It is our last morning in India. Robert and I watched the sunrise from the comfort of our bed this morning---the final day of the adventure. Kathy told us that she had sat out last night watching the moon over the ocean since she and Milla’s cabin was right on the water’s edge. As the moon is upside down in India, and was a half moon, it appeared as though it was an evil eye. The clouds were dark, as a storm was brewing, and the formations with the moon’s eye, resembled the gods we had seen in the temples. It became easy to understand where some of the Hindu beliefs might have arisen.
We left the ocean early this morning en route to Chennai a city of over six million people. This city is known as the Detroit of India, manufacturing forty per cent of the cars in this country. It has a vibrant IT industry, is the financial hub of southern India and has the third largest port in India which is a manmade harbor. Chennai has the second longest beach in the world ,over twenty kilometres in length and also is renowned for having a large number of universities including a university for women that is over two hundred years old.
Once we entered the downtown core we got into a gridlock of cars buses ,and tuk tuks for about twenty minutes.
Lakuma had a surprise for us, she was taking us on a train ride into the market area . We were shocked to see so few people on the platform . We hurried unto the train and as all the seats were taken we rode standing looking out the open door. Kathy couldn’t reach the ceiling handles so relied on the Indian men surrounding her to catch her if the train stopped suddenly. We rode for seven stops and then headed for the market.
At the market Sue and Robert disappeared into an upscale jewelry store where Robert bought Sue two 18 carat gold bracelets. Mila and Kathy were very envious.
We then took a city tour on the bus that included a stop at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church , a beautiful white church , where the apostle Thomas died in 72 AD. We arrived as a couple were being married and then viewed the tomb of St. Thomas . This is one of only three churches in the world where the body of an apostle is buried.
Our tour continued along the beach where we saw a large number of small fishing boats, nets and women selling a variety of fish. Little fast food restaurants dotted the beach where in the evening the local community congregates to relax and enjoy the seaside.
We then toured the old town passing by many beautiful victorian buildings still in use today including a medical university and hospital, a women’s college, the first train station in India , a governor’s mansion and Chennai’s high court.
Finally we arrived at the beautiful Trident Hotel across the highway from the airport, where we spent the remainder of our day relaxing by the pool, writing this blog and preparing ourselves for the never ending plane rides.
Note: Kathy will arrive in Toronto on Thursday around 1:30 p.m. and will call her son from the Toronto airport. Milla, Rob, and Sue will arrive in Cambridge on Thursday around 5 p.m.
Where the hell are all the people?
Sue buys 4 dozen glass bangles.
beautiful Chennai beach
look closely at this street beggar
Chennai is on the Bay of Bengal.
this street is famous for flower shops
friendly Chennai boys wishing us luck
stairway to heaven at St. Thomas the Apostle church
gridlock in downtown Chennai - everyone sat still with their vehicles running for 1/2 hour
sunrise at Fisherman's Cove hotel
Sue and Milla riding the rails
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