We arrived at this magnificent hotel where we werre greeted by a cool wet towel & a cold drink. The pool & garden is lovely with many colorful flowers & green parrots flying everywhere. We just had our third swim. Dee is teaching us a new way to swim using little movement. The room had all the amenities without asking. the breakfast included western food & all the nummy Indian things. The hotel shop included many soft pashim scarfs. After dinner last night we all decided to help Dee buy one. By the end I was driving off with the sales clerk in the middle of the night to an ATM because we had spent all our cash. We are, this am still pleaswed with our purchases.

Our van has a short circuit so we are temporarily delated for todays trek to Pondicherry. We’re enjoying the break.

Sunday late morning till the heat of the day we explored the Birhadeeswara temple with the huge Nandi bull. The setting was lovely but the road/floor of granite blocks were popping hot. Our bare feet were not happy. The inner HIndu temples were open so we could go inside. The Brahman blessed us with the white powder which our guide earlier had said is baked cow dung.

Yesterday we came to Trichy for the fort & temple but also went to OUr lady of Lourdes church. It was the feast day so there was a huge clebration with 21 priest & thousands of people processing with floats. We got caught for an hour in a traffic jam of bikes & motor cycles & tucktucks. I will try to post pictures.

Mary

The last post was Martha Ann being blessed

by the temple elephant.  This px is Mary, Doug

and Lili enjoying a morning ride. (This is

actually Martha Ann writing cuz Mary got

frustrated with trying to post and I need to stay

near a bathroom this morning, again.

ug

My travel companions say the food is wonderful.  I thought I would be able to eat some food here, but almost all is too spoicy.  The priest at the seminary in Bangalore where we stayed said I was the new spice girl.  The 5 lb bag of food was a wise choice.

The hills around Munnar are covered with tea plants – it goes on for miles and miles.  I’m uploading a px of Deirdre taking a px.  We are putting together are px.s and I’ll post of my facebook page – soon.

Today we are in Peripar near a game reserve and have plans to go on a boat to see tigers and elephants. – Oh my!

An adventure always has unexpected occurences. A great taste treat was trying tamarind seeds at a small stand on the trip from Ooty to Cochin. The seeds are inside a pod like a vanilla bean, and you suck the covering of the seeds. Delicious! Later finding the Jewish Synagogue and the Dutch Palace closed on Fridays was a surprise as the guide said they would be open.

Finding Mary’s camera on the bus, even though we did not pray to St. Anthony, was great. Now if Mary could only get the Itouch to work right.

Yesterday we went for a 3 1/2 hour houseboat ride on the backwaters here in Kerala. We had the boat to ourselves and it was relaxing, and the ride on part of the 900 km inland waterways was beautiful. The 3 1/2 hour each way thru heavy trafic and with a detour was all part of the experience. Our driver is very good, and we have had a young man form teh parish or a brother form the seminary here on the last 2 days. They speak the local dialect — our driver is from Bengaluru & does not the dialect here.

Of course, Mary has chatted them up and
knows their life stories.

We still haven’t been successful in posting pictures. Will try again later today. The wifi is quirky, but I’m glad it’s here.

While I always enjoy music, the 5 am call is a bit early. Mary sleeps thru most anything and has a good nap on our van.

We leave this morning for Munnar which is in the mountains again.

From the thin air of Ooty.  Ooty is one of several “hill stations” where colonials and wealthy Indians would go to stay cool in the hot months.  We are experiencing a welcome change from warm weather in Mysore.  It has been a rich tapestry of experiences for MMD and fun for us to share their excitement.  I got up early this morning and walked into the fields and along a track enjoying the shadowed forest first in the mist and then penetrated by rays from the Sun peeking over the hills.  Air is fresh and clear.  Sarvan, our driver was out in the van getting organized for the day.  Said he spent a chilly night in the room assigned for drivers.

Typical India — we decided to wait and get malaria pills here where they are much cheaper and convinced Deirdre to do the same.  A preliminary visit to pharmacies near our Mysore hotel came up empty, so we asked for help from hotel staff.  Jeffory of same called around, located a potential source and ordered Larium from them to be obtained that evening.  Doug went with Earol, the day manager in a 3-wheeler to pick up the goods.  Pharmacy says “we don’t take orders without deposit”.  Doug pleads.  Pharmacy says they will try to obtain and will call hotel the morning of our departure.  We wait that morning, no call.  Decision made to go to pharmacy street for doxycycline [a viable alternative to Larium].  Doxy purchased, return to hotel.  5 minutes later receive call from pharmacy, Larium in hand and can be delivered right away.  Wait for delivery……no show.  Finally, does come.  India!