Bless My Taxes

Many people assume cities in India are dirty, confusing places with dogs and cattle roaming the street. This impression is--with the exception of a few areas--entirely correct. In a few days, you get used to the dirt and realize that a lot of it results from unpaved roads, a dry climate, and a bit of wind that turns everything dusty. The trash is a problem in many parts of the city because Indian cities lack regular public garbage collection, so you end up with trash piles like the one shown [Note: to be added later]. Periodically, a truck will come by and pick up the garbage and take it somewhere. Other times, people will just burn the garbage because they can't do much else.

Bangalore is not bad everywhere, and you get used to it anyway. The scent of human urine is more prevalent in downtown Seattle than in most of Bangalore. You just move past the smelly things like garbage piles, piss walls, and business men wearing too much cologne.

Piss Walls?
In India, men can pee in public all they like. A lot of times, some walls receive more urine than others. Some corners in the cities have waste-high outdoor stalls by the side of the road where a gentleman may piss and have it go directly into the gutter. A photo from outside the Muslim cemetery near GK:
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Women do not pee in public if they can help it, though small children squat most anywhere. I can always find an at-least-as-clean-as-a-comparable-North-American bathroom, whether they have Western commodes or porcelains squat toilets (the latter being preferable to hovering). TP? Bring your own or go local (You can Google Indian bathrooms for tips and techniques).