Warning: It is reallly late and I am really drunk as i write this. Had a worthwhile idea, but its probably not a quality post.
There are two kinds of things people do at weekends in Bangalore - and probably other places as well:
1. They could go for a trek, visit caves/waterfalls/forests or a long drive on a highway/expressway to a place where they have some peace and calm. Ill call this naturopathy
2. The other is to go to a mall/pub/karting/bowling/multiplex etc. Ill call this urban entertainment
Almost everyone I know has a clear peference for one of the above. The naturopaths are typically people who've grown up in places like Mumbai and spent their entire lives toiling. They like to get away from all this and visit, say, a hill station. The virgin beauty of such places, the leisurely pace of life, low prices, quietness and suchlike are charming to them. The beautifully simple life they see is in stark contrast with their own hurried, noisy, frustrating city lives. While such places are surreal, the idea of spending much time there isn't very practical. I mean, hills and all look realy majestic and pretty at first sight. But they look the same half an hour later, and the next day as well. Wouldn't one get bored of seeing the same hillview? And wouldn't they start missing broadband connections, McDonald's burgers, Levi's stores and all in some time? And getting annoyed every time they need to walk 2km uphill to get a carton of milk. Let me not even start about trying to get Davidoff cigarettes there!
The other alternative is urban entertainment. This is most loudly sought by the small-towners and wannabes who suddenly have disposable incomes that allow them pleasures they had not imagined a few years back. There is also the other set of people who have arrived. These are the guys who pay 600 bucks at PVR Gold Class cos they like the idea of watching a movie in a good hall, sitting on a sofa with relative privacy, and having their meals also taken care of.
Well, I went to Kodaikkanal last week (check this out!) And this saturday we caught a movie at PVR and then spent an hour at Athena (disc at the Leela Kempinski). I clearly prefer urban entertainment over naturopathy.
Ok, I'm probably not the fairest judge - I grew up in an Army family, staying in places like Ranikhet (hill station with breathtaking views of the Himalayas, Cheetas and stuff), attending summer adventure camps etc since an early age. So all this doesnt appeal to me anymore. Tonight was my first visit to a disc, which was obviously enjoyable and i couldnt have enough!
But seriously guys, a hill's a hill and a forest is a forest. You can like the sight and enjoy some solitude for like 15 minutes. On the other hand you can have a weekend with choice of booze in a pub playing Aerosmith, followed by a good movie at a comfortable and technologically advanced multiplex, choice of cuisine at good restaurants with well-mannered waiters who speak intelligible English, and come back to your well-furnished house at night. Isnt the latter much more enjoyable?
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