Traveling
is boring for some and it is all the more so when it’s a daily routine - namely
going to work.
Whether
you travel by a car or a bus, observing your surroundings and the daily
activities can be really interesting.
To
start with, its interesting to watch the morning walkers getting along with
their brisk morning walk.
If you
are lucky you get to see the fag end of the combined exercise activity by the senior citizens. Everyday the leader
keeps changing but the exercise goes on. And then there is the laughter club which
some find very amusing.
The
church opposite the Race course is probably one of the oldest one in Pune.
And
when you look at it from the other side of the race course, it’s the only
landmark in the horizon.
The
race course is one of those exciting places. You get to see the horses taken
for the early morning training. The horses are wary of the traffic and the
cacophony, so the trainer has a tough time holding on to them till they reach
the tracks.
Once on
the track they just sail through the morning routine of warming up and
alternating between a trot and a gallop.
Its
good to see people on tracks having their morning walk while the horses move in
the opposite direction.
After a
good work out they are back in their stables for a much required rest.
There
is a cross road named Victoria road right next to the race course The name of
this road reminds me of my school days as our school in Bombay was situated on Victoria Road (not far from Victoria Garden) Of course Bombay is now Mumbai, Victoria Road is Mustafa bazaar and Victoria
Garden is Rani baug.
Right
behind the Victoria Road sign is the Southern Command Riding school where young
guys get their training.
Come
summer vacation and you can see a lot of activity here where young boys and
girls get a real feel of the horse and horse riding.
Talking
of the Race course you get to see a lot of activity there. Apart from the
horses being trained, you come across joggers (who have a different track)
And
there are some who do the Surya namaskar the right way -facing the rising sun.
Some
believe in walking backwards as they say that it is a better form of exercise.
And
after all this the juice vendor is always there to give you your choice of
juice.
This Garden
is one of the oldest in Pune and has some huge trees. Just a sideways glance is
enough for one to appreciate the foliage and dense growth there.
From
time to time Empress Garden holds some good exhibition cum sale of flowers and
saplings. On such days you can expect a minor traffic jam in the evening.
These
sugar cane vendors are getting ready with their stock for the day, anticipating
the rise in the temperature. The complete contraption is made of wood and is
very cost effective. The family pitches in as it requires minimum two people to
run the show.
(this is getting to be a long one. . . . . . so will be
continued in part 2)
