It was only my second weekend in Bangalore but I was busy checking the weather of all the weekend getaways I could go to. Mysore really wasn't at the top of my list, but the only place with decent weather left me with no other choice. So I went to Tripoto, searched some blogs, and frantically booked a bed at The Mansion 1907 hostel in Mysore, barely 24 hours before the trip. And that was all the planning I did.
So Saturday morning at 6:30, I left my place, and took 3 buses to reach The Mansion 1907, Mysore around 11:30 am. The hostel is actually a very old, beautiful mansion turned into a hostel-cum-yoga place by the owner. I straightaway freshened up and rented a bicycle from the hostel itself at Rs 100 for the day.
First, I went to The Old House cafe, where I had my lunch. The place serves some brilliant Italian cuisine, and the ambience only adds to the experience. From there, I headed to the Mysore Zoo, which turned out to be way better than expected. The entry fee of Rs 80 plus Rs 100 for the camera seemed a bit much, but totally worth it.
The zoo was very well-maintained, had all common, endangered and exotic animals and birds. The zoo is spread out through a vast area of 157 acres and it took me about 4 hours to cover all of it.
Then I headed to the Mysore Palace, but it had closed down by that time (5:30 pm is the closing time). So decided to go to the Wax Museum since there was still some time before dark. The entrance fee costs Rs 40, and it's a very small museum. The museum is very average, and unless you're a big fan of wax art, you can very well give this a miss.
After the wax museum, I headed to Hotel Vinayaka Mylari for Mysore Dosa. Two food blogs had recommended masala dosa from this place. And the place did not disappoint. I was served my dosa within 30 seconds of me sitting at the table. I was still searching for the menu, when they brought my meal. I then got to know that dosa is all they had. Within 10 seconds of me starting my meal, the waiter asked whether I wanted another one! Quickest service I've ever seen, by far. Yes, I definitely took another one. The dosa is so soft, buttery and melts so smoothly in your mouth, you can't have just one.
I topped my dinner with Mysore's best filter coffee ( as per another food blog) from Hotel Siddarth. I can't say whether it's the best that Mysore had to offer, but the hotel restaurant is definitely worth going to, just for that coffee. I had it again the next morning.
After the coffee, I went to my hostel and watched the FIFA World Cup 2018 third place match. What was supposed to be a 90 minute chill session turned into intense 4 hour conversation over wine with my amazing hostelmates. That's the best part about hostels. It brings people so close, and gets them so comfortable, within just hours of them seeing each other.
The next morning I headed to the Mysore Palace. And I absolutely loved the place. The grandeur of the whole monument takes some time to sink in, and one could easily spend over 2 hours here. Then I went to the Rail Museum and Jagmohan Art Gallery. Both of these can be missed if you're not a big art fan, but if you do have time, a visit to atleast the Rail Museum is recommended.
After the museum visits, I took a bus to Chamundi Hills, near Mysore. The bus ride is about 20 minutes long but goes through winding curves along the hill. There's also a 1000-step stairway that goes to the top. You'll get better viewpoints from this route. Do ask around for this route. There's a temple at the top, which was very crowded that day. I didn't feel like going in. For me, the view from the top was more important and that made the whole trip worthwhile. I also, very surprisingly, met a college friend at the top, with whom I came back to Bangalore. It only added to the fun. Check the pictures below.
Cost Breakup:
Transportation: To-and-fro bus from Bangalore ( Satellite bus stand ) Rs 250 + Rs 300 for internal transportation.
Accommodation: Rs 500 for hostel bed.
Food: 2 days' meal around Rs 750
Museum Tickets and Miscellaneous expenses: Rs 400
