Overnight train with no sleep........

Last night we took the overnight train from Chengalpattu (near Mamallapuram) which was quite the experience. Outgoing train station not very user friendly as you have no clue where to stand on the platform to catch your coach and there is no time to run from one end to the other once it arrives since it is only in the station for a couple minutes. So after asking several people we guessed pretty close. It also helped that the train manager yelled our name once they arrived. We went sleeper second class with A/C and shared with two other people. Since it was 11pm and the other two occupants were already asleep we had to get settled in fast, which meant we really didn’t get settled in and didn’t sleep most of the night. Since we have a decent hotel in Madurai with good Wi-Fi, we decided to do a somewhat down day – yes, that means Steve got an extra long nap. We did go walk the streets a bit and saw the outside of the Meenakshi Temples – wow – very impressive, and just as much fun to watch the crowds – it just like we imagined – Naples on steroids. Total chaos and lots of noise. Amazing how we are also an attraction and local people just want to talk with us, take pictures with, or of us, some even asked to share Steve’s bottled water today.

Tomorrow will head early to the temples which are supposed to be quite the experience. By the way, the Meenakshi Temple is of the female consort of Shiva and had three breasts – really. Once she married Shiva, the third breast fell off.

Cultural bytes:
-Indians love to sing and dance
-Women wear gorgeous saris even on regular days on filthy streets
-People are exceedingly friendly – if you make eye contact, you will meet
-Everybody has cell phones
-Everything bought small – cell phone charge 25 cents at a time
-Liquor hard to find and when available it’s hidden if a holy town. Only one type of sangria type wine – Laurie in detox


Laurie