Tuesday, September 20, 2005

Saw Chennai finally

After having planned and planned the chennai trip I finally actually executed the plan this weekend! This had a lot of first time events.This was my longest day train journey to start with. The first time I went in and electric engine train too. The first time I saw a double track and the feeling when another train zooms past you in the opposite direction. The first time I did not have to wait at a station for another train to pass by in the opposite direction, which was a big relief that made the travel so much better, so different from Bangalore Mysore travel. The things I notice when I reach the Chennai outskirts...lots of electric local trains, and the terrible heat and humidity and ofcorse the really bad stink. As I get off I meet my friend and we walk out of the really ancient looking train station. There was thankfully no climbing of stairs as I was carrying this really heavy backpack. As I walk out I turn back to look at the 100 year old station and the railways office and love the way it’s been preserved. Wish Bangalore had so many old buildings showing off to add grace to the city.

Went home changed into something comfy and went to the Besantnagar beach. Whoa, there is nothing as pleasing as the sound of the wave’s splash. We go to a road side restaurant and sitting on the footpath have food on the street, literally! It was also the first time I was on a beach in the middle of the night!

Saturday morning, post the washing up in the scarce water we leave to see the famous Spenser plaza. I was there all noon hiding from the heat of the day and was surprised that there was so much less crowd on a Saturday, so different from my own city which despite so many malls is still overflowing with the populace. Later I went to the Parthasarathy (Krishna) temple and found the entire crowd there! Well at least there are some places which are crowded in Chennai... Next we were off to the Ashtalakshmi temple close to the beach. It is a fab temple, very different style of architecture, it houses the eight forms of lakshmi in 3 levels of temple complex…and we squeezed past tiny staircase to reach the top of the temple for a magnificent view of the sea. It was one of the most intriguing temples I went to. Next stop, you guessed it! The beach! In the light of the “ringed” full moon, I build my first sand castle, not much of a castle but still it was fun, the kid in me was fully happy. After some Singapore noodles at a near by restaurant we headed back home. What happened back at home that night, well…can’t write it here…

Sunday, last day at this city, decided to go to mahabalipuram, reached there in the heat of the day. There were some very nice rock carvings but then, not much to see really. Got totally exhausted by the end of the tour and was desperate to go back! There were a lot of stone sculptures for sale, but it was simply overpriced. Got myself a nice small elephant and a shell necklace (very G! I’ll wear it to the next party). Back home totally exhausted, went off for a rejuvenating siesta. Evening wanted to watch some snakes but the snake park was closed by the time we reached there! We hit a coffee day and yapped away to glory. Went back home, packed, had a very nice dinner cooked by my friend’s roomy and went to the bus stand. The bus stand is really really far! I got on the Volvo, my first ride in a Volvo…it was a comfy ride…got a window seat this time too as I had in the train! I really could not sleep as I watched the sky and the beautiful moon, I felt I was sleeping in the open…wish I had my lover next to me to share this beautiful moment…

1 comment:

Karthik Dinakar said...

Hey !!!!!!!!!

Gotch you here ! Nice blog !

Cya around,
me