Bangalore City blooms every winter, with colorful flowers adorning the trees just at the time they shed their leaves. Jacaranda, Tabebuia, Gulmohar, African Tulip and Copper Red trees paint the town in bright colors. But some names I do not know, and have often spent long times searching for them on the internet. I stumbled on a page in Karthik’s Journal today, listing details of Bangalore’s flowering trees along with images.
For those who would want to know more information about these trees, I have tried to put together some information and pictures for 26 species that are often seen.
For those who do not know, Karthik is one of the best known naturalists in Bangalore. He once worked with World Wildlife Fund for Nature, and is currently with Jungle Lodges and Resorts. See his bio on his website.
My taste buds have been very active these days.
I got down from a bus this evening and walked to my house a kilometer away, giving some business to all small eateries on the way. My first pit-stop was to buy a Rs.2 pack of roasted groundnuts from a cart-vendor who usually stood next to a bus-stop. Before I was done with the pack, I arrived at the juice-center I regularly haunt, and asked for a pineapple juice. Next, I paused briefly at a bakery, thinking of buying a Butterscotch Cornetto, but decided to skip it at the last moment. I then visited a nearby tender coconut vendor instead. After coconut, I was keen to stop for a helping of deep fried small vade, but they were not ready yet. My next temptation was sugar canes(not the juice, but cane itself), which have been in my mind for a long time, but gave it a miss too, thinking of the struggle involved in eating it. But I would have loved to be eating all of them – the vade, sugarcane and cornetto.
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Map of popular restaurants in Bangalore
I find it hard to give a miss to anything edible that I see these days. Groundnuts have been an old temptation, but pineapple juice is a new craving that started after I had a glass of it at Koshy‘s a few months ago. But my hunger is not limited to street food – I have been restaurant hopping a lot lately.
I went big on eating out only recently, starting by devouring Raviolis at Fiorano a few months ago. More Italian food happened with Little Italy‘s excellent pasta preparations. And then Barbecue Nation‘s grills were appetizing. There was simpler food on the menu too – Shanti Sagar‘s oota, rich with veggies and neer dosa from Emgees have never failed me.
Ice Creams are another temptation I can’t keep off. The ice cream binge started six months ago in Delhi when I ate Butterscotch Pralines at CP’s Saravana Bhavan twice a day for three continuous days. After that, it was fig and honey in Corner House which had me addicted. Discovering Gelatissimo is the highlight of my ice cream raids: their Irish Coffee and Sizzling Brownie Sundae are not easy to resist. But Cream and Fudge failed to make a mark, though there were some expectations before I went there.
No matter what I eat, the good old masala dosa and uddina vade will always remain the favourites. I always end up yearning for these after a few days of exotica, and go for them like I had never seen them before. It has already been a while since I have had a masala dosa. The unusually expensive new menu at South Indies and the waiter’s question – “what gravy would you like to order with dosa” – put me off from ordering one recently. After a go at a large variety of sizzlers at 5 Elements yesterday, I am now looking forward to a good dosa at one of the good old places.
After a long time, there is one more addition to my list of Weekend Destinations/Picnic Places near Bangalore – Manchanabele dam. Not that I had never been there; but another visit last week reminded me that it is pending on India Travel Blog.
Manchanabele is small village where a dam is built across Arkavati river. The backwaters of the dam form a large lake with hills surrounding it in all directions. When driving, it appears suddenly when you go over a ridge, and unfailingly makes you go ‘wow’ at the first view.
It is a good place to spend a few hours whiling, walking around the lake or sitting somewhere on the bank. The river water is clean but often you will little bit of trash where the road skirts the lake. It would be worthwhile to go for long walks on the hills surrounding the lake too.
On the way to Manchanabele is Doddaalada mara, or the Big Banyan Tree, an old and huge banyan tree and a well known place for a visit. While you are at Manchanabele, you can also get to see the prominent rocky hill of Savanadurga raising up far away.
Manchanabele Information
Below is an interactive map. Zoom in to get a closer look or drag the map to see an area outside the map. There is some degree of speculation involved in mapping the route from Mysore Road to Manchanabele, but it is most likely without any errors. To be sure, please read the directions below, which is accurate, and use it as a reference.
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Map and driving directions from Bangalore to Manchanabele
Directions, how to reach: Take Mysore Road out of Bangalore and drive past Kengeri, where you will see a right turn leading towards Big Banyan Tree and Manchanabele. Turn here and drive straight to get to Big Banyan Tree. You can stop here to see the big tree. Continue on the same road till you reach a small village called ‘Chandrappa Circle’. Turn left here and drive for another 15 minutes to get to Manchanabele Dam. The last 15 minutes of the road doesn’t have tarmac, but your car should not have much problems making it. There is also another way from Magadi Road to reach Manchanabele.
Restaurants/food/accommodation: No food or accommodation is available anywhere near the lake. A dhaba that used to exist on the lake shore sometime back is now closed. On the way, 15 minutes before Manchanabele is Ruppi’s resort. I haven’t been there though, and don’t know if they have a restaurant that serves everyone.