Chickpete, we went, we saw and we want more.....

 Chickpet (pete -means market) is in the oldest part of Bangalore and these market streets date back to the 16th century when they were originally ploughed by oxen. The wares sold on these streets were bought by royalty and exported all over the world - it was the central hub of the city. Words can't do justice to these wonderful shops and sellers and life in all its glories happening there on the street, in front of your eyes, in your ears and under your nostrils. This epitomizes all I love about India but also all that can drive you crazy!

It may seem exaggerated to describe this as an adventure but it certainly felt like one - we didn't see any other palefaces, but anyone who bothered to look at us either wanted their pic taken or just probably thought we were a trifle eccentric or weird but not worth a second look (sorry Lisa!)

There were a phenomenal number of tiny little shops, all crammed together, bursting at the seams with everything you could imagine - but all in order. We walked through the electrical section, the pots and pans, the silks and fabrics.......

Not to mention the wonderful colours of the flowers strung into garlands.

The streets abounded with the sublime and the ridiculous, the sensible and the incongruous and the old and the new:

This guy is laughing himself silly (probably looking at us!), next to a very pale dummy in punjabi dress with turban, next to a white sequined, red big collared, highly blinged Saturday Night Fever shirt and jacket........go figure!!

This pic was taken on one of the street corners - people live up there behind the billboards -see the laundry hanging and the rain collection tubs, talk about keeping your eye on your business.

Every so often the most beautifully, intricately carved temple would appear as if from nowhere, cheek by jowl
with the crazy commerce on either side.

So many of these little side streets, seemingly disappearing into a warren of more and more shops. Too much for us to cope with on one trip, but we will be back....

Being, only expats after all, on one of our maiden voyages, we had to retreat into the clam of UB city, to a french sandwich bar, to recharge and refresh!