JOIN US'The City is a great home'
Those, who find it difficult to stay away from home, have a lot to learn from Cesar Garza, an expatriate of Mexican origin, who has been living in the City for five years. An employee of a software company on Bannerghatta Road, Cesar has a stylish approach to life and over these five years, he admits his life has undergone a huge transformation.
“When I arrived in the City five years ago, I could sense many similarities between Bangalore and Mexico. The traffic condition, especially, was the most similar. So I didn’t have any reason to complain like the others. As I gradually opened up to the City, I experienced the vibrant side of it which effortlessly inspires you to blend in with it. So you end up loving the City for what it is,” he feels.
Cesar lives in an apartment on Old Airport Road. Being a great foodie, he never misses the chance to explore new cuisines and restaurants. He has a long list of restaurants where he likes to hang out with his friends. “Hard Rock Cafe on MG Road is one of my favourite places. Whenever I go to MG Road, I go there. Close to my house, there is a restaurant called Hertz, which serves a variety of tasty dishes. Whenever I feel like having Mexican food, I prefer going to Shanghai Salsa Restaurant in Indiranagar. It serves authentic Mexican and Chinese food and the ambience is also good,” he says. Cesar also likes South Indian cuisine. Masala dosa, idli vada and Andhra-style chicken biriyani are a part of his daily diet. He relishes Andhra-style food and visits RR Restaurant on Brigade Road to gorge on the biryani items once in a while. Garuda Mall, Forum and Brigade Road are some of his favourite shopping destinations.
He is very disciplined when it comes to fitness. After office, he works out at a fitness gym in Indiranagar for hours. During weekends, he plays football with his friends. “There is a ground on Hosur Road where all the football enthusiasts gather for friendly matches. I never miss the game when I am free. Some of my colleagues and friends accompany me always,” he says.
After coming to Bangalore, his life hasn’t remained the same. “The concept of vegetarian food is not there in Mexico. People treat you in a strange way if you don’t eat meat. But here, most of the time I get only vegetarian food. Another thing I have learnt is to listen to people first as you have to adjust to them in a social environment. The most fascinating thing I have observed is that people laugh a lot here. I think that is what keeps them stress-free in this hectic life,” feels Cesar, who is not happy with the public transport facility in the City. “Travelling in public buses is a nightmare. Even in the Volvo buses, you hardly get seats. Travelling by auto is the worst thing you can experience. Drivers are rude and always try to charge more money from foreigners. Otherwise, the City is a great home.”