Today the cycling begins, so it's up early and on the bikes whilst it is still cool, and the traffic isn't so manic on the roads. The bikes come equipped with loud wells, which we already use often to let everyone else know we are there. Sometimes it works! Although the brightly painted bullock cart is bigger than me, so he go the right of way - but it gave me the chance to snap him though.
This area is much more agricultural than the other parts of India we have been in. Here we are cycling alongside paddy fields, some with rice waiting for harvest, others planted and irrigated and others just ploughed and waiting for a new crop.
On the way we stopped at the Tippu sultans mosque. See the tower, that's the 'letter box' for the homing pigeons? It was the only means of communicating way back then.
Outside many of the homes are the mandala patterns. Drawn by hand there are many symmetrical patterns.
Our destination was the ruins of Srirangapatnam which are on an island. So we crossed the river Cauvery and cycled round the ramparts. We stopped by the river, where the ghats are used for both religious and more practical purposes - under the watchful eye of the resident monkey pack. I am pleased to report that there was not a holy coconut in sight!
Tea break was by the side of the road. The spirals are a deep fried spices snack. Not bad if you can get over the deep fried aspect.
We took our shoes off and went to look at the Ranganathaswamy Temple....along with everyone else in the surrounding countryside it seemed? As you can see....here there were the holy coconuts and everything else, fortunately we are much wiser now.
As I said earlier, we share the road with many different vehicles and livestock.
It's a bit tricky to see, but if you squint you can just make out the rather splendid golden horns of these to ox. The oxen and the few sheep we have seen also seem to have been daubed with yellow - turmeric? Not sure why, could it be a disinfectant or mere pre- seasoning??
The queues in the temple had delayed us, so once we returned to the hotel and changed we took tuctucks to lunch. Rather like the wacky races!
Lunch was a typical southern Indian dosa with some coconut chutney, served on a banana leaf.
Ruins and palaces are fine, but it's the street life I enjoy seeing when I travel. Everything seems available on the streets, although I doubt the English team will be using this vendor as their bat supplier!
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