Mamallapuram, October 28, 2008
the 27th morning in Tiruvannamalai has come to take the driver sent to me by Moksha tour. Sekar is called, is a fairly conservative and fifty silent. Cares about his old Ambassador (a model car of the sixties very common here) and I noticed that the morning he wakes up early to brighten them. The first stop was after Tiruvannamalai Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram), a kind of subtropical Torvaianica who welcomed me during the bombing of the feast of Dewali, I begin to hate cordially. I do not understand why this city attracts many tourists. The beach is huge but the sea is not just a big mess and it dominates everything. However, the temples are beautiful and it is worth staying a day to visit. A Mamallapuram I had my first experience of "desperate search for hotels." It will be the only constant anxiety of the trip, because among other things, the Lonely Planet (possino cecalli) is totally busted on prices: any cost provided in the guide (ed. ital. 2008!), A hotel for the price of a ticket a museum should be increased by an average of 30%. Annoying.
fact is that on the third try I am getting a real rat hole to 600 rupees ("budget room", the guy says) infested with mosquitoes and filthy sheets which resist twenty minutes, then when the guy tells me that the use the pool is not included (but is a warm Executioner!) irritated me and I give passing a decent room at 850, "If you are happy, we are happy," the guy says and I just can not hate these Indians, even when they put you in the sack.
The visit to the temples of Mamallapuram (Five rathas and the large park where there is a bas-relief of Arjuna's Penance) is quite fast, because the town is really unattractive. To make me nervous it also puts the camera, two memory card out of three are rubbish and only Brahma knows why.
Towards the twenty I had dinner with a grilled fresh seafood at the famous Moonrakers, I was the only customer and after a while 'the two young waiters were sitting in front of me to chat. Now the usual barrage of questions in India: how your name, where are you, what do you do, you're married, have kids, etc.. Solita amused wonder when you declare your status as married, "uuhh. Why?". I just noticed that the Indians understand that you're Italian sdilinquiscono, since we are the only Europeans who can compete with their talkative attitude.
After lunch I took a tour - the usual effort to reject the overtures to join in the many craft shops (all the rage the Tibetan shop) - and I found a small cobbler who has remedied the theft in an hour churning out in the ashram a pair of beautiful sandals blacks "Gandhi style". I am proud I went back to the hotel with my new chappal ...
0 comments:
Post a Comment