Grab something to drink, it's a long one :)

Our hotel in Chennai really does suck. The smells, the broken air conditioners, the open windows allowing mosquitoes in, the hard beds, the realization that there are few if ANY other women here, no internet access, walls that could use a fresh coat of paint (and probably some Lysol)…Going to the Radisson yesterday just for the afternoon to use their business center was like walking into an oasis. Beautiful, well-trained people greeted us to clean, air-conditioned, lovely smelling (!) surroundings, and I’ll bet the mattresses are not filled with straw like they are at our hotel. Yep, I checked through a hole in mine. No wonder it’s so frickin’ hard! Oh well, one more night. Large trade event in town has made rooms at reasonable prices scarce. But, we did not come here to be pampered we came here to experience. That, we have done.

But, had we not stayed here, I may not be as enamored with the traffic as I am. I can get a cup of coffee and stand at a window at this hotel and watch the amazing morning rush hour traffic right from a window outside my room. I have been found there many times, just staring. There’s a symphony of horns, a spectacle of sites and color, unidentifiable and sometimes potent scents while I enjoy a cup of Indian filter coffee which is thick and sweet and strong. There’s a young man selling fresh coconut milk from a bike who has a designated spot right across the street from the hotel. I’ve seen him arrive for work in the morning, then cross the 4 (yeah, right) lanes of traffic and the median to get his breakfast from a nearby stall, then cross that traffic again to start his day selling. Like many others along the streets, they are there providing refreshment for thirsty or hungry commuters. A (motor)bike with a couple came along, him dressed for work in an office, her in a sari sparkling with sequins (she’s been riding on the back, side-saddle). They checked out the offerings and chose a coconut. The seller then very skillfully hacked at it with what appears to be a machete, and soon it’s offered to the buyers with a straw or a spoon and they drink, get back in/on their vehicles and off to work or school or wherever they are headed. Then he settles back into the boredom of waiting for the next person to stop. Yesterday he had 3 customers all at once, and I felt pleased. Guess I adopted him or something.

We went to Prakash’s wedding on Tuesday night, full of jetlag and wonder at how people find their way from one part of town to another. Maps don’t help. There’s no GPS. So, one stops and asks. Anyone, and particularly the Auto-rickshaw drivers. We arrived just in time as the bride was just heading down the aisle. Lovely wedding, Christian and very similar to American weddings, but with the bride in gold and much gold jewelry, and flower wreaths similar to other Asian religions to signify the marriage is official. LOUDest wedding I have ever been to! Horns honking outside the open church doors which open right to a busy street, people moving about, children running around, talking going on, and a horde of photographers buzzing around the couple like gnats. Wee bit different than weddings in US . While seated waiting for band to begin and the reception to start I looked up and there was Ganesh, who used to be with me onshore. Was very good to see him and his father whom I have also met before. But, since jet lag was gaining a hold thought we’d just give our gift and our regards, and then leave. Custom with Indian weddings is to present the gift to the couple in person and then have picture taken with them. I’ve seen some of the wedding pictures…there have been HUNDREDS of pictures of people and a gift and a bride/groom who look dazed. Little did I know that a line would form and the line was LOOOOONG.

We were fading fast and would not have been able to tolerate the long line so we asked Ganesh to deliver the gift for us, which he accepted, and we went back to the hotel to sleep.

Next day, after a good nights sleep we spent a good deal of the day at Dakshinichitra which was really nice (Thanks Vasant!) A little history, culture, a little shopping, a little bargaining/negotiating/arguing (we were with a PRO) and a nice lunch.  A little more shopping later and we headed back through the mezmerizing traffic again.

 
We also stopped along the Besant Nagar portion of Marina Beach for just a short time.  It's the 2nd largest beach in the world.  I do want to make it back there and be there in the evening when there can be 1 million people on the beach. It's been making a comeback from being severely polluted and is now one of the not-to-be-missed spots in Chennai. After the day touring, we had dinner at Arvind's home.
 
I have to fast-forward just a little bit.  But, having no internet access for that first week was probably not such a bad thing.  Lisa brought along 2 laptops and a blackberry, I have one laptop and an iPhone. Had we had internet access I think we would have spent too much time not experiencing.  ;)   Although, it was good to be able to get access at the Radisson for an afternoon.  Was an oasis, lemme tell ya....

If you're ever going to go shopping at Pondy Bazaar for silk and/or gold, go with some local women, not so much for their company but for the experience! Having Arvind's mom and aunt fuss over us and deal with the sari and gold sales people was just fun to watch.  Arvind's mom is Banu, and we certainly have a bond - must be that kid of hers. Whatever, I have some new friends for a lifetime, methinks. Banu and her sister Rani did all the choosing of colors and materials for the saris, and even though she'd ask my opinion as to what color I liked, it didn't matter..  she chose what SHE thought looked best.  The colors are fabulous, and all credit goes to her. We shopped Thurs. night I think. Friday morning, went over to Arvind's home again and the women took our measurements to stitch the blouse that goes under the sari. Then Lisa and I went to visit Sridevi and Ram who used to work in our domain onshore but moved back to India last year and had a little girl. Pics are on Lisa's Facebook page. We had lunch there and visited for the afternoon, another lovely day in a real Indian home with a beautiful family. That night we went out with my friend Pratik and a friend of his to a really loud  bar so Lisa could have a night out in Chennai. Turned out to be too loud to even talk so was a bit hard, but it was fun. Good to see Pratik and to catch up and know he'll be back in the US before me. :)  I almost got into my first bar fight in India.  :D  Stupid rules... 
anyway

Headed back to Arvind's house where the plan was that we'd now have the blouses made for the saris and have our pictures taken, as that was the dear wish of Banu that we do so. Got there, and discovered that the power had been out most of the day, which it is wont to do in India. So they are frantically scurrying back and forth between houses, fitting things on us, cooking, pinning, measuring, cooking, while Lisa and I are trying to stay out of the way. . Power comes on, food is prepared, we eat, one more time just the two of us while Banu and Rani and even Arvind stand and watch and cajole us to have a little more of this.. one more of that..  Sure was excellent! Then we get to go get dressed up.  We're 1/2 way dressed (at least I was, I think Lisa was completely dressed) when the power went out again. No matter.. they finished dressing us by candlelight. Arvind's father came home about then, so he was able to view the final product. 

They then presented us with gifts - payals (ankle bracelets) for both of us, and earrings that Arvind's dad had to go find and pick out.  They had borrowed a nose ring from one neighbor, the hair decoration from another, and they were very very excited to have these photographs taken. We do look good, don't we? 

That was last night, we are now in Bangalore having arrived here after 3 hours of sleep and a 5 hour train ride, and meeting more people I know but have not met yet, getting settled into our apartment which will be home for the next 3 months, and I am so tired my eyes are closing and my head is nodding while I write this.

So, Good Night!