There is this place somewhere half way between Pondicherry and Chennai (Madras in the colonial times) called Mahabalipuram. I had been planning for a long time to visit it, but I waited first for the right time then the right person. Then there was nothing to wait for any more. So I just went accompanied by Isabel, and had a really wonderful weekend in a really nice place. We got off the bus, and hired a rikshaw driver to take us to the city. Of course he knew a place where we could have accomodation. Indian rikshaw drivers always no a place to stay or have a dinner or anything else....So we had a look, but the peeling walls and the view from the room to some piles of rubbish did not seem so attractive altough the price
was more than competitive and the place seemed to be popular with backpackers. We decied to have a look around before making our decision, as there were obviously several other offers. So we ended up at the beach in a friendly restaurant, with the view right next here. And of course they also had rooms to rent. So we stayed, and from our window we could enjoy the same view. I must admit I loved the place.
Mahabalipuram is famous
for the temples carved into the rocks around 700 A.D. We started the next day very early to avoid the heat and the crowds following the tips of some friends who had been there before. That was a very smart decision and I am glad we did so, alough I am not
famous for my morning freshness, and unlike Isabel I don't drink coffee to get some kick for the day.
The monuments are located in three different places in the city, and we started with one, closesest to our place, on the shore. At the ticket counter we faced again that very Indian habbit that they are overcharging foreigners. Brutally. For Indians the entrance fee is Rs. 10, for others 250. A bit unfair, I would say, but we experienced the same with Raquel in Bangalore, so at least it was not shocking this time. This buildings are really amazing as architetural achievements, and with their spiritual atmosphere the experinece is really breathtaking. After finishing the first section of our tour, we decided for a late breakfast. Mahabalipuram has several cozy restaurants and during the weekend we were tirelessly testing them one after the other.
By the time we finished our breakfast and the newspapers handed next to it however became too hot to continue. So we wandere
d back to the room for a nap. After a late lunch we resumed the program, however by that time millions of Indians flooded the sites. And it was - with Western eyes - shocking to see that right next to their historical inherit they are throwing away all their rubbish, selling everything from food to clothes and the smell... oh the smell left no doubt that they were not bothering themsleves with searching for toilet. These things as I mentioned several times inseparable from India but indigestable for those who are not accustomed to such a 'culture'.
Also the area around the monuments is a kind of zoo, with dogs, cows, goats and monkeys walknig around.
Before dinner we had a walk on the beach and bumped into a few guys playing beach volleyball. Volleyball is quite a common sport in South-India and these guys were quite good, so we joined for a game. I had not played for a long time, and as a matter of fact had not done any exercise for a long time. It was really a pleasure to play, though after ten minutes I was breatless again... not the first time this day, but... :-) We lost the first game but let us persuade for a second that we won :-) Oh, I really couldn't move after, however it was a very pleasant exhaustion....
We had our dinners at the beach, then lay in a boat used by the fishermen during the day and were just listening the waves and enjoying the cooling air. O
n Monday we went shopping, but it proved to be quite difficult to bargain, so we had little success. So we ended up at the beach again moving from one place to the other, lazily looking the fishermen setting sail, having cold drinks and enjoying doing nothing. It was a well deserved and badly needed holiday, and gave us some of our best days in India...
was more than competitive and the place seemed to be popular with backpackers. We decied to have a look around before making our decision, as there were obviously several other offers. So we ended up at the beach in a friendly restaurant, with the view right next here. And of course they also had rooms to rent. So we stayed, and from our window we could enjoy the same view. I must admit I loved the place.Mahabalipuram is famous
for the temples carved into the rocks around 700 A.D. We started the next day very early to avoid the heat and the crowds following the tips of some friends who had been there before. That was a very smart decision and I am glad we did so, alough I am notfamous for my morning freshness, and unlike Isabel I don't drink coffee to get some kick for the day.
The monuments are located in three different places in the city, and we started with one, closesest to our place, on the shore. At the ticket counter we faced again that very Indian habbit that they are overcharging foreigners. Brutally. For Indians the entrance fee is Rs. 10, for others 250. A bit unfair, I would say, but we experienced the same with Raquel in Bangalore, so at least it was not shocking this time. This buildings are really amazing as architetural achievements, and with their spiritual atmosphere the experinece is really breathtaking. After finishing the first section of our tour, we decided for a late breakfast. Mahabalipuram has several cozy restaurants and during the weekend we were tirelessly testing them one after the other.
By the time we finished our breakfast and the newspapers handed next to it however became too hot to continue. So we wandere
d back to the room for a nap. After a late lunch we resumed the program, however by that time millions of Indians flooded the sites. And it was - with Western eyes - shocking to see that right next to their historical inherit they are throwing away all their rubbish, selling everything from food to clothes and the smell... oh the smell left no doubt that they were not bothering themsleves with searching for toilet. These things as I mentioned several times inseparable from India but indigestable for those who are not accustomed to such a 'culture'.Also the area around the monuments is a kind of zoo, with dogs, cows, goats and monkeys walknig around.
Before dinner we had a walk on the beach and bumped into a few guys playing beach volleyball. Volleyball is quite a common sport in South-India and these guys were quite good, so we joined for a game. I had not played for a long time, and as a matter of fact had not done any exercise for a long time. It was really a pleasure to play, though after ten minutes I was breatless again... not the first time this day, but... :-) We lost the first game but let us persuade for a second that we won :-) Oh, I really couldn't move after, however it was a very pleasant exhaustion....We had our dinners at the beach, then lay in a boat used by the fishermen during the day and were just listening the waves and enjoying the cooling air. O
n Monday we went shopping, but it proved to be quite difficult to bargain, so we had little success. So we ended up at the beach again moving from one place to the other, lazily looking the fishermen setting sail, having cold drinks and enjoying doing nothing. It was a well deserved and badly needed holiday, and gave us some of our best days in India...
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