Artist Date 1 - Necklace Road and Boat Ride to Buddha Purnima

 I have been struggling with the artist date for weeks now and today I finally decided to go - even for half an hour. I decided to go to Necklace Road and perhaps do my walk there. I parked at Eat Street at about 430 and went and had a cup of coffee from Minerva. Some college kids, some families were around. A guy came and yelled 'Boating, Boating'  and completely ignored me - single, gray haired chaps are not ideal for boating perhaps. I thought about it. I never liked boating, nor any water sports. Perhaps my lack of confidence in my swimming ability perhaps. I decided to see what this is and walked to the quay. I asked the guy what this was about - a launch like thing, a 15 minute ride to the Buddha statue, a 10 minute stop and back. 50 bucks. I paid.

Boating from Eat Street

I put on a life jacket and sat up front. the boat took off. I sent a pic to Shobhs in case the boat went down. It didn't.

Boat

 We landed up at the Buddha statue. First time I have been here ever.

Buddha

First time inside the Hussain Sagar too in forty years. Anyway took pics of the statue and walked around. 

Buddha statue

Apparently the statue was consecrated by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The return journey was uneventful.

Back at Eat Street I decided to do my walk - went for a 40 minute walk along the Necklace Road.

Two affectionate brothers selling balloons - the older one adored his younger brother (half hidden)

Lovers, friends, loners checking phones, balloon sellers,ice cream sellers, an ice cream seller who was busily clearing up garbage thrown near his cart (why was he doing that), two young kids selling balloons (the older one was perhaps seven and his younger brother must be four - the older one loved the younger one), two young friends aged eight sitting on the rails, one middle aged lady walking for exercise, a shy couple playing badminton in overgrown grass instead of the open space, the cries of Ganpati revellers heading to immerse their idols, horseback policemen, bhutta sellers. Nice.

Walk

Walk

Enough sights and images for the evening.

So many moments of pleasure for children - lying waste 

It took all of two hours. Two lovely hours. I felt I liked my own company. I am quite fun you know - must be something if I made myself do something I didn't do with anyone else all these years.

A mosque

 I am looking forward to more artist dates. They are brilliant.