Mysore Palace, India

I, Melachi ibn Amillar, did visit the Mysore Palace, in Mysore, India, in November 2014. Waiting politely in the queue will not get you a ticket to this palace, one must advance determinedly using the body to block attempts by the Indians to thrust their money through the little hole ahead of you. Fortunately, I had already learned this technique at the railway counter in Pune. Inside the site is quite pleasant, with a fine parade ground. The palace itself is a monstrosity, built by a British architect doubtless laughing at his client's taste. I could not hear the commentary on the portable player I was given due to the extreme number and volume of Indians trooping briskly round, whose chatter echoed around the marble rooms and corridors; the women in saris, and the men dressed like motorcycle mechanics. There was another museum near the elephants round the back for an additional fee, but I, Melachi, gave it a pass.