Mysore Palace

Our next stop was the city of Mysore, where we boarded the Golden Chariot luxury train that will take us to Goa. Four nights in a 5-star hotel on wheels. Very retro! Most nights did not involve a lot of travel -- very much like a cruise ship.

Before we left Mysore, we visited the large palace there. Fortunately for you, photography was prohibited within the palace, which was over-the-top ostentatious.

The palace -- built in the early 20th Century. Under the front arcade is a balcony designed for reviewing parades and other events on the square in front of the palace. The architecture is a mash-up of various styles from Dravidian temples to Mughal mosques.

Gates into the palace grounds.

The main gate is topped with a Dravidian-style gopuram (tower).

In the distance we could see the palace elephants.

This sign applied to the parking lot. There's a 200 rupee fine for cooking!