed hump.

A fruit stand on the side of the road in Bangalore

This vegetable stall boasts the freshest vegetables and the best prices in town. I can surely vouch for that, a head of cauliflower is 10 cents. Nuff said.

The congestion in Bangalore affects everyone one way or the other. It affects productivity, economy and most of all, people's mood. Everyone is permanently late for appointments and engagements, for work and for school. For a distance one would expect to take 1/2 hr, with congestion it can take over 1 1/2 hrs. It drives everyone crazy. This also brings about bad behavior on the road, everyone is eager to go an inch fast than the other. Every car elbows their way just to move a foot or two and most of the time traffic is at a dead stop. Two lane traffic turns into three, sometimes four, car lanes, with lines of motorcycles weaving into the mix, and all this sitting amidst the noise of cars and buses honking their horns and water tankers blowing out their exhaust fumes. It is truly exhausting to experience Bangalore traffic.

Flora and Fauna of Bangalore

Bangalore has 12 months of blooming season. It seems there are new flowers blooming each and everyday. I can't take my eyes off of their colors, the variety and the curious look of them. I haven't come across such an extraordinary array of flowers in a single city, continuous through the year.

In the thick of Bangalore: Home is Bangalore

It's been four months since we packed up from Los Angeles and made our way to Bangalore. How our life has changed is indescribable. Before moving to Bangalore, our Indian friends noted that we will need the following to stay in Bangalore - a maid and a driver, and perhaps a nanny and a cook too. As foreigners we were advised to live in a area called Whitefield in a gated community. My immediate reply was "No way"! Not us, we are not your typical expats. 

Whatever I resisted and rebelled, I have fully submitted to the workings of life here. We hired a maid and a driver, we live in a gated community in Whitefield. We have become the picture perfect Bangalore expats. I can't help to paraphrase, 'when in India, do as Indians do' and we sure have.

The reality is... living in India is a whole another beast! For one thing, the pollution in Bangalore is horrendous - the car/bus/auto-rickshaw fumes, people spitting out of car windows and men standing on sidewalks urinating, not to mention the constant honking and filthy water and sludge from leaking sewers…you get the picture. And in fact, nothing is open before 10am, most after 10, so even if I want to zip around to get some groceries, shops don't open before 10. By that time traffic is in full force. A 10min trip can turn into 45min+ idling on the road. Did I mention Bangalore roads and drivers? I'll save that for another post. All said and done, we have made a life in Bangalore.

Whitefield is an area in the eastern part of Bangalore where most of the global technology companies are located. The place is filled with tech parks left and right. Hence the area is filled with expats from the US, Europe as well as NRIs (Non-Resident Indians, or at least Indians who used to be NRIs and are now RIs). There are many services that cater specifically to the people who live here. I have found a great fish monger, a organic green grocer and a deli with imported cheese and cured meats. I especially love the Korean restaurant, Arirang in Kammanhalli that has great food in a home country setting. This restaurant also has imported goods from Korea, and best of all, they make and deliver fresh tofu and kimchee and many other Korean food items to my house once a week! Having such familiarities has been a pleasant surprise.

I joined Oversea's Women's Club, http://www.owcbangalore.org/.  There are 800+ members, a great network of expats who are based in Bangalore, some permanent and some temporary. The helping hands, feet and ears of this 800 strong  group has helped me tremendously to get my life started here and embraced me as a part of their family and friends.  This group has been around for 15+ years and is running at full speed with numerous charity groups, playgroups for children, mothers-to-be group, cooking classes, travel programs, yoga group, book club, many cultural events, and so many options to fit anyone's bill. Having such a support system is great!

With all the exciting discoveries, at times...India is hard to face. It is too real and at the same time, it is unreal. It's in your face, it's loud, it's smelly, it's colorful, it's mind-numbing, it's incomprehensible, it's salty, it's oily, it's wet, it's sticky, it's slow, it's complicated, it's chaotic, it's exhausting, it's dusty, it's congested, it's unpredictable, it's wild, it's unapologetic, it's unruly, it's uncompromising, it's dangerous, it's abrupt and it's more than I can describe!

For now, Bangalore is home. A bittersweet home.

In the thick of Bangalore: Streets of Bangalore

I tripped on this slab of concrete protruding on to the sidewalk.

On a small street in Indra Nagar, a concrete block is dug up from a huge pot hole to separate lanes.

An open waste water drain next to the side walk. People prefer walking on the street to walking on the sidewalks here.

A pile of trash thrown on the side of a building, not a uncommon scene.

An open and unused power box on the street. I'm not sure if any of the lines that are coming out from the ground are live or not...

Stray dogs are also a common scene in the streets of Bangalore. I remember the first time I visited India 10 years ago, there were packs of them roaming the streets. I did notice that there are less of them now, but I recently read that a stray dog killed a toddler playing outside.

Another pile here, this one looks like it's been here awhile and is taking over the street and the sidewalk.

This is where Vitta Mallya Road, Lavelle Road and Walton Road intersect.   We are staying a short distance away on Walton Road. One of the busier areas in Bangalore, with no traffic light at the intersection. I've seen two car accidents, in front of my eyes, in the past month.

Leela's Eats - Vegetable Patties

Cooking for Leela, a one and half year old, in Bangalore has been a challenge. I'm on the lookout for organic and naturally grown ingredients, which are not as readily available as in the USA or UK. I have found a few organic grocers in Bangalore, but they are not exclusively organic, or the produce is not marked and mixed with non-organic goods. You have to be diligent about asking the shop clerk. Nonetheless, it is not difficult to find locally-grown and fresh produce. I'm sure in time, I will come across more options. For now, I will have to make do with what I come across and cook for my hungry princess.

Vegetable patties are great food for kids. It's not only easy to make, it's nutritious and a variety of vegetables can be easily added or substituted. I also add a sprinkle of hard cheese like Cheddar or Gruyere to the mixture if I have some on hand.

VEGETABLE PATTIES

makes about a 8 - 10 patties

Ingredients:

2 cups of Potatoes - boiled and mashed, 

1 cup of Broccoli - steamed and cut into tiny bits

1 cup of Aubergine (eggplant), - steamed or roasted and mashed

1 cup of Zucchini - strips are pan-fried and cut into small dice

add salt to taste

Put all the ingredients in to a bowl, and mix well (mix with one hand, the warmth of the hand works the gluten from the potato which helps to bind the mixture without adding eggs). Shape the mixture into the size of a golf ball. Gently press the ball in your palm to flatten it to form a patty. Make all the patties ready for pan-frying. Add a table spoon (or less depending on how many patties you have to fry) of oil of your choice to a frying pan on medium heat. Gently place the patties on the frying pan. Flip the patties only once; otherwise, it will fall apart. Fry the patties about 3 - 5 minutes on each side (all the ingredients are cooked so you don't need over cook it), until a golden-brown crust forms on the skin. Serve the patties warm, or allow them to cool to room temperature.

*Please note:

You can keep the patties in the freezer up to a week. When ready to serve, thaw in the fridge and pan-fry once more without oil (putting a lid over the frying pan will speed up the heating).