But the breakfast choices also include uthallapanas, sambar and poori masala. And all that without leaving the hotel. So I got a slow start this morning after a long ride yesterday down the dry, hot (about 90 degrees) eastern plains of Tamil Nadu. I had finally figured out how to get a driver with a little English and car to make me from Tiruvanamalai, after a number of attempts. An Englishman, Nick, also given to the freedom of solo travel rode with me as far as Trichy and we shared the values of travel and stories of trips in Iran (his) and Ethiopia (mine). The journey about 330 km. took us through villages and small towns and broad dry rivers which flood with the monsoons. Madurai is a city, ancient and cosmopolitan, with hotels, such as the Supreme where I am staying, with rooftop restaurants. Thousands and thousands of pilgrims come here to the Meenakshi-Sundareshwara Temple. Before heading there, though, I'm off to ply the streets and figure out this local geography of streets, alleys, markets, and a major train terminal. Then this afternoon when the sun moves from the center of the sky and shadows finally come to the streets, I'll go to the temple. Like people have been doing for a long, long time.
