All the album pictures from our Chennai touring are in the following album:
Rose early with Daisy still fuming about the power incident [last night].
Set off for Kanchipuram with guide Sanjay and driver Muthu, of course. Ring Vikram in Delhi on way to get him to sort out our room/attitude problem.
First stop, Kanchipuram, the Ekambareswarar Temple. Stunning temple, still in use.
Then a quick once around the Kanchi Kailasanathar Temple– a dead or ruined temple but in reasonably good condition.
Ged [that’s me] downed a drinking coconut (fleshless). Then on to see jacquard silk saris being made – we bought three cotton shirt/kurta things there.
We arrange extra trip to cricket, so agree to do edited highlights of Mahabalipuram. First stop, Bhagriratha’s Penance and the Mandaras, bas-relief’s in rocks and in some porticoes respectively.
Then on to Pancha Rathas (Five Rathas) very elegant ruined temple site which we explored quickly.
Then we set off for the MA Chithambaram stadium. Sanjay points out highlights of Chennai proper on the way (e.g. Saint Thomas’s Church and the ultra long beach).
Then the stadium. Sanjay helps us find the gates for the best seats (Rs.500 not the 200, 100 or Rs.50 seats for us) and takes his leave of us. Unbelievably putrid smell from the toilets. Mr “No Smoke, No Photo” on security and waiting. Loads of people taking photos so we join in only for Mr No Photo to challenge us. Daisy sorts him out.
We see the end of the Zimbabwean innings – and start of the South African innings. Then leave to find Muhtu.
I have written up the cricket element of this day in more detail – click here or below, where you’ll also find a link to the relevant King Cricket piece on the topic:
Lots of traffic and interesting scenes on the way home. Find lots of gifts in our room and rapidly a call from the manager who tells us dinner is on him!
Of course we have been moved to the front table as requested last night. He comes down to meet us, everyone (staff) fawns over us while the guests all gawp at us.
We try bouillabaise, then I tried lobster, Daisy tries Khuta fish and we get mash, fries and lots of veggies, just as we asked for them.
As well as the Wasabi mayonnaise we tried yesterday.
The unlisted pictures from Chennai are in the album below:
