Tuesday 15 March 2011

German Bakery

I wanted to make it my mission to find the German Bakery as we couldn’t find it the first time that we went to Koregaon Park. (Although now I know it no longer exists and will never be found.)

It was a really lovely day on Wednesday 9th February, the sun was strong and intense but there was a good breeze which helped to take the edge off the heat somewhat. I decided I’d walk all the way to the other end of Koregaon Park which is nearly two miles!


I walked across the bridge over the Mula-Mutha River at the bottom end of Kalyani Nagar. (The following pics show some of the scenery from the walk to the bridge and whilst crossing it).

Coming towards the bridge.


The beginning of the bridge.

Walking over the bridge.




There were no cattle in the water that day, there was just a single man. He didn’t seem to be doing anything, or even moving in fact, he was just standing there with the water up to his armpits nearly! 

You can just see him in the middle of the picture.

Even though I really like the river, there is no way, I’d go in there it does look a bit dirty and probably has loads of horrible crap at the bottom, maybe not quite Sainsbury’s  trolleys (like in The Grand Union Canal in Alperton) but similar items, I’m sure.

I knew it’d take a long time to walk the two miles to Koregaon Park but I underestimated how knackered I’d be when I got there, the sun makes everything seem like such an effort it really drains your energy!

The walk up the main road through Koregaon Park.

At the large cross roads at the end of the road, I turned right to see if there was anything interesting that way. Within a few steps, I was outside a large shopping mall called Jewel Mall. I'm not sure how we missed it the first time we came; we must have been walking around with blinkers on! The Mall was actually a proper Mall, it wasn't deserted or half completed and actually had some well known shops inside! Shops such as La Senza, Mango, French Connection and Accessorize! It was really good walking around the place as it made me feel a bit more at home. Stupidly though, I hadn't brought my cash cards with me so I couldn't buy anything! Poo! Oh well at least I now know where to go next time.

Satisfied with my new find, I left, and again went in search for the bakery. A short walk away towards the river in the opposite direction, I came across a large department store called Pune Central. It was much bigger and had more variety in it than Lifestyle, (the one near us in Kalyani Nagar). It was split over 4 floors and had two, cool–looking glass capsule elevators that played a cheesy instrumental song as they took you up or down to each floor. Each floor was dedicated to either menswear, womenswear, gadgets and toys or groceries which were in the supermarket on the top floor.

When you go into any of the supermarkets here in Pune, they are really tight on security and have a few unusual measures in place to discourage and stop people from stealing. Before you go in, you have to check your handbag in with security or in some cases, you have to put it into a large canvas bag that they cable tie shut, which you then have to lug all around the store. - Very annoying! At the cash desks, a member of staff packs your shopping into carrier bags which they then also cable tie shut, which makes them really tricky to carry as you can’t use the handles anymore. – Very helpful, not. On your way out of the shop you have to show the amount of carrier bags you have to a member of staff who checks and stamps your receipt, they also cut the cable tie on your large canvas bag so you can finally take out your hand bag. The whole process is all a bit irritating, so I have now discovered that in order to make the whole experience a bit easier, I will just take my purse rather than a whole handbag to the supermarket.

After going through all this rigmarole just to buy some water, I left and walked some more around the immediate area in hope of coming across the bakery. - Still after 15mins there was no sign, so I again admitted defeat and got an auto rickshaw back home which was a lot cooler and a faster way to travel than the two mile walk again.

The rickshaw ride over the bridge towards home in Kalyani Nagar.

2 comments:

Anikraft said...

Hey hun, been keeping up to date with your adventures on here, so cool. Shame you couldnt find the bakery, I wouldnt mind some german baked goods myself. And some cake.
Hope youre well!!! I've been working on Wizard of Oz for the past 2 months now, remember when we made props for Wizard in the Harv Nix workshop? Hehe. Big hugs!!! Anika xxxxx

Rob said...

Shops are so misleading in Pune. It is very hard to guess from the outside what is really there. I have been through that street several times but I had no idea about the Jewel Mall or Pune Central. You will have to give me a proper tour next time I am there.

I also noticed the roads are surprisingly quiet in these pictures. On Wednesday mornings nobody is buzzing around?