First day in India!

The apartment we're staying in is really nice. It has 3 bedrooms, a kitchen, and common area. Its very cozy and must be perfect for the Usha and Sarathy, whose son moved out 9 years ago and lives in Kansas now. Of the two bathrooms, one is western style while the other is 'Indian closet style'. This provided an interesting experience for our jetlagged selves the first night we arrived. Though we can't say that we've mastered the technique of essentially using a hole in the ground, we managed to make do (and now appreciate the western one much more!).

Our meals here have been amazing. Usha is careful to warn us about the spicy foods yet is eager to introduce us to true southern Indian cuisine. Everything has been delicious. As we woke up around 9.30 this morning, we slept through the time Usha and Sarathy ate breakfast. So we started our day with an amazing snack of a puri (we're trying hard to remember names of everything, but it's proving to be difficult!) which were small balls of dough filled with ginger, coconut, and green peppers. We then spent the morning talking with Usha about a variety of topics from Obama's healthcare plan to Indian politics. Soon after, it was lunch time! This was a true local meal. Eating all with our hands, we ate rice and chapati with a spicy peanuts in sauce dish, shredded carrots with cilantro in lime sauce, a potato and vegetable masala dish, and another vegetable called 'snake grass' that's only found in India. With it, we had coffee made the Indian way with warm milk and sugar. Everything was delicous and we're now eagerly awaiting cooking lessons from Usha!

We then headed out for a drive through the city. The streets were crowded with people, cows, dogs, goats, rickshaws, bikes and carts. Sarathy drove with one hand holding the wheel and one over the very frewuently used horn. We drove around the city, across a bridge seperating the ocean from the backwaters, and went south down the coast. The landscape changed quickly from tall city buildings to suburban housing to green space where they grew trees for wood. We then stopped in a small community of private beach houses that our hosts frequent. We walked down the shore to collect shells and watch the waves despite the strong smell coming from the fishermen drying their fish farther down the shore. We then snacked on soft coconut meat and the water from young coconuts. This water apparently is the cure to many ailments and is the best protection against dehydration. It had a very unique taste that needs getting used to, but was quite good and Paige and I drank most of our glasses.

Our returned to Chennai was hindered by a small run in with the police who pulled us over for apparently driving too fast. It almost seemed funny that there are actually enforced driving laws here, as it usually feels like a free for all where the larger vehicle wins! Nevertheless we proceeded to stop at Usha's sister's house for tea and to meet her adorable grandson and family who were all very friendly. Paige and I weren't exactly sure though if 2 year old Aditya was just shy or very perplexed by us two non-Indian girls in his living room! After this, Paige, Usha and I walked around Chennai to see a few temples and admire the dolls of gods being displayed on the streets to sell for a festival starting next week. For Paige and I it was certainly less of a leisurely stroll and more of a video-game like experience of trying to walk on the side of the road following Usha while avoiding obstacles of cows, bikes, honking buses, impatient cars, etc. All a part of the experience :)

For dinner, we ate in a small local restaurant that was one of the oldest eating houses in Chennai. It was crowded inside, and we shared a table with two other people. We ate masala dosa off of banana leaves with coconut chutney and (our favorite) mint chutney. We honestly don't see us ever having a bad meal here, everything has been delicous!

We then came home for our much anticipated and well deserved showers! Got to get some sleep for our second and last day of exploring Chennai!