TTDC Hotel Mamallapuram

... was not yet high season for tourism. We noticed that the pool bar and the hot tub were both not in operation at this hotel. For dinner, I was able to get more prawns while I was still along the coast. During dinner, our waiter decided to give my mom a tour of the kitchen and she even got to take part in the making of some naan. After another buffet breakfast that included fresh passion fruit on Thursday morning, we set out on the long drive to our next stop, Trichy.<br>

... per una pel.licula india. Diu que paguen 700 rupies (uns 10 Euros) i que es roda tota la nit i ets de tornada a Mamallapuram a les 7 del mati. Ni que sigui per l'experiencia decideixo acceptar la proposta. Al final som quatre (jo i tres francesos) els turistes que fem cap als estudis cinematografics de Chennai. Alla ens disfressen de soldats als nois i amb vestits d'epoca a les noies, i ens sotmeten a una breu sessio de maquillatge per fer-nos un bigotet als ...

... again, it's also called Mahabalipuram. It's small, on the coast, has a beach, with lots of fishermen, quite a few hawkers and gypsies (which can get annoying but they are just trying to make a living, they know nothing else) a few dirt streets. There are quite a few tourist shops and restaurants for the size. And it's hot, i mean super hot! I dont know if it was lack of breeze or what cuz it seemed to be copasetic in Pondicherry ...

... et faconnes. La taille de pierre est la specialite du coin, il faconne les divinites sous toutes leurs formes et de toutes les tailles Nous n'avons pas grand chose a raconter car ce que nous avons le plus vu de cette ville est le cyber cafe ou nous avons passe plusieurs heures a organiser la suite de notre voyage dans les iles Andamanes... Nous ...

... Electricity Board thought it best if they turn the power off. For three days. Perhaps I exaggerate a little, we had brief interludes of power, and managed to grab one hot shower whilst we were there, and in fact just before we left, things had returned to normal as Nisha moved on, but reading and generally moving around by candle light after the batteries ran out in the torch was far from ideal. One restauarant had a generator, and so they were ...

... may or may not appreciate your clicking away. But this was mid-afternoon, in between fishing times of the early morning and the early evening, so the place was a fish-smelling ghost town. As I wandered around taking pictures of these great subjects, a began to shift my photographic eye downward towards the sand. Regularly I would pass by a rancid smell of dead fish, and chalked it up to, well, being in the middle of a fishing fleet. But soon ...

... of naff ethnic pendants absolutely gratis. We had a nice few days here, enjoyed relaxing. eating and drinking. Found out that Tamil Nadu province does not label "alcohol content" on beer, but "minimum alcohol content" (usually 8%).. well, what philistine would think of eating curry without some lager to wash it down with.. unless it's curry for breakfast of course.... Heading off to Chennai next and we'll be flying home in a couple of days!!! see you soon! J

... in South India and reminds me of Tulum in the Yucatan. Mamallapuram was such a sweet surprise to me. It is a small seaside town on the northeastern shore of South India. The tap, tap, tapping of the ancient stone carving tradition that started in the fifth century is still prevalent today in this charming town. I have always been fascinated by ancient ruins and this far exceeded my expectations ...

... sights. It is impossible to walk in the streets without attracting the attention of the more mobile beggars, mostly children, who will hold out their hands or else crowd around you and tug on your clothing. This kind of scene prevents a moral dilemma for the westerner who, by comparison with these people, is rich beyond imagination. Even the most penny-pinching backpacker who eats only bread and uses the most dilapidated and cheap transport, though he may not readily admit it, has ...

... my best to seem unperturbed and walked over to him wearing what I hoped to be a pleasant expression on my face. "Passport", he burped at me. Normally I carry my passport on me at all times but, as luck wouldn't have it, this must have been the first time I had been out of a hotel room anywhere in India without it. I had left it with Michelle - there was no point carrying any extra stuff on my brief foray, I reasoned. The policeman didn't seem happy when I told him. He ...