Coffee Conversations

This is going to be a repetitive Title “Coffee Conversations”. Many wonderful people who carry with them Great experiences and travel stories. Conversations in the city have their degree of charm but it is way different out here. Love the spirit and cheers that people bring with them over their travel / holiday giving respect to their hectic lives back in town.

This thread of thought was brought over a visit by Indu & Santosh who are friends of the Café. They said it would be great pleasure to soak in experience shared.

Followed was a visit by Thomas, a solo cyclist from London who has been on the road for the past 9 months cycling across Europe and now India. He has been here for more than 3 months aiming to reach Kanyakumari soon. His map was filled with back country roads from Bombay and recons it is the best way to see India.

Sathisiah currently working on a community initiative project in Bandipur, shares the joy expressed by the people of the region.

Anil, Sunil & RP would love to develop a information platform for the region with new age ideas. This was a great sit down with parallel thoughts, the ideas kept flowing to make it possible

There were other great conversations. Promise to keep the Title alive.  

More Green - Help from our friends

Borrowing a statement from one of our travel publications Dokpwe – “ Green is not just a Color but it is a Statement of Mind ”. There are efforts go green & greener. Surfing through your comments on our facebook group DreamCatcher Café, there were many mentions to plant more

If you scroll through the posts, We have SHOOTS, our hand with vegetable farming was successful till our chickens have managed to eat all the leaves. Carrots are the only surviving plant which are been nurtured well. End of harvest, the banana plantation is now a vacant ground, People and Tractors are working the land to plant the next crop to give us the beautiful background.

Friends of the Café Indu and Santosh who frequent the road brought us saplings of theHonge Tree locally known as Honge Mara. We found spots around and the Café and have planted them. Scanning the Internet found many interesting facts on the Hongai Mara,Bio-Diesel, CO2 levels etc, a “Greener” tree.

The Cherry trees are growing fast and healthy, steadily inching to beat the height of our main Café sign board challenging us to find innovative ways to display. Later would be ideal for hammocks in front of the Café………

The Biker Dreamcatcher

Another DreamCatcher @ the Cafe, specially dedicated to all the Bikers who have visited us since we have started. Road Veda & Goan Bikers -Alexander, Samuel, Mandy, Jerry and many others. Cyclists too .....56 year old Hungarian Quilan and Thomas cycling Indian roads for more than 3 months.

We did not want a Chain Sprocket go to waste. Gave it a good polish & a few feathers. It is the first thing you notice as you enter the Cafe - Cheers..............

Playground @ the Café

The Primary aim of the Café is for you to relax over your journey. The seating in the Café are comfortable for you to put your feet up and a hammock to laze in.

If you are looking to stretch a little further we have a Badminton court, a Dart board for you to get a game

The Farm land behind the Café is resting to regain some of its nutrients. The wide open space is now a huge playground and we are coming up with ideas to keep you entertained. Frisbee, Archery, Kite flying, Driving range are the current thoughts. If you have any suggestions do write to dreamcatchercafe@gmail.com

COSTS of face-lift over 212 National Highway ( Bangalore - Calicut )

The legends that once stood tall who had their branches spread far are now cut down to size and uprooted. Road expansion on National Highway 212 has started @ Gundulpet.

Trees by the road are the first victims, with them the homes of many Birds, Bats, Squirrels & the Bees.

With respect to development, every new age positive comes with negatives. A row of tress could have been planted behind the existing line to keep the system cool and calm.The residents of these trees have to find a new address, the constant shrink for must be scary.

An opportunity to watch the Trees in their Glory days – you could ask for a copy @ the DreamCatcher Café. Photograph the existing tress to show your appreciation, beautiful ficus trees where their hanging roots looks like a beard or sample some tamarinds along the way, the natural khatta meetha.

Plant some saplings to keep the Balance – Cheers 

The New Age Juke Box

Many have suggested that we have Juke Box @ the Café. We would love to have one. My experience when I visited Café Mondegar in Bombay ( Mumbai ) which has a fabulous Jukebox, standing in line to punch your favorite Track and waiting for Hours to listen to it.

We are accustomed with new age technologies, Car systems with USB ports and I Pod compatibility storing number of tracks that you would like to listen to on your Journey. We @ the Café don’t have a Jukebox but we do have a USB / I Pod compatible Player. You could Plug & Play your Music. Share your best with the Café

Other Sanctuaries / National Park - Striking distance from the Café

NAGARAHOLE NATIONAL PARK

West of the Kabini River is the 643-sq-km wildlife sanctuary of Nagarhole National Park or Rajiv Gandhi National Park. The lush forests here are home to the tigers as well as leopards, elephants, gaurs, muntjacs (barking deer), wild dogs, bonnet macaques and common langurs. The park’s main entrance is 93km southwest of Mysore. However, the best accommodation and the most beautiful views are at the Kabini Lake side of the reserve, near the village of Karapura, around 80km south of Mysore.

BR HILLS WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

The Biligiriranga Hills, commonly called B R Hills, is a hill range situated in south-eastern Karnataka, at its border with Tamil Nadu in South India. The area is called Biligiriranga Swamy Temple Wildlife Sanctuary or simply BRT Wildlife Sanctuary. Being at the confluence of the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats, the sanctuary is home to eco-systems that are unique to both the mountain ranges.

Content & Information from www.dreamcatcher.co.in

for a better Drive

“JK tyre Services” is next to the DreamCatcher Café on the highway

They handle Punctures of both Tube / Tubeless tyres

Grease for a friction free journey

Ask for additional services – simple air check or a clean windscreen perhaps  

Mudhol Security Services @ the Café

We have a Mudhol Hound about 4 months old at the café, Mysore is his name ( Rajah of Mysore ) a friendly fellow who loves to run around the plantation. Listens to commands Come Here, Sit and understands NO. Very intelligent, mostly has his way over puppy tantrums, As always a faithful & a brilliant watch dog 

Have no fear Cricket is here

Don’t Stress over Cricket Scores and Updates. We @ the Café will be playing Live matches of the World Cup 2011. We shall make a note on the turning points of the Match if you have missed any

Library @ the Cafe

Those who are generous and like to donate Books to beef up our library, we welcome the thought with open arms

Our Library Policy

• Feel free to pick up any Book @ Rs 75/-
• Exchange the one you have for another on the Rack
• If you manage to find a Double its for FREE
• If you are a frequent traveler ask for a Bookmark & shift it to a section called Not yet for Grabs

Does NOT Apply to Magazines / Comics on Display

Wild Elephants in our Backyard

As you all know we have a plantation behind and it is seeing its last days of its harvest. Last Nite about 9:45 the plantation had visitors ... “ELEPHANTS”. We did not see them as they manage to sneak past.

This morning we discovered their tracks and set out on their trail eager to find them. Judging by the tracks we figured there might have been two of them lurking around the area. Guilty as charged for uprooting a few banana plants in the property. They managed to cross the highway to the neighboring plantation and quenched their thirst from the tank. We walked the trail to a near by thicket of the next village and headed back to the Café

The Locals in the area were surprised by the visit as this hasn’t happened in more the 20 years. They suspect the elephants were at a nearby water source Nalluru Aman Kere Jalashya about 4km from where we are from - http://wikimapia.org/#lat=11.845007&lon=76.7030239&z=14&l=0&m=b

The Pictures are off the Mobile

Flipping through our VISITOR Book

Here is one such interesting comment  made by Mohini, Keshav,Sundarjeeth on the 1^st of Jan 2011

“Very Innovative, Love the Black Color Wooden windows. Photography damn good. Rest-room Roof very Kool” 

Wilderness by the Cafe - Nilgiri Bio-Sphere

BANDIPUR / MUDUMALAI NATIONAL PARK

In the foothills of the Nilgiris, this 321-sq-km park, and the surrounding forest outside the park boundaries, are the best places for wildlife viewing in Tamil Nadu / Karnataka. Part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (3000 sq km), the reserve’s vegetation ranges from grasslands to semi-evergreen forests that are home to chitals (spotted deer), gaurs (bisons), tigers, panthers, wild boars and sloth bears. Otters and crocodiles inhabit the Moyar River. The park’s wild elephant population numbers about 600.

WAYANAD WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

If Kerala is ‘God’s Country’, this must be his garden of Eden. reserve that spills over into national parks in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, Wayanad lies cocooned in the hills of the Western Ghats. The region gets surprisingly few visitors,. Wildlife that roam the forests here include elephants, sambar, spotted dear, Indian bison, langur monkeys and occasionally tigers.

Content & Information from www.dreamcatcher.co.in

Tasty “Rice & Gravy” added to our Menu

South Indian saying goes “Never content until you had a little Rice”

We have now added Herb Rice & Gravy with a choice Veg or Chicken to hit the Spot

The trial audit happened today passed with flying colors with an agreed price of Rs 100/- for the Meal.To help visualize, it is Island of Flavored Rice surrounded by Home-Made Gravy with some the fresh herbs from our Garden. Ready to be served for Lunch from 11:30 till we close 

Save our Forests from " FIRES"

It is safe to say that the Summer has started and setting in. It is also the time to be careful of forest fires. Please keep a check on Flammables, Cigarette Buds, Matches etc while in the Sanctuary

There are many myths behind the forest fires – Some say burn the dry for green shoots to appear. In that process you may have killed a young plant, creepy-crawly’s, reptiles species who play an integral part in our Eco-System 

In case of any Emergencies please call the Karnataka Forest Dept Helpline ( 08229 – 223311 ) for the Bandipur Region.

If you like to help volunteer in Educating the local people you could get in-touch with Wildlife Conservation Foundation 

Calling on All Travelers

We @ the DreamCatcher Café would like activate the resort review section in the Nilgiri Bio-Sphere ( Bandipur / Wayanad / Mudumalai ) region which could be healthy information for future Travelers

Basic pointers like

1. Location / Accessibility
2. Staff / Rooms
3. Views / Something that caught your eye

We can help pass such information to those who have similar cravings or who like to expand their palate

To support our thought do write in your reviews to dreamcatchercafe@gmail.com

"Resort Owners" in the Nilgiri region please give us collateral so that we can showcase your resort / homestay @ our Café 

We have SHOOTS

Being self sustainable is always on our minds. We have a small nursery growing a few beans ( long & cluster ) hoping for some roots ( carrot & beet ) chucked some cabbage & bitter gaud. The Experiment, thanks to Namdhari Seeds http://www.namdhariseeds.com/ from their stores in Bangalore

Care has been taken in transplanting a few to the bed, awaiting results. To help it grow we are using ORGANIC manure and ORGANIC pest repellants ( neem oil + soap water mixed with water )

For those who have any thoughts / ideas to help our Garden – Please write to dreamcatchercafe@gmail.com

The Sign you have been looking / waiting

The most common suggestion & recommendation was that we put up signages along the road.

They have been up for a week making a difference. They are spaced 500mts apart from the café on both sides ( Other Co-ordinates ----- 5km  to / from Gundulpet on the 212 Bangalore - Calicut Highway  )

Do look for the Sign to stop for a good Cuppa

the road to Bandipur National Park

Word is that the trees along the Mysore Bandipur Calicut highway are going to be cut to extend the road. There is proof that some of these trees have been around for more fifty years.

Minky Rao suggests that you watch the movie “Harry Black and the Tiger” a classic - shot during the 1950’s in the Nilgiri Bio-Sphere. You can recognize a few landmarks like the Bandipur highway Temple, Gudlur, Gopalswamy Betta & some of the huge trees by the side of the road

You could trace the path of Mr. Black on your next visit or may be it will create a sense of Déjà vu

Wonder - it is Easy

We have a huge Dreamcatcher hanging of the Ficus over the Highway as the Indicator to stop & visit the Café. We believe it filters the bad for you to have a good holiday / trip

Most frequently asked question is where we got it from – We actually made it ourselves & you kinda get fascinated while making one

For those interested here is the link - http://www.ehow.com/how_7942_make-dreamcatcher.html

Maybe gift us one on your next trip for us to display at the Café 

Residents Domestic / Wild

 A 3 month old Mudhol puppy called Mysore – 2 Local Chicken which respond to bah bah and get inside (obviously we lure them with feed)

Tank next to the café which feeds the plantation is home to the Cattle Egret, Paddy Heron, Kingfisher & the Pied Wag-tail, busy birds by the waters edge

A pair of Grey Hornbills roosting by the fruiting Ficus, a Pair of Swifts nesting on the roof of the dog’s kennel & the occasional visit by a big old Barn Owl

Tons of Butterflies & Dragonflies - Watch out for our interpretative display boards for more INFO

Earth Bazaar

Experience from the Grand Past which laid the foundation for the current DreamCatcher Café

Our Surroundings

The Banana Plantation behind the Café grows the tastiest yellows “ Yeallaki “ which goes into our Banana & Honey Pancakes, the energy buzz greens “ Paach Bella“& the chips “ Nendaram “.

The plantation is coming to the end of its harvest in the next 3 weeks.

For those visiting during this period can witness the farmers at work, local auctions & farmers market (Early morning great Photo Op) & probably carry some on your trip

The Makeover

The DreamCatcher Cafe – We are in continuance to improve on the café and it’s surrounding – Any thoughts and suggestions please write to us @ dreamcatchercafe@gmail.com

The Old Shell

Some might think we are Crazy – YES we did see Potential in the place & took up the Challenge to make it the best / comfortable Travelers Café on National 212 highway. We set ourselves 30 days to refurbish but who were we kidding, it took us 45

The Crew

The Crew behind the Cafe - Minky Rao, Prajam Resy Mannemplavan,Pradeep Gangadkar, Pradeep Sebastian, Tito Chandy & Me - A combine effort in putting ideas into actions by Breaking, Constructing, Painting, Carpentry, Electricals,Gardening........ Shall post the before & aft pics soon

@ the DreamCatcher Café

Other than Food & Beverages @ the Café you can stroll by our collection of photographs each with an interesting tale of South Indian & the Nilgiri Bio-sphere region.

Ask for travel information - like places of interest, kilometers & estimated time, places to stay in the region & interesting things to do on the way up

We from DreamCatcher would like the Café to be interactive

Sightings & Sayings which could be helpful information for other travelers

A Photograph during your holiday that tells a story which you might want us to display

An interesting place / activity that you would like to share

And also Participate in our weekly vote for the best photograph displayed, song / artist during your time spent @ the Cafe

The Milestone

If you are travelling towards Bhandipur, Mudumalai, Wayanad, Ooty we are exactly 5km before Gundulpet

If you are travelling from Bhandipur, Mudumalai, Wayanad, Ooty we are exactly 29km before Nanjangud

Our Menu

Always been advised to start off small but with the assurance to build in the future likewise Our Menu

Our Current Menu

Beverages

Hot / Cold / Regular / Black around Coffees & Teas

Fresh lime with fizz or water

Warmth over Hot Chocolate

Cold beverages under the Coke banner & Bottled Water

Snack or a Light Meal

Sandwiches - Veg or Chicken with an option of Cheese

Double Stack plain Cheese Sandwich is possible

Omelettes – Stuffed with veggies or cheese or chicken served with Toast

Pancakes – Regular or Banana

Our immediate add-on’s to look forward for - Waffles, Sweet or Savory Malaysian Crepes, English breakfast & an array of Fruit cocktails 

The Dreamcatcher Cafe

The Dreamcatcher Travel Cafe is a restaurant located at 159th KM on Bangalore Calicut Highway (NH 212). About 33 Kms from Bandipur, Madumalai 56 Kms and 55 Kms to Mysore. The Dreamcatcher Cafe serves fresh coffee, pancakes, waffle and omlettes.. more info at http://www.dreamcatcher.co.in/