Mysore

We saw elephants that morning. On the edge of the tiger reserve there was an elephant sanctuary where orphaned of injured elephants were cared for and put to work. Some of them were used in logging while others joined the park rangers and were used to patrol the park for poachers. We saw the younger members being fed their balanced diets and watched as the more mature ones were taught to carry logs.

It was a long drive to Mysore but we arrived on the outskirts of town just in time to see the end of the Friday morning bull market. The bulls had been washed, horns filed to a sharp point and horn and hoof polished to a mirror finish. Bulls were leaving two by two with their new owners or leaving unsold with their old ones. A good bull would fetch £300 but none of the farmers who had gathered to buy and sell looked as if they had two pennies to rub together.

The Mysore Palace is the second most visited attraction in India, second only to the Taj Mahal. It was designed by an English architect and and completed in 1898. It is a mixture of Hindu, Muslim and Christian gothic. It is one of the largest and grandest stately homes we have ever seen. Built from local granite and Indian marble it has chandeliers from Croatia, ceramic tiles from England, Merano glass from Venice, Swiss clocks, French statues, stained glass and cast iron pillars from Glasgow and electric fans form the USA. Apart from being a place for the royal family to live it was a theatre for showing the king to the people. The whole frontage of the palace is given over as a stage. The king would sit centre stage on a golden throne, surrounded by family, ministers, dignatories, ambassadors and the military and give the people their annual blessing. "Long live the people", he would proclaim with raised arms. They would return to their fields, gold and silver miners etc feeling blessed and he could get back to playing polo.

Everything was bought from Europe because it was expensive, nothing bought that was actually any good. Susan loved it - I thought it was in the worst possible taste.

There isn't a king at present, the previous incumbent died in 2013. His successor will be crowned later this month. Susan and I took centre stage, raised our arms and blessed the people. King and Queen of an empty throne for a moment.

After a banana leaf lunch, cost 80p it was off to a couple of temples before checking into a hotel with the best showers in India so far.

Dinner that evening was in a former film studio, a really interesting outdoor location with great food. We had found out that it was our CEO's 31st birthday so we bought him a cake, sang Happy Birthday and the poor soul was totally embarrassed.