From bustling Chennai to peaceful Ponducherry on Sunday

Yesterday we felt as though Scottie had beamed us  down on to another planet.   We decided to escape the heat (35c) and dust of Chennai and go out to Ponducherry.  The hotel arranged a formula one apprentice with a love of loud Indian music to take us.  We guessed there was something suspect when our first port of call was to collect a spare tyre at which point, himself quickly put on his seat belt.

 Ponducherry is about 150 k from Chennai, so we knew we were in for a long haul.  It took about 20 minutes to get out of the city, and as it was 69^th anniversary celebrations of Independence, the government had given everyone the day off  -Sunday.  There were marches, parades and firecrackers going off all over the place.  The traffic was solid, motorised rickshaws, scooters, cars, bikes, cycles  and goods vehicle and the odd cow all vying for position.  At the traffic lights it was like a formula one start.  I read a sign on the back of a rickshaw that said

Life is safe

If drive is safe

Life not a race

If you drive with grace. 

We soon got into the green and lush countryside  along the East Coast Road with goat farms, fields of crops, coconut palms, pasture and thatched houses.  We saw Pelicans flying over the salt flats and egrets in the paddy fields.  We stopped for fresh pineapple juice and watched the ladies selling huge Jackfruit.

We make it safely to Ponducherry after a couple of near misses overtaking, and two definite nudges on a couple of cows crossing the road.  The formula one apprentice  was sorted by himself, he slowed slightly and the radio got switched off!

Ponducherry has a large French quarter and we made our way for lunch to a quiet little bistro serving delicious food. Himself observed that the police in Ponducherry wore a traditional French Police hat.

After a tour of local churches and temples we returned to Mamallapuram to the Shore Temple built in 700 AD with blocks of stone stuck together with a mixture  of  sand, crushed seashells, black sugar and egg whites – see, I was listening to the guide.   The Indians promenade along the sea shore and there are hawkers selling all sorts of stuff – mainly junk,  I succumbed to the pleadings of one little girl and himself moaned because I gave up bartering and just gave her a £1 for 4 necklaces, Oxfam ahoy.

Here we are at a Hindu shrine, not to be walked on - but they weren't bothered by the goat.

You will note I am covered, shoulders and legs, as it is sign of respect for all religions in southern India.  We have however, seen western women with shorts and strappy tops who have been frowned upon and treated with disrespect by the locals.

Tamil flower sellers just outside our hotel