Friday, February 28, 2014

Bank, Movie, Reception, Movie, Museum - weekend with friend

Manoj, with whom I used to travel in train/bus to and fro Tirupur-Coimbatore (50+km) during college days, came over to Bangalore (15,16 Feb 2014). He had some work in bank, wanted to meet me but on one condition - no trek :-/ It is more than 50 days now since I last went to a trek :(

He woke me up around 5:45am on Saturday and I managed to convey how to get bus to CMH road and to get a daily pass. I prepared poha for breakfast (coffee too before that :P) - managed to make it salty (despite my experience being less salt most of the time I cook for myself). Bank work (getting PIN for debit card and KYC form) at SBI PBB in Koramangla went smoothly and we had plenty of time left for the day before going to Tumkur for Yashwanth's reception.

After fruit juice, we decided to go Phoenix Marketcity and Decathlon on Whitefield road. We got lucky to get a bus till NGEF (avoided about a km walk from KFC to Old Madras Road) and traffic was pretty thin too. While waiting for bus to mall, Sun decided to make us feel the heat (after a cool morning).

I was carrying a handy Quechua foldable bag which had to go through security check 3-4 times as we moved about in the Phoenix mall trying to locate PVR cinemas. We ignored the signs in very large mall pointed PVR outside of the mall. I was assuming PVR to be in some floor inside the mall itself :P. After security guards pointed what the signs had said all along, we went out and saw that PVR was building by itself.

Lot of things to like about this PVR complex - large lounge, lots of screens to indicate current and upcoming movies, some cut-outs for famous ones (also for viewers to take pics :P), very nice sofas to wait, large restrooms (but didn't some arrangements inside), etc.We pondered between Tamil movie or Robocop or Frozen. I wanted to see Frozen, but still we went back inside Phoenix to check imdb rating - but wifi didn't catch on, so Manoj connected via telecom operator itself and Frozen was chosen.

We bought tickets (250 bucks each since it was weekend), had lunch and then went to Decathlon. I checked out cycles (gotta buy one soon) and then after lot of window shopping, Manoj got a T-shirt for himself and his younger brother.

Movie was awesome. A mickey mouse short film (started in black and white & then awesome 3D effects mixing with color) preceded the movie. Gotta see the movie again. The song 'Let it Go' has become my first addiction to a English song :P

By the time we came out, it was 5:30PM - about half an hour late to our estimation (because of ads and short film). It took 3:30 hours more to reach Tumkur for my colleague Yashwanth's marriage (bus pass helped us to changes buses to Hebbal, Yeshwantpur, another local stop and then finally catch KSRTC to Tumkur - not without drama though, the conductor told us we will have to go standing, we agreed only to find lot of empty seats! Perhaps he wanted to avoid the crowd that came in later to have more seats). It also meant, we could catch car pooling that our office colleagues had arranged.

We reached the reception paying an autowala 40 bucks for about a km (who initially asked Rs 70!). Immediately went to stage, wished the couple, stood for photo and then went to have dinner! Last four of office colleagues were having dinner. We finished soon and then hitched a ride with them back (6 in 4 seater car :P. But then two of us were wafer thin :D)

It was midnight when the long day finally ended (even longer for Manoj). It meant shelving our plan to Wonderla the next day. We slept a lot instead. Had breakfast at Adyar Ananda Bhavan (Manoj cracking a PJ that he can't go to Chennai and all for having breakfast) near Indiranagar Metro station. Came back and then watched another animation movie - Monster's university.

As I proved useless in suggesting good place to visit in Bangalore, Manoj resorted to Google and came up with a very nice spot - HAL Heritage Centre & Aerospace Museum. After lunch, we reached there by 3PM. Ticker was Rs 30 each and Rs 50 for still camera (we needn't have bothered, but it was worth it).

The museum is very well maintained, a guide would be nice though. History of HAL was well explained through pics and models and posters. Audio/Video room was not functional. There is well maintained garden throughout the complex (no wonder they participate every time in Lalbagh Flower Show). Some real life sized models were on display too. Engine models were so fascinating and complex.

Lot of free space to roam about and benches to sit. A small canteen and shopping place for aircraft models and toys as well as small pond with fishes makes the place a must visit.




HAL Heritage Centre & Aerospace Museum

More photos here

After leaving, we had tender coconut and then caught a bus to Lifestyle. Walked another 1-2 km to reach Brigade road. Had ice cream from American corner (bad idea for that weekend with stomach troubles). Then went to one of my favorite hangout in Bangalore - Blossoms book house. Was finally able to get hold of Arthur Hailey's Detective.

After cooking Maggi for Manoj (he wanted light meal and I was skipping), bid him goodbye after instructions to reach Shantinagar. A weekend well spent :)

2 comments:

Mak said...

A great weekend for me too! :-)

Sundeep said...

We sure did have a good time :)