Cafes

 Of late, it's raining cafes.. I mean, I have been visiting unusual eateries, for me unusual. I am a simple biryani and Irani chai wala aadmi- not aam admi, but almost one.

So it has meant that I ate Italian, or French, without going to either country. Some examples of what I ate at Pune and Bangalore.. if the company is good, I don't mind hi-fi food (for an aam admi)

Not Paris, but Bangalore.

Exotica, with Anusha Soni at Pune (above, and below)..on Prabhat Road.

A visitor, Suyasha from Pune, in a Bangalore Metro.. and above, with her aunt and Uncle.

Made in America by Bill Bryson

Bryson has been a favourite (British spelling- my salaam to the CROWN) since I first read his non-travelogue exposition of all the science in our world's history. But his travelogues are good too. This one is a mix of sorts, that traces the history of everything American- mostly meaning the U.S.

For instance, he tells us that lots of food stuff that's known as Italian was actually invented in the U.S.- spaghetti with meat balls, fettucini something or the other....and so on. So were lots of phrases, including (gasp) Keep a stiff upper lip, phoney, baloney, and lots of others. Thanks to the Perry Mason stories, I am familiar with many of these.

He also traces the history of the modern retail stores, and of malls. The original idea of a mall was a comfortable place to hang out in, like European streets. Shopping was secondary. I still practice that, but I am in a minority. Mall owners have removed, as Bryson astutely observes, most benches or made them backless, to prevent hanging around.

There are chapters about movies, education and its state in the States, immigration and its role in U.S. prosperity, and inventions like the first plane ride in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina- which I have visited once. All in all, a good ride.