Chennai: Where I Lived for Two Years

March 15, 2016

Nilgiri Mountains

After living in Chennai for eleven hot months, the thought of crisp air and sweaters seemed like a faraway dream. So we could hardly believe it when after a short plane ride to Coimbatore, followed by a 3 hour car ride to Coonoor, we stepped out into cool mountain weather. In June, on the heels of the hottest month in south India, no less. As much as the gloriously cool weather stood in contrast with Chennai, so did the soft and lush environment For the entire trip colorful flowers and expansive greenscapes surrounded us.

Shortly after arriving in Chennai our first driver told us that this part of the Nilgiris was popular with the British community because it reminded them of home. After visiting the amazing manicured Botanical Garden in nearby Ooty and relaxing into the cool air I could see why. We also saw endless tea plantations and visited a fascinating tea museum. Most of all, I enjoyed the mountain scenery and the weather.

We took this trip when my sister and niece were visiting India from Texas and all had a good time. We stayed at the Wallwood Garden, a heritage hotel in Coonoor run by the Neemrana group situated amidst its own beautiful gardens. The property was originally constructed as a home in the 1800s. Our spacious Cherry Blossom suite overflowed with character and its furniture and decor reflected the building’s history. A well-tended courtyard full of flowers sat right outside our room and provided great space for the children to play, and for us to enjoy coffee and other refreshments.

A gazebo sat just down the hill, and beyond that, the Pomological Gardens.

Pomological Gardens, viewed from my sister and niece's Eucalyptus Room — Pomological Gardens, viewed from my sister and niece’s Eucalyptus Room

We had breakfast and dinner at the Wallwood each day. Breakfast included fresh fruit and juice, a sample of south Indian fare, eggs to order along with other staples, all quite good.

The staff admirably tried to accommodate all of our tastes at dinner. Dinner in the common area was enjoyable and we appreciated the friendly and diligent service, including the extra and successful effort made to procure some local wine one night. The food itself was not a highlight of our trip but that was more than made up for by the many other sensory delights of this place.

Nilgiri Mountain Railway

Riding the Nilgiri Mountain Railway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, topped our agenda on this trip. The British built the railway in 1908. It ascends the steep mountain to Coonoor using a rack and pinion (gear) system. We took the ride from Coonoor to Ooty which continues upward but not as steep. We thought we wanted first class seats but ended up having a great time up close and personal with fellow passengers on the back bench of a standard fare car. Having since ridden the Shimla railway, we decided we enjoyed this one much more.

Along the way we saw beautiful green tea and rice fields, and towering peaks and expansive green valleys. Not mountains that rise straight into the sky like the Wasatch or Rockies, these were more rolling high hills and green all the way to the top (Coonoor itself sits just over a mile above sea level). And we met lots of nice fellow passengers.

Color on the Hillside — Colors on the Hillside

Everyone cheered when we went through the tunnels. It was a fun ride. When we got to Ooty we were pretty hungry, but decided to walk through the Botanical Gardens before lunch.

We found a woman roasting corn right outside the gates, unfortunately it looked much better than it tasted. Worth a try, though, and we had very friendly service. To the left of the big bowl of cooked corn is a hollow-bottom bowl sitting over a bed of coals, where she put the corn after we ordered, then turned the hand-cranked blower on the right to heat up the coals, and there you have it – made to order roasted corn. A pretty good setup.

It rained lightly on and off during our walk through the garden, which added to the atmosphere, until it really started to pour at the end.

The Garden has a fossilized tree trunk estimated to be 20 million (!) years old.

A Giant Cedar Tree — A Giant Atlas Cedar Tree

Running in the Garden, Cedar in the Background

After the Gardens we had lunch then went to a tea museum and factory. We watched the tea making process, beginning with the raw harvested leaves to the final product sealed in a bag destined for sale. I learned a lot about tea. I even got very excited about tea. But hard as a try I remain firmly a coffee person.

Tea Leaves Crushed then Cut — Tea Leaves are Crushed then (here) Cut

Fiber Separated from Leaf Here — Fiber Separated from Leaf in These Machines

We sampled some tea and left with lots of tea: white tea, cardamom tea, tea types I had never heard of. Almost a year later we are still drinking it. Then we stopped at the confectioners store for locally made chocolate which tasted pretty good. When leaving, we were struck again by the beauty of this place.

Misty Mountainside Across from Tea Factory

Example of Indian Scaffolding, Adjacent to Tea Factory — Example of Indian Scaffolding, Close to Tea Factory

The next day we spent in Coonoor. After breakfast we went to the nearby Sims Park, a beautifully terraced space full of flowers, ponds and walking paths. We actually got lost in this botanical wonderland at one point. I have mentioned elsewhere that walking is one of the things we miss the most in Chennai, so we really appreciated the opportunity to walk around here.

Later on that day we checked out the open market. This one was much like others we had been to, but always interesting.

Then we went for lunch, this looks really good to me right now.

Our next adventure happened back at Wallwood Garden. We had picked up some cashews and brought back leftovers from lunch. Then some familiar visitors showed up.

As we were cooing at the cute monkeys, suddenly out of nowhere one of them dashed into our room, grabbed our new container of cashews, and so gracefully leapt back up onto the rooftop. A clean grab.

As we stood outside having a laugh at ourselves and the monkey, wondering how we let that happen, our two year old daughter squealed from inside “He’s RIGHT HERE in the room! He’s eating my NOODLES!” I sprinted inside to find a monkey about the size of my daughter, not five feet away from her, indeed helping himself to the take-out container of noodles. After jumping in between the monkey and my daughter he took off, but not before grabbing the package of naan that had been next to the noodles. This one did not even move away from our front door to finish eating.

After that we figured out that we should close and fasten the shutters on our windows, which we did somewhat reluctantly because of the nice weather. And just a PSA on monkeys, we were very, very lucky that these were not aggressive and what ended up being a funny story could have been a bloody disaster. Everybody needs to be very careful when living alongside the monkeys. Fortunately we had learned this by the time we were among the aggressive monkeys in Shimla (but then somehow lapsed on this in Langkawi).

On the last morning of this trip we drove to Dolphin’s Nose, a scenic overlook of the mountains which offered a fantastic view of Catherine Falls. But first, we happened upon a place on the way that produced eucalyptus oil from the abundant eucalyptus trees in the area.

How lucky – I love eucalyptus. Even the walls of this place were made of dried eucalyptus leaves. And to say that good deals were offered on the final eucalyptus oil product would be a huge understatement.

The shop next door, in addition to selling eucalyptus and other essential oils, sold a wide variety of ayurvedic and other herbal preparations, along with spice mixes and more local chocolate. Like moths to a flame…after this trip we are in good supply of lemongrass, clove, wintergreen, eucalyptus, and citronella oils.

Back to Catherine Falls. The drive itself was a treat.

At Dolphin’s Nose we could see Catherine Falls in the distance.

Check out the cultivated land in the top right corner of the close-up (above). Amazing!

This was definitely one of my favorite trips in India, made even better sharing the experience with my sister and niece. There are not a lot of must-see sights to tighten one’s agenda, and instead we just slowed down and soaked up the surroundings. With the heat rising again I have fond thoughts of returning, but time is running out here.

March 3, 2016March 9, 2016

Fort Cochin

Late last summer we visited Fort Cochin, which sits on the Malabar Coast of India in the southwestern state of Kerala. This is where European trade and settlement first took hold in the early 16th century. In 1498 the famous explorer Vasco de Gama charted an eastward route around the Cape of Good Hope and after an eleven month journey arrived at Calicut, Kerala, just up the coast from Cochin. He returned to Portugal with stories of an abundance of ginger, cloves, cinnamon, pepper and and precious stones. Two years later the Portuguese started trading in earnest in Cochin. So began a new era in world history. Spices sold around the world still come from here and that alone made it an ideal destination for me. Its lush beauty and colorful local artistry were also wonderful to experience. It absolutely deserves its place among India’s elite culinary destinations, especially for the unbelievably delicious and fresh seafood curry.

It was the first week of September there, still monsoon season and the forecasts called for rain every day, rain all day. The same forecast we had for our May trip to Sri Lanka with the same result – sunshine for almost the whole trip. We stayed at the Malabar House, a heritage hotel with a history dating to 1755 that included the spice and tea trade. The hotel is known for its food and delivered on its good reputation.

At the Hotel Restaurant — Breakfast at the Hotel Restaurant

The chef even custom-made a cake with a picture of a pig for our daughter’s 3^rd birthday and she still talks about it! We enjoyed tuna tartare and cooked seafood preparations along with a variety of other tasty dishes. Malabar House offered a variety of wines from India and included an Indian wine tasting as part of our stay. The staff and restaurant made for a memorable and very comfortable experience in Fort Cochin.

We had an outdoor swinging bed adjacent to our suite, and enough space inside for our two children, my sister-in-law, Sadaf and me to be comfortable. Watchful folk art made up part of the decor inside.

Around Fort Cochin

One of the area’s signature attractions is the ‘Chinese Fishing Nets’ positioned along the coast. These are giant structures that dip large square shaped nets into the shallow water. When the nets are drawn up the sides come out first, trapping anything that swam into the net. The lift system is often operated with large pieces of stone as counter-weights, along with strong men pulling heavy ropes in unison to raise the nets. A man at a restaurant insisted that much of the fresh seafood came from the nets, although most of what I saw at the street fish market definitely looked like deeper water fish. It was fun to watch the nets operate and we were invited to pull one up, but as is often my experience, no fish.

We also enjoyed strolling the streets and exploring the markets – especially the organic spice market – while in Fort Cochin. The spice market had everything you could imagine and some things I hadn’t – like green peppercorns, all kinds of essential oils, different grades of green cardamom. Great stuff. I spent far too much time there.

On my trip to the U.S. later that fall, I made holiday mulling spice gift sets with my purchases from this store.

Allspice, originally from the Americas but they grow it well here

Continuing the theme of spices, we visited a place that receives and ‘processes’ dried ginger. The ‘processing’ consisted of sifting the dried ginger of dust in a wood frame screen, weighing it, and placing it in giant bags to be carried out to the trucks. Seriously labor intensive and all natural. Some friendly women completed this work, and they were kind enough to pose for pictures and even played with our children.

And Taking a Rest - Look at All That Ginger!!! — And Taking a Rest – Look at All That Ginger!!!

We visited a laundry washing operation. According to our driver the purpose of the facility is to provide work for people in need.

We enjoyed breakfast and dinner each day at the Malabar House. For lunch we visited Old Harbour Hotel, a beautiful example of Portuguese-style architecture in Kerala situated across from a park and near the water. According to the hotel website, the building is approximately 300 years old and once served as residential quarters for the English tea trade. We loved the food as much as the verdant courtyard and pond, so we went back there the next day.

The fish curry was easily one of the best dishes I’ve had in India and probably the world. A perfect balance of spice and not weighed down with too much rich coconut. And look at that presentation, artistry in itself. We all had dreamy servings of homemade cinnamon ice cream for dessert. Hotel and restaurant staff played with our children feeding the fish and frolicking around the pond.

Near the famous synagogue in Fort Cochin, which was closed on the day we were there, we explored some shops with a variety of local art, hand-woven white cotton towels and shirts, and I found an antique bronze rice cooking pan.

Here's Looking at You - Shops in Fort Cochin — Here’s Looking at You – Shops in Fort Cochin

We also visited St. Francis church, the oldest European church in India. This church’s own rich and storied history offers a vivid reflection of India’s broader colonial history. Following Christopher Columbus’s westward attempt to reach India in 1492, Vasco de Gama sailed east in 1498, successfully reaching Calicut that year. De Gama failed to establish a favorable relationship there, and in 1500 Portuguese explorer Pedro Alvares Cabral reached the same place with similar failed results. He sailed down to Cochin and secured permission from the Rajah of Cochin to engage in trade and, in 1503, to build a fort at the mouth of the river. Inside the Portuguese fort a wooden church was erected and dedicated to St. Bartholomew. Then in 1506 the Rajah allowed the Portuguese Viceroy to build more permanent brick and mortar structures which would include a new church. The Portuguese finished construction of the church in 1516 that remains in Fort Cochin today, and dedicated it to St. Antony.

Vasco de Gama died in Fort Cochin on Christmas Eve in 1524 and originally was buried in this church, his remains later returned to Portugal.

Vasco de Gama's Original Burial Site — Vasco de Gama’s Original Burial Site

The church remained under the stewardship of the Catholic Order of St. Francis until taken by the Dutch almost 150 years later. In 1663 the Dutch gained control of Cochin from the Portuguese and converted the church into a government (Protestant) one. Then in 1795 the British took Cochin from the Dutch, and in the early 1800s the church became part of the Anglican Church. The first reference to St. Francis as its patron saint came in 1870, and it remains active today as part of the Church of Southern India, which has its roots in the Church of England and a community of other Protestant churches.

Months after this trip I made a return of sorts to this area, at least in my mind, by reading Arundhati Roy’s powerful novel The God of Small Things. The story offers a compelling exploration of caste, love, patriarchism, politics, and loss, and so much more, all in an eloquently depicted setting of Kerala. Ms. Roy’s descriptions of the lush flora and weather alone make the book worth reading. But the story and the dynamic relationships that unfold throughout simply take you away. If you want to experience Kerala but cannot quite make it here, definitely read this book.

We enjoyed our visit to Fort Cochin and it will be the trip that keeps on giving as I continue to cook with the amazing spices we brought back from there. We continued from the Malabar House in Fort Cochin to its sister property Purity at Lake Vembanad, a little over an hour’s drive from Fort Cochin. The transfer arranged by the hotel was seamless and easy. That trip is explored in a separate post.

February 25, 2016

Malaysia

In January we took a quick trip to Kuala Lumpur and then to Langkawi, Malaysia. The friendliness of everyone we encountered made a real impression on us. Malaysia’s population is predominantly Muslim and so were most of the people we came across on our trip. The many smiles and acts of kindness we experienced from these good people made me even more sad for the hostile rhetoric directed at Muslims from a national party platform in my home country. Visiting a place like Malaysia quickly exposes the base inaccuracies of these negative stereotypes. Back to our trip, we enjoyed good food and some shopping in KL, and spent most of our time in Langkawi relaxing on Datai Bay Beach.

We only had one full day in Kuala Lumpur. Of course we paid a visit to the iconic Petronas Towers and spent a good portion of the day walking around the nearby park.

Later on we cooled off at the aquarium, where you can walk through an underwater tunnel and look up at the bellies of sharks, rays and all kinds of other fish. If you are traveling with children or like aquariums you should definitely put this on your list.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA — Kuala Lumpur Aquarium

We stayed at Le Meridien located right next to the central train station. Since four of us were traveling it made better financial sense to take a taxi rather than the train, but we did enjoy some of the shops and restaurants at the mall adjacent to the station. Sadaf had a memorable McDonald’s reunion there although I skipped that one holding out for sushi that never materialized.

We had a comfortable visit at Le Meridien. We arrived at the hotel early after our overnight flight, and although our room was not ready the front desk receptionist set us up in the club lounge where we could shower and freshen up. The hotel still expedited our check in and we were in our room by early afternoon.

During our short time in KL we managed to work in plenty of good food – Korean barbecue, Malaysian, Japanese, and coffee, almost all at Pavillion Mall. We also enjoyed some delicious comfort food at the hotel, both poolside casual and restaurant elegant at Prime. One of the best dishes may have been the grilled salmon pasta off the kids’ menu at Prime, which would taste like a dream come true if I had it right now back here in Chennai (lots of fresh fish here but no salmon). Other culinary highlights were local grilled fish, sashimi, salads and steak. At a grocery market in Suria KLCC mall we found some of the best berries I’ve had outside the US.

Coffee After Overnight Flight — Coffee After the Overnight Flight

After two nights in KL we took the one hour flight to Langkawi. Both the Kuala Lumpur airport and Malaysia Airlines made for one of the best air travel experiences ever for us, from when we left Chennai and on to Langkawi and back. The airport is super clean, well-organized, and airline and airport personnel remarkably pleasant and helpful. A stark contrast to our misery-at-every-turn experience flying a U.S. carrier from Singapore across the south Pacific last fall. Not ready to name names. Yet.

Langkawi is an island of the northwestern coast of Malaysia, close to Thailand. The entire island offers duty free shopping and we found unbelievable deals on chocolate, liquor and some very modest jewelry. We rented a worn out Toyota mini-SUV for about $80 for the duration of our four-day stay. I left the driving to my wife, well accustomed to the left-side driving, and I handled the very easy task of navigating.

We stayed at The Andaman Resort on Datai Bay Beach in the northwest corner of the island. National Geographic has named Datai Bay Beach one of the top ten beaches in the world! Lucky us. An ancient rainforest grows up to the edge of the beach and provides a lush, majestic green canopy over the sand. The beach is protected by a coral ring, the waves lap softly and the water invites you in. We brought our snorkeling gear all the way from home to no good end – we were too firmly in relaxation mode to arrange a boat ride to the prime snorkeling spots.

Datai Bay from my Lounger — Datai Bay from Under the Trees

The Andaman Resort made relaxation easy. They offered a decent menu served anywhere on the beach or by the pool, including the staples of coconut water and cold beer. One thing I greatly appreciated at this place was the fixed service charge in lieu of tipping, and I can say with great confidence that this arrangement did not diminish the service quality. To the contrary, we were given some of the most attentive, friendliest service, with that perfect balance of professionalism but not overly formal, in the restaurants, with housekeeping, the valet, and in-room dining.

As for the ever-important role food plays in our vacations, we were quite satisfied here. The breakfast – served in the style of a nice Sunday brunch – may have been the highlight of our meals. It offered so many of my favorite things – fresh juices, smoked salmon, imported cheeses, and sparkling wine.

I appreciated the Bloody Mary station but managed to stay away from it each day, probably because nothing could match the unbeatable combo of sparkling wine and fresh watermelon juice. Still, a nice option.

Other food highlights beyond the breakfast included a delightfully refreshing soft-shell crab salad which I enjoyed more than once.

Delicious Soft-Shell Crab! — Yea Soft-Shell Crab!

I also tried barracuda sashimi (delicious, creamy texture and delicate flavor) and over-indulged in the sushi from the Japanese restaurant, which although not ethereal hit the spot especially after missing the full-on sushi experience in KL. The fish and chips – one of those mainstays ordered for the kids but often enjoyed by the adults – was a surprising fishy tasting disappointment. The grilled fish plates more than made up for it for eaters of all ages. On the advice of return guests we met on the beach we skipped the signature Jala seafood restaurant whose former head chef recently relocated to Singapore. Overall, leaving food on the plate was rare for all of us at The Andaman which is a good reflection on the quality of its food.

We ventured away from the hotel a few times. We visited the Black Sand Beach on our first outing, which could more accurately be described as a beach with some black sand. The area was scenic and some of us went for a swim. Seeing it was easy because we had a car but I don’t think this beach is worth that much trouble to visit, at least compared to Datai Bay.

The next day we went to the Langkawi Wildlife Park, where the kids could feed parrots, flamingos, deer, peacocks, and U.S. street raccoons. The same kind of raccoons I paid lots of money to keep out of my attic. Exotic, apparently, is all relative when it comes to animals. The spacious park leads you through a set pathway to see the animals. Many of the birds flew and wandered freely. The staff maintained the area well and the animals seemed healthy and happy. This place also featured its own duty free store with even better prices than the airport.

Back at The Andaman we found a more local kind of wildlife. The staff warned us about the Long-Tailed Macaque, not so much for being aggressive as for being brazen in stealing food out of your room from the balcony. Somehow I took this to mean keep your balcony door closed when out of the room. It turned out to be more than that. One morning we were all in the room, Sadaf and the children out on the balcony and me inside. A monkey came out of nowhere and dashed straight through the three of them on the balcony and into the room and grabbed a can of Pringles (from the Wildlife duty-free) sitting on the dresser. In frantic haste the balcony door got closed – after the monkey came inside the room. The bold monkey was not too much smaller than our three-year old daughter. We barely had time to register the worsening of the situation – the monkey now trapped in our room – when he calmly walked back to the door, grabbed the handle, gently slid the door open, and stepped outside. He did not even leave the balcony before taking off the lid and popping the top then started digging in to the Pringles. At that point we just stood silent, in awe and in thanks, watching the victor enjoy the spoils of his conquest. After a bit he took the remaining snacks down to an overhang and shared with his monkey friends.

We also came across a group of Dusky Leaf Monkeys on our way to breakfast one day. They eat only leaves and have no interest in anything that might be in your room. So many of them and so close to us, and so quiet. We all stood watching for a long time. One nice observation about these next photos – we often see the baby monkey clinging to the mama’s belly which is super-cute in itself, here you also see the mama wrapping the baby in a secure hug.

Towards dusk on two separate nights we enjoyed a visit by a large black and white bird to the pool area. This bird looked much, much bigger in real life and I wish I’d had my ‘real’ camera for a better shot but so it goes, we were lounging by the pool.

Our other major outing was to Seven Wells Falls. Unfortunately the young children were not up for the 585-step climb to the top of the falls. Perhaps unfortunately for them, the adults were not up for the dizzying-high tramway ride to a higher elevation away from the falls. So we made the shorter hike (more like a very uphill walk) to the base falls. We cooled off in the waterfall pool, took in the beauty of the glistening rocks and rainforest, all amidst the comforting sound of the moving water.

Helpful Notice, Waterfall Rocks are Slippery!

Waterfall Beauty — Waterfalls are Beautiful

After walking back down we recharged with coconut water and popsicles. The woman selling us these was all smiles, even as she skillfully put a nice flat bottom on the coconut and opened up the top.

Great Service with a Smile! — Friendly Service with a Smile!

Most of all, in Langkawi we soaked in the shaded sunshine and blue green water of Datai Bay. For scenic and comfortable relaxation this place could not be beat. We left thinking one more day would have made things just right, but I think here you always need one more day.

Thailand! — And You Can See Islands of Thailand in the Distance!

January 27, 2016

Shimla

We visited the mountain town or ‘hill station’ of Shimla in late November 2015. From Chennai we reached Shimla via a one-stop flight to Chandigargh. Before boarding our early morning flight we stopped at the airport Krispy Kreme where I had to try the locally featured ‘Elaichi Pista’ (Cardamom Pistachio) donut. Even though I am not much of a donut fan, I do like cardamom and all things green. It was sweet, really sweet, too sweet. But an excellent presentation.

Our flight was followed by a 3 1/2 hour drive that covered a short distance but traversed many, many switchbacks up and down the foothills of the Himalayas. Motion sickness is rare for me but threatened as the drive wore on, and two of our travelers did not fare so well. Our day-long journey ended, thankfully, at sunset at the Oberoi Cecil Hotel.

The hotel itself began as a structure built by the British in the late 1800s and Rudyard Kipling reportedly spent time there writing. Of Shimla he wrote “My month’s leave at Simla, or whatever Hill Station my people went to, was pure joy—every golden hour counted. It began in heat and discomfort, by rail and road. It ended in the cool evening, with a wood fire in one’s bedroom, and next morn—thirty more of them ahead!—the early cup of tea, the Mother who brought it in, and the long talks of us all together again.” We could certainly relate to an arduous journey followed by the welcome cool evening, and more distantly back in Texas, to re-joining our parents for long conversation over coffee or tea after being so far away.

The wonderful people at the Oberoi Cecil made for an unforgettable stay in Shimla. They served delicious food, offered elegantly appointed and tremendously comfortable rooms, and even trained and certified our young children for basic bar tending skills! The hotel has been restored to its earlier grandeur. The setting reminded me of The Brown Palace hotel in Denver which is a high compliment to both places.

Shimla sits a little over 7,000 feet above sea level. The cool weather – especially in the mornings and evenings when the temperatures hovered in the low 50s – provided a refreshing break from the south Indian heat. Even at such a high altitude, and somewhat to our dismay, it warmed up to the low 70s during the day. All in all, though, the weather remained pleasant. It is easy to understand why Shimla served as the summer capital of British India and remains a popular destination today.

Mall Road and The Ridge

We spent a good deal of our time in town walking up – way up – and then back down the famous Mall Road. In addition to the welcome exercise, Mall Road offered shops, restaurants, and lots and lots of monkeys.

Picking the Buggies out of the Monkey-Friend’s Fur

A friend warned us about the aggressive monkeys here. One monkey in a tree saw me take a picture, stared at me for a few seconds with an angry look, then threw down the nut he was eating and started towards me. Another monkey managed to terrify and disperse a crowd of about twelve people on the road. Not to worry, they are manageable, but watch out for the monkeys in Shimla!

Mostly, it was nice to get out into the fresh air and stroll around the Mall. We also found some of Shimla’s amazing embroidery and woolen apparel in the many shops there.

DSCN7493 — Shimla’s Mountain Architecture

Hanuman, the Monkey God, stands high over Shimla on Jakhoo Hill at an altitude of 8100 feet, himself 108 feet tall. Apparently the Hanuman Temple is where you can really find some monkeys.

We enjoyed more than one meal at Wake & Bake on Mall Road, which offered friendly service and an extensive menu. We also paid repeat visits to a coffee house and ice cream stand, the latter conveniently adjacent to a shop selling beautiful hand-woven cotton blankets.

People stayed out on Mall Road well into the night. The lights and cooler air made for pleasant evening strolls.

The Ridge continues upward from the highest point of Mall Road. It is known for its amazing wooden crafts at the Lakkar Bazaar. We needed an extra suitcase after leaving this shop.

Also situated on The Ridge is Christchurch Cathedral, built in 1857 for the British Christian population there. It remains active today and is the second largest church in Northern India.

The Viceregal Lodge

We arrived here by walking up another steep incline in the opposite direction from Mall Road. The British built this lodge in 1888 and it now serves as a center for the Indian Institute of Advanced Study. Significant historical events took place here including the 1947 meeting focused on the partition of Pakistan. Walking through the outside grounds and the hallways of the lodge made it easy to imagine this place during the time of the British Raj. Shimla had such appeal that in addition to being made the British summer Capital in 1863, the Indian Commander in Chief made its headquarters here, and the government of Punjab in 1876 relocated its summer Capital here from Murree, in present-day Pakistan.

Kalka-Shimla Railway

We went on a few excursions during our five days here. We took a train ride on the Kalka-Shimla Railway, a narrow-gauge British era UNESCO World Heritage Site train. We traveled from Shimla to Tara Devi, crossing dizzying high bridges and enjoying spectacular mountain views. Throughout the trip some local riders kept to the practice of hanging out the open doors for what must have been an even more exhilarating experience.

Tara Devi Temple

A car met us at Tara Devi station and took us to the famous Tara Devi Temple. ‘Tara’ in Sanskrit means ‘star’ and this high up we felt closer to the stars. The temple sits high on a mountain top, and ascending to it in the car alone offered plenty of excitement.

A large bell hangs for visitors to ring as they approach the temple

The Temple is adorned with red and gold colors everywhere

A drummer added to the serene atmosphere

A View of Shimla Returning from Tara Devi

Wildflower Hall

We indulged in lunch and the lush grounds of Wildflower Hall one cool afternoon. It is about a 45 minute drive and a little higher up from Shimla. It too has a storied history dating from the 1800s and the decor reflects its British heritage. Its open green space made for great running and playing for the children. The restaurant offered breathtaking views of the mountains. The food which included many local choices lived up to the scenery.

Back in Shimla

Our last night and day in Shimla we spent – where else? – back on Mall Road and The Ridge. We miss going on neighborhood walks and tried to get as much walking in as we could before leaving.

Indian Army Tribute — Indian Miltiary Tribute

Shimla has never been easy to get to, from the 1800s up through today. Having been there, all the efforts people have made over the years to relocate to Shimla or visit it make perfect sense. It is definitely worth the trip.

November 10, 2015April 22, 2016

George Town

George Town is a neighborhood that lies near Fort St. George, and is where the colonial city of Madras took hold in the mid-1600s. Today it remains a vibrant and colorful part of Chennai, where many people live, worship, and work. Some friends took me on a walk through the main part of the neighborhood. It started quietly on Mint Street, exploring temples and going down streets that were just starting to wake up. It ended in a crush of people, cars, heat and exhaust on the street market at Parry’s Corner where a somber statue of King George V still presides.

Screen Shot 2015-09-30 at 8.44.54 AM — A Map of George Town

Our first stop was at this temple

A Vishnu Temple, not as common as the Shiva Temples in Tamil Nadu

The Gopis’ powerful devotion to Krishna is idealized as an example of supreme, divine love. Here Krishna has taken their clothes apparently while they were bathing and scampered up a tree with them.

Here is another, colorful temple nearby.

And a younger Krishna.

Georgetown is an area of heavy commerce. We came across a team of workers delivering huge sacks of maida, or all-purpose wheat flour, into a warehouse.

On into the warehouse.

And here are more men hard at work.

There are many different modes of transport in Chennai. We ran into a full-on traffic jam of cars, motorbikes, trucks, ox, push-carts, and bicycles.

You can’t see him but for his shins and feet, there is a man helping from the back. Still a huge load of spices.

Baskets and a sack of tamarind on the way to somewhere.

A family of SIX on a motorbike. Three and four are common, and five is regularly seen, but six was a first for me. They were happy to have their picture taken but could not see what was interesting about this.

Some families live on the streets in George Town, and there are many apartments. We met some lovely residents of all ages on this walk. All of their faces and expressions told so many stories.

George Town is a fascinating place of life and action. Its beauty reflected by its vivid colors is outshone only by the friendly personalities of its people.

September 20, 2015December 15, 2015

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is about a one hour flight and a world away from Chennai. We started our first vacation there earlier this year with lunch at an outdoor spot in Colombo which reminded me of open air cafes in South Beach. We took in a little of Colombo’s famous shopping, hit a juice bar and then made the 2 1/2 hour trip to the south coast. Half the travel was escaping the grind of late afternoon Colombo traffic, and the rest was on a nice expressway where we traveled faster than we have since landing in India last July.

The waters of the Indian Ocean at Unawatuna sparkled blue and green, and the temperature was perfect. The main beach of Unawatuna offered sitting and lounging areas, restaurants, diving and boating excursions, and more. Some travel sites say that Unawatuna has devolved into a commercial zone overrun with tourists but we did not find that to be the case. There are many small independent hotels, clothing shops, souvenir stores and food stands along the road which to me contributed to the overall character of the place. It was great being able to sit on the beach and order fresh juice, food, and beer.

We stayed on the water at the Calamander on our first trip, it did not have its own swimming beach but offered stunning views of the ocean.

The nearby beaches each had their own character, each like a precious stone that sparkled blue and green colors in its own unique way. The main road runs right along the coast and we were constantly tempted to get out of our car and explore each different stretch of coastline. We ended up spending most of our time at either Unawatuna or Hikkaduwa, which was about a thirty minute drive from our hotel.

Dallawela Beach Looking Toward Unawatuna — Dalawela Beach Looking Toward Unawatuna

Through a Glass Bottom Boat at Unawatuna

So we didn’t get too far from the Calamander when we returned to Sri Lanka in May. The Calamander was great, but with two young children we wanted to spread out in a house and found this spacious place through AirB&B right on the beach. It had a lovely pool which we never ended up using, a fantastic yard, and a ‘seawall’ with steps right down to the beach. The beach was mesmerizing to watch from morning to night. The coral made it not suitable for swimming or frolicking but that was okay.

DSCN4646 — Back Yard View from the Patio

DSCN5207 — Super-Friendly Neighbor at the House

Wow – Sea Turtles at Hikkaduwa Beach!

We spent a couple of afternoons at Hikkaduwa Beach, part of that time poolside at Chaaya Tranz hotel and then exploring the adjacent beach. We were amazed to find green sea turtles swimming close to shore! The first day we saw two, then the next time we were there we saw four. These turtles enjoy a mostly vegetarian diet and bags of seaweed are available for sale on the beach. They swam up into about two feet of water and were not daunted by the gathering of people to watch and photograph them.

Beachgoers Feeding Seaweed to the Turtles

Fortunately most people had the good sense and awareness not to touch the turtles. Being in the water with these beautiful turtles may have been the highlight of the trip. Even though this experience gave the impression of an abundance of turtles, unfortunately turtles here and worldwide remain victim to egg theft, the tortoise shell industry, and other impacts that push down on their population. Conservation projects here and worldwide work to maintain and increase this population.

DSCN4770 — Baby Turtles in a Conservancy

DSCN4763 — Going to the Ocean in a Few Days

Reminds Me of the Atchafalaya Swamp (really)

Cinnamon Cultivator Peeling Cinnamon Bark

Maduganga River Mangrove Forest tour. Near Hikkaduwa Beach we went on a two hour mangrove forest boat tour. An interesting feature of this tour was the low rail bridges we went under in the boat. Our boat driver told us to duck, an obvious necessity to keep your head. For one bridge if you raised your head too much you would lose at least part of it. It struck me that back home no one in their right mind would operate an enterprise like this – too much risk that someone might look up at the wrong time and the results would be catastrophic. And there was no other solution than simply to keep your head down – given the water level and the bridge clearance this is what you had to do to get into the area you’d want to see. In the face of this unacceptable risk the tour would not have been an option. I am glad it was for us.

Our first stop was for a fish foot massage. I am not sure about the therapeutic value of this but it is reported to have some and in any case it was fun feeding the fish and watching them swim. The area is known for its cinnamon production and we went to an island where cinnamon was cultivated, harvested and prepared for sale. I am very fond of cinnamon so this was a real treat. The man doing this work showed us the cinnamon leaves from which cinnamon oil is extracted, and demonstrated how the bark is cut from the branches and then dried. Later we saw a mysterious mangrove river creature with a forked tongue but never figured out what exactly it was.

Galle Fort. Galle Fort was established by the Portuguese in the 16th Century, then refortified by the Dutch in the 17th Century. It is now a walled city with restaurants, apartments, tea and spice shops, and clothing stores. The narrow streets and architecture make the area somewhat reminiscent of the New Orleans French Quarter. It was a great place to stroll, the food was fantastic, and the expansive views from the top of the fort walls over the ocean were breathtaking. The government of Sri Lanka has done an excellent job preserving this gem.

If only Sri Lanka weren’t so far from the USA. We are lucky to be so close to it. If you can manage the time and expense for the long trip to Sri Lanka from the USA you will not be disappointed. People spend weeks in Sri Lanka and still do not see all it has to offer. We will go back to see the famous national parks and wildlife, the mountains, tea plantations, and of course, to say hello to the turtles.

October 20, 2014December 15, 2015

Chennai Seafood Market!

I love seafood markets. In Austin my go-to places are Central Market, Whole Foods, Quality Seafood and the seasonal offerings by Costco of Copper River salmon and Pacific halibut. Katie’s Seafood in Galveston sits on the pier and has fresh shrimp and whole red snapper that can be cleaned any way you like it. I always made a point to walk by the Citarella display on the Upper West Side in Manhattan whenever I could, and spent too much time looking longingly at the offerings of The Lobster Place in Chelsea Market. I really tried to like Maine Avenue Fish Market in D.C. while we were there. My favorite seafood market of all time has to be Pike’s Market in Seattle, where among many other outstanding offerings, they make the best hot-smoked salmon in the world. Here are some pictures of that happy place.

Before I arrived in Chennai I researched the variety of local fish available. Alas, salmon – which my family loves most of all – simply is not. Not that it was locally available in Austin, the difference here is that no commercial transportation infrastructure can bring it from points across the world to Chennai. Depending on your point of view that can be good or bad, but at the end of the day you can be sure that what you get here will be very fresh. Nor is the fish displayed on artistically landscaped beds of snow-white ice chips. Not that there is anything wrong with that, either. In the U.S. I loved the colorful presentations of whole fish, fillets, plump headless shrimp, oysters, marinated fish, steamed shellfish, the eye-candy of local, international, and prepared offerings goes on, heaven in a deli case.

To get to the Chennai fish market you drive to the center of town, and the last stretch takes you along the beach where the fishing boats are already in for the day resting on the sand. About a quarter mile off the beach road (just under half a kilometer, I should say) is a complex of thatched stands all tied in next to each other. There is no mistaking from the smell that you are at the fish market. You enter through a narrow path stepping up from the street, sometimes dirt, sometimes mud. There is barely room for two people to walk past one another on this path.

Tables of fish are out on both sides, and as you walk away from the beach the fish tend to get smaller, although that is not always the case. In contrast to my favorite markets in the states, what you find here is fish, plain and simple. Fish with the fishing line still in his mouth. Tiny fingerling fish and big fish weighing over 20 pounds (over 9 kilograms, or “keej,” I need to teach myself). And plenty of shellfish. Small squid and big squid, shrimp (not shrimp, prawns here), tiger prawns, langoustines, live crabs. The fish are proudly displayed on wooden tables and nothing else, just the fish. If you even cast a glance with your peripheral vision the woman behind the table exclaims “fresh fresh!” and bends back the gill to show how bright red and recently alive it was. For the seafood purist, it does not get any better than this.

DSCN1677

It is openly acknowledged that the offering price for a non-local is about three times the price for locals. I have the option to send someone local to buy for me but I just can’t stay away. The prices are still pretty good, especially when you remember you are dealing for seafood that was swimming in the ocean just a few hours earlier. The women – for some reason all of the fishmongers are women – are friendly and they are tough negotiators. The prize fish here is Kingfish, locally also known as seer. My favorite here is sankara, a close relative to red snapper, and there is a huge variety of other fish to explore. Once you have completed your transaction you head back across the street to have your fish cleaned.

Across the street a row of men sit in front of huge cutting stumps, ready to clean your fish however you like it. The cost is about a dollar for one large fish or a couple of small fish. They are mostly friendly but can be aggressively territorial with their customers. Not much talking goes on here. Once you tell the cleaner how you want your fish he goes to work, and very methodically turns your whole fish into something more suitable for the kitchen. Every now and then he will run his knife across the cutting stone to maintain the razor-sharp edge.

At the end of the day, however you get it, fresh seafood is just unbeatable. That is certainly what you get in Chennai. And as much as I still love and miss my favorite seafood markets in the U.S., I am a fan of the market here. It is brimming with personality, always a bit of an adventure, colorful, fresh. Everything you need and more in a seafood market.

Leaving the Seafood Market — Another Fan of the Seafood Market

September 12, 2014December 15, 2015

A New Life, A New Dawn

The Chennai orphanage for special needs children that five of us visited yesterday embodies this concept in its name “Sri Arunodayam” which in Tamil means ‘sunrise.’ Iyyappan Subramaniyan, the man who founded and runs Sri Arunadayam, also exudes sunshine, smiling even as he tells us that these children were abandoned at birth, and because of their special challenges were not considered for adoption. Iyyappan completed graduate studies in mental health and mental retardation, and his devotion to these children is evident with his soft mannerisms, everything he says. The children range in age from infancy to 18, and Iyyappan explains that because they do not have families to go to, they remain cared for into adulthood.

The orphanage is strategically located near hospitals and a doctor comes to visit the children on a regular basis. This orphanage also manages care for children who are HIV positive or who have other needs requiring greater medical attention, and those children are cared for in a medical environment. The place we are visiting is simple and clean, and it is evident that a great deal of work and time is constantly being put into keeping up the physical space the children live in. Talking with Iyyappan you briefly lose sight of the major operation he is running, what must be an endless administrative burden, raising money, making impossible decisions allocating very limited resources. Right now, with us, it is just him and the children. You can learn more about this place and see more of it at the Sri Arunodayam website.

First we visit the younger group of boys and girls. Their enthusiasm and sweetness fill the room. They are happy with the small bag of toys we have brought and pass them around smiling. There is no fighting over them. For the one girl who cannot move to the toy bag, two other children bring toys to her. We play, read stories, count and sort pretend coins. These children are kind and are happy to have fun.

Smiling little boy from Sri Arunodayam — A big smile at Sri Arunodayam

After a while we head upstairs to the nursery where several babies lay in cribs. Iyyappan explains in great detail the stories of these babies, gesturing and talking to them throughout. Soon we start talking to the babies in tones uncertain but meant to be comforting, and some of us hold some of the babies. They are tiny, tiny for babies. Some lie still with feeding tubes. For light and air there are two open-air windows and a doorway. Given the limited resources, the setup for these infants and the care maintained for them is remarkable. It is a tribute to the good people who work here, and Iyyappan continually expresses his gratitude for the people at the orphanage. As he is talking I look at the woman clearly in charge of the nursery, arms folded, her role as protector of these children clear. After all, who else has done what she has for these babies? We head back downstairs for a group photo with some of the boys and girls, with the plan to drive to the home where the older boys live. We will not have time on this trip to visit the older girls.

Sri Arunodayam operates on private funding which you can learn more about here. Two major supporters of this wonderful organization are the Global Fund for Children and the Global Giving Foundation. If you are looking for a charity whose donations will truly be put toward the greater good, these two are excellent institutions supporting this incredibly worthy cause here in Chennai. From everything we saw Sri Arunodayam is well run, is certainly a lean organization, and every resource, every effort, every person, is devoted to improving the quality of life for these children. Maybe the measure of success is the smile we saw on so many children’s faces, and by that measure Iyyappan and his team are doing a stellar job.

We go to the space for the older boys. These boys range in age from 10 to 18. We go into a classroom where some of the children are using beans and work boards for counting exercises, others engaged in different work like sorting or stringing beads. It is unclear whether the instructor shares her childrens’ excitement for the balls and toys that have now taken over the room. Some boys continue their work only to have an errant ball scatter the beans, but with a little help they keep at it. These kids are full of life, we are playing catch, things are active.

Later in the visit we go to a room where the kids are all lying down on mattresses, most of them awake. We left a room filled with energy and movement and now are in a still, quiet place. These children are very small, they look closer in age to the 5 to 7 year olds we met earlier but they are older, and they have difficulty with simple movements. A boy who looks 6 years old is actually 18. This room reminds us that even in the midst of the wonderful welcomes and excitement we have been greeted with, very serious physical challenges confront many of these children. Too many of them do not make it to adulthood. But some, Iyyappan points out, are borderline. He tells us that these boys lying on the floor more than anything else simply need someone to talk to them, someone to touch them. Again we try to take his lead, touching and talking to these children. Even though they do not speak to us, many respond with smiles, hand and leg movement, and even a little bit of laughter. The interaction is amazingly gratifying. A breeze blows in through an open window, those of us who can stand see a pretty lake in the near distance. Time passes quickly in this room.

We meet at the stairway and one of us raises the topic of adoption. Adoption by foreigners is a long process in India but Iyyappan believes it could be expedited for these “special children.” He tells a story of a girl with only borderline challenges twice being adopted – only to be returned to the orphanage. Being in this home is not the solution, it should be temporary, being in a home with a family is what these children need, he tells us, and his smile breaks a little bit. This is the only time in our visit when there is a hint of pain in Iyyappan’s words. He again explains this idea that suddenly seems so self-evident, so obvious – everyone including these abandoned children deserves to be talked to, to be touched, to be shown human compassion. That is what Iyyappan has created with this place.

Earlier during the visit Iyyappan explained the name Sri Arunodayam with a smile – with every child, a new life, a new dawn. Our visit was short, he and his team live these words every day. In addition to a home, food, shelter, activities, they give these children smiles. All across the world there are heroes making the world a better place, and today we had the good fortune of meeting some of them.

September 11, 2014