Chennai Overview

Sights

So many colors and shapes and sizes! 

Sounds

Noise is everywhere.  Indians don’t drive without liberal application of the horn.  Horns are not used just to warn, they are used to remind other cars that you are present, that you are thinking about changing lanes, that they’d better not be thinking about changing into your lane.  They are tooted constantly.  Music is many places – from the call to prayer from mosques, to the ubiquitous ringing of cell phones, to appliances have been left on (water purifier, oven), to the late-night radio program our security guard is attached to.  Something is always ringing, dinging, singing. 

Smells
There’s a distinctive scent to Chennai in the morning.  I think it combines smoke from cooking fires and/or burning trash with the overnight humidity.   When Chris & I go for our early morning walk, the dumpsters are sometimes over-ripe.  At meal times, there is the smell of cooking food – spicy and hot.  Sometimes coffee - South India is known for its filter coffee.  

 Tastes

Oh we love South Indian cooking!  From our first taste in our hotel’s famous restaurant Dakshin to much humbler restaurants, we are enjoying the combination of spices, the heat, and the textures.  The boys really like eating with their right hand and a piece of bread as well (many types of Indian bread – but several resemble tortillas.  You tear off a piece and scoop up some of your meal).  This is a meal we can order at many restaurants (a thali) and be assured of a good mix of delicious dishes.

Want some recipes?  Try this!    http://allrecipes.co.in/          

Remember:  Indians use spices the way Americans use vegetables:  by the handful.

Textures

The texture of this Indian city is primarily concrete.  It's the building material of choice in this humid, tropical country.  It doesn't always weather well, tho, and there are structures which I'm not sure if they're building up or taking down.