11.1.11 - "Sometimes I think sitting on trains..."

The above video provides a glimpse of what its like to ride in an auto-rickshaw. The experience is so preposterously chaotic that it feels more like a video game than real life.
          We experienced heavy rains at MCC today. People are starting to run out of clothes since they weren't able to do laundry on the trip and the humid air prevents any drying. After class, twelve of us went with Suresh on an adventure into Chennai. We purchased train tickets for 14 rupees/person and rolled down the tracks toward town. As we were chugging down the line, the train came to a sudden stop. Based on the Tamil conversations in the car, Suresh was able to decipher that someone may have fallen off the train. I was surprised when Suresh told me that this was the first time had experienced such an incident on the railway considering the sardine-like way in which people are crammed onto the open car train. The train was so packed that whenever we stopped at stations along the way to our destination, people boarding the train would pass their luggage through the train windows to strangers inside the car. I was impressed by the way in which most Indians I saw on the train were willing to help each other. There was a refreshingly odd sense of community on the public transport. We caught a ride on the auto-rickshaw shown in the above video to the shopping center.
          The vendors at the Chennai mall were hilarious. One of them tried to interest me in buying a shawl with this gem of a sales pitch: "It can be zero degrees outside and you will be able to hatch egg wrapped inside." Oh India... 

10.29-31.11 - Fossils, fish, and flowers

 In my element...

          We got off to an early start this morning. As it turned out, we needed it; it took us much longer than expected to locate the limestone quarrt of Tamil Nadu Cement Company. Thankfully, this stop was worth the wait. In addition to viewing some of the main rock types of Southern India, our group got the chance to roam the mine in search of our own Cretaceous period fossils. It was like an Easter egg hunt for geologists. I collected so many samples that my pants nearly fell off as we got back on the bus!
          As we were driving back to our resort, it was interesting to see the political advertisements in the small towns. Political candidates have devised an ingenious system to garner votes in which they associate themselves with a specific symbol. These symbols, which included a ladder, a padlock, and a sunrise, were painted in bold colors on the white walls of the villages. Apparently, this technique ensures that political candidates receive votes from both the literate and illiterate populations.

Catch of the day

A youthful admirer watches as Serena receives flowers

          After an interesting tour of the the Tanjore library and museum, we had the afternoon off. Several of us chose to utilize our down time by walking from our resort to the nearby town. We were treated with many wildlife sitings along the way including peacocks, kingfishers, and snakes. It was approaching dinner time when we finally arrived at the village and it was fun to see the people bustling about in preparation for the evening meal. The villagers were seen purchasing fish from the riverside fish market and rice from the massive pile deposited near the end of the main street. Since I have been in India, I have seen many interesting things transported on mopeds including giant water jugs and entire car doors. However, this small village was where I saw the most bizarre and creative use of moped transportation. The occupants of the two-wheeled vehicle were positioned sequentially as follows: goat-man-goat-man-goat. That's right, two guys and three goats were spotted cruising on a moped down the main drag of the village. There may or may not have been a couple of chickens dangling from the side mirror.
          We spent the 31st on the bus traveling back to MCC. On the way home, we stopped at a restaurant that had a playground outside. Not surprisingly, several of our students enjoyed the chance to stretch their legs after lunch by swinging and teeter-tottering. Recess was cut short by one of the parking lot attendants, who came running onto the playground blowing his whistle and wildly gesticulating. It was comical to see the confused expression on this man's face when Suresh attempted to explain that we were just kids trying to have some fun. He didn't buy it. We celebrated Halloween by munching on treats from the Pick-'n'-pack as we watched The Social Network on the projector screen in the MCC guesthouse.
          

10.28.11 - The main attratction?

Drew and Alexis: Celebrity status

          Today, we visited the Kalani Dam and toured two temples near Trichy. Ironically, our study away group ended up being the biggest attraction at the temples. Drew and Alexis were especially popular - so many people wanted their picture taken with them that the two of them just stood in place while the locals filtereed in and out for pictures with the exotic Americans. Not many people wanted a picture with me. Perhaps I look too much like a native with my striking mustcache haha (I wish haha).
          After a long day of site seeing, we checked into the Ideal River View Resort in Tanjore. So far, it has lived up to its name. Beautiful river, good food, and good amenities. At dinner, several of us enjoyed banana pastry desserts (the Indians generously called them "pancakes") that were prepared right at our table. We finished off the day with a marathon evening of table tennis. Ryan and I took on Suresh and Luke for several epic games.

10.27.11 - My kind of temple

         

View of the city from Trichy rock fort

          We left MCC early this morning for our trip to the Trichy area. I assumed by customary sleeping position in the overhead luggage storage shelf for the 6-hour ride from Tambaram. We stopped at a roadside gas station/restaurant for lunch. I ordered a traditional South Indian meal, which consisted of rice served on a banana leaf accompanied with 7 small cups of different curries. I'm feeling more like a native now that I can eat without the aid of utensils.
          While in Trichy, we visited the rock fort temple. This temple was my favorite of the trip so far by virtue of the fact that its foundation rests on top of a substantial mound of metamorphic rock. After climbing all 413 stairs, we were able to take in the breathtaking views from the rock fort. You know you are up high when the hawks are soaring at eye level! There were remarkably intelligent monkeys loitering just outside of the temple. These precocious primates had the dexterity and know-how to operate the water faucet to obtain drinking water.