Tuesday, January 02, 2007

India! (part one)



Drowsy and more than a little muscle-tired, we arrived in Chennai on December 30. We've had some ups (exciting tours of old temple ruins, over-the-top Bollywood films, and New Year's with new friends) and downs (mainly late-arriving luggage, but also some leftover travel-cold/sickness that's not helped by the poor city air).

For Jim, the trip has been a re-awakening of visual, sonic and various olfactory memories from his stay in the city in 2000. Jenny is experiencing this all for the first time, dusty roads, colorful signs, garbagey garbage, the real feeling of being in a country of a billion people, and more.

Here are some photos from the trip so far:


Street view from top of a restaurant in Chennai.


Jenny enjoying three firsts: the inaugural piece of chocolate cake of 2007, her first such dessert in India, and her first piece of Indian clothing (well, the first one she purchased here, anyway).


Jenny and our friend and host Ritu conversing near one of the temples at Mahabalipuram, just south of Chennai.


One of said temples.


The two of us near some sizable stones that are inexplicably balanced - another pic we have shows Jenny in front of a very large rock that would be rolling towards her if we lived in an Indiana Jones movie.


Sunset at the lighthouses at Mahabalipuram.


Shantytown laid to waste and being rebuilt in the wake of the tsunami, taken on the way back from Mahabalipuram.

Coming soon: tennis in Chennai, more dance and music, and most exciting: our trip to the southwest of India - Kerala!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow, how amazing that you two are in India!! Thank you for sending your blog and photos, they are wonderful. I look forward to hearing more about your trip!!

Happy New Year and happiest of travels to you,
Love,
Melinda

Unknown said...

Very cool! How long will you be there? I love Jenny's saris. Gorgeous!