Today we've organised a taxi to give us a bit of a tour around the area. We think we'd better do a bit of the cultural stuff - after all we are here to see India, not just to laze about around the pool, like yesterday. Our driver picks us up at 9am in his Ambassador car, which is a bit like a scaled-down version of a Rover 90. They're still building them to 1960's standards in India.

We've drawn up a list of places we'd like to visit, and first up is the 15th century 'Thousand Pillar Temple' at Moodbidri. There's a 'No Photography' sign which, apparently, can be disregarded if a donation is given. We wander around it and wonder how they moved and erected the pillars and slabs all those years ago. We don't count the pillars but there certainly are a lot of them. It's a Jain temple. As Westerners we're not allowed in the inner sanctum, but we put Rs50 in the donation box anyway. On the way out we're asked for another donation, but our driver has told us we've given more than enough and advised us to refuse to give more, which we do. As a result we're refused permission to photograph the entrance. Out of sight of the official, our driver photographs us sitting next to the 'No Photography' sign.

Next is Pilikula Nisargadama, which is described as an 'integrated nature park' and appears to be a conglomeration of botaniacal gardens, water and amusement park, and nature reserve (described as a biological park). We're not sure which part we're actually going to, and neither, it appears, does our driver because we're suddenly told the road is closed and we'll have to walk. He leads us off along an unmade path across a wasteland which doesn't look like it's going anywhere in particular.

However, soon we can see that the roads been closed because a wall has been built across it, and we arrive at the park entrance where we can see a brand-new entrance road has been built. We're at a park which has been built around a man-made lagoon. We think this is going to be the botanical gardens but it's still very much work in progress. Nevertheless it's very nice and peaceful, away from the hubbub of the city. We walk around the lake and notice various signs telling you not to litter, jump in the lake or, most intriguingly, 'behave indecently'. Every 20m or so there is a seat under the cover of a small sun shelter, and at almost every one of these is a courting couple. Clearly this is a favourite spot for couples to find a bit of privacy, hence the need for the signs!

Before we leave the area we take a quick look at the water park, which has water slides and tubes just like those on the Gold Coast and elsewhere, but we can't help but think that there would be some aspect to it that wouldn't be quite right. One of the rules which appears on a board at the entrance says 'Dress code mandatory', and we wonder whether this means women have to remain fully clothed, as Indian women tend to when bathing in the sea. The biological park is closed today. No doubt the animals are having a well-earned Christmas break.

We then follow this up with visits to a couple more temples - Kadri Manjunath, which is near a source of water for religious bathing and has a series of open-air baths associated with it, and Gokarnanath temple in central Mangalore. The area around Gokarnanath is made entirely out of marble, and in the sun has got very got. Because we have to leave our shoes at the entrance we're hopping about trying to keep our feet from burning, and running between shaded areas. This temple also has a 'musical fountain' which is unfortunately not playing any tunes today because it's empty. The fountain itself is set in an unusual little garden (for a temple at least) which is more like a Disney experience for children with model life-size animals.

We then visit the Sultan Battery, an 18th century watch tower overlooking the Gurupura river in Mangalore. Parched and hungry, we decide it's time for a little tiffin. Our driver takes us to the Poonja Hotel where we order a snack and drink. It turns out that because this is the day of a local election no alcohol can be sold. However, we overhear a conversation between a waiter and two Australians in the restaurant which suggests that vodka alone can be sold. We're not sure whether this is a loophole in the law, or simply a way of getting round the law because vodka is a clear spirit and can't be readily identified.

We've now seen enough temples to last us a while. Our driver suggests we visit one last place of worship, this time a RC church in the grounds of St Aloysius College, and we're glad we do go because it's a real gem. The ceiling is painted by an Italian artist, depicting the lives of various saints. Back at the resort we chill out after our long tour. For Clive this means embarking on an immediate regime of swimming, table tennis, bat and ball on the beach, and arranging for a couple of Kingfisher beers (bought earlier in town) to be put in the fridge for tonight's dinner. "No problem sir, but you will have to sit outside and drink it". Ah yes, we've certainly experienced Indian culture today....