ECUMENICAL SUNDAY.
Tried to book tickets out of here for Monday, but the desk here is hopeless. The woman says yes to everything, then nothing happens. So, took taxi to Mangalore (no, not Bangalore!) about 10 kilometers away. Turned out to be the only town in India that is mainly closed on Sundays! We did find a supermarket that was open, and managed to buy a fw useful basics.
However, we visited St. Aloysius' Chapel which is part of a college and is the most amazing place. Painted 1908 - 1910 by a Fr Moscheno, it is absolutely covered with frescoes and oil painted panels, of a pretty good quality. There was a nativity that I really fell in love with - iinside the manger cave looking out. Alas, no photography allowed and no postcards or anything available either. A real secret gem!
From St. Aloysius to the Sri Gokarna temple. Wow! It was the beginning of a week long harvest festival, and we watched the decorating outside the main hall, but no pictures allowed there. However, in between services (I think) people urged us to go inside and look ('Go, go, go!') and it was truly fantastic. Everyone was so kind too, trying to make sure we saw everything. The rest of the temple complex was amazing too, and we were allowed pictures there, so a few attached.
On the way back we finally visited the local Mosque in Ullal - couldn't go right inside, but welcome in courtyard and to take pctures - green one attached.
Found ticket agent in Mangalore and - oh disaster!- found we can't get a train out until Wednesday evening! That will be our first sleeper - overnight to Mysore, 'the city of sandalwood.' Ah well, just have to grin and bear the palm-fringed beach and sea-shore restaurant for a day or two more - mustn't grumble! It's important to watch the birds on the beach too, don't you think?
ECUMENICAL SUNDAY.
Tried to book tickets out of here for Monday, but the desk here is hopeless. The woman says yes to everything, then nothing happens. So, took taxi to Mangalore (no, not Bangalore!) about 10 kilometers away. Turned out to be the only town in India that is mainly closed on Sundays! We did find a supermarket that was open, and managed to buy a fw useful basics.
However, we visited St. Aloysius' Chapel which is part of a college and is the most amazing place. Painted 1908 - 1910 by a Fr Moscheno, it is absolutely covered with frescoes and oil painted panels, of a pretty good quality. There was a nativity that I really fell in love with - iinside the manger cave looking out. Alas, no photography allowed and no postcards or anything available either. A real secret gem!
From St. Aloysius to the Sri Gokarna temple. Wow! It was the beginning of a week long harvest festival, and we watched the decorating outside the main hall, but no pictures allowed there. However, in between services (I think) people urged us to go inside and look ('Go, go, go!') and it was truly fantastic. Everyone was so kind too, trying to make sure we saw everything. The rest of the temple complex was amazing too, and we were allowed pictures there, so a few attached.
On the way back we finally visited the local Mosque in Ullal - couldn't go right inside, but welcome in courtyard and to take pctures - green one attached.
Found ticket agent in Mangalore and - oh disaster!- found we can't get a train out until Wednesday evening! That will be our first sleeper - overnight to Mysore, 'the city of sandalwood.' Ah well, just have to grin and bear the palm-fringed beach and sea-shore restaurant for a day or two more - mustn't grumble! It's important to watch the birds on the beach too, don't you think?
ECUMENICAL SUNDAY.
Tried to book tickets out of here for Monday, but the desk here is hopeless. The woman says yes to everything, then nothing happens. So, took taxi to Mangalore (no, not Bangalore!) about 10 kilometers away. Turned out to be the only town in India that is mainly closed on Sundays! We did find a supermarket that was open, and managed to buy a fw useful basics.
However, we visited St. Aloysius' Chapel which is part of a college and is the most amazing place. Painted 1908 - 1910 by a Fr Moscheno, it is absolutely covered with frescoes and oil painted panels, of a pretty good quality. There was a nativity that I really fell in love with - iinside the manger cave looking out. Alas, no photography allowed and no postcards or anything available either. A real secret gem!
From St. Aloysius to the Sri Gokarna temple. Wow! It was the beginning of a week long harvest festival, and we watched the decorating outside the main hall, but no pictures allowed there. However, in between services (I think) people urged us to go inside and look ('Go, go, go!') and it was truly fantastic. Everyone was so kind too, trying to make sure we saw everything. The rest of the temple complex was amazing too, and we were allowed pictures there, so a few attached.
On the way back we finally visited the local Mosque in Ullal - couldn't go right inside, but welcome in courtyard and to take pctures - green one attached.
Found ticket agent in Mangalore and - oh disaster!- found we can't get a train out until Wednesday evening! That will be our first sleeper - overnight to Mysore, 'the city of sandalwood.' Ah well, just have to grin and bear the palm-fringed beach and sea-shore restaurant for a day or two more - mustn't grumble! It's important to watch the birds on the beach too, don't you think?