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Published: February 18th 2013
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Notes from a Dug: Madurai We check into our accommodation in Madurai only to discover we are checking into the former residence of the local British Club. Re-tuned and re-jigged about five years ago, each suite comes with its own plunge pool. Of varying sizes, these granite mini-pools are about twelve feet long and eight feet wide. Some are accessed from an over-sized sliding glass door that separates the outdoor pool from the main living space (ours). Some are part of a huge over-sized bathroom area (Janice & Deb's). How's the picture so far? On first blush it seems idyllic. However, for the first time on our trip we notice an oversupply of mosquitoes. They, too, like plunge pools. In our case, we can shut the door. In Deb & Janice's case, if they want to shower or use the loo, they must expose bare flesh. On the first night, I was in the open air lobby for about half an hour and my bare hands had about 40 bites on each hand. Picture now, bare flesh on the throne and/or bare flesh in the shower. It's a standing room only mosquito picnic. Pity, if you will, the Canada girls
Transfer station for mosquitoes
Janice & Deb get mosquito mauled here with their spotted red bodies and the smiling hordes of bloated mosquitoes.
At this point, even a temple tour should look appealing. But not to Terry. Tucked in her hermetically sealed, bug-free paradise, she opts for a late morning snooze and a "not goin' on another temple tour" day. It's a white feather for Terry. The remaining three stalwarts receive their reward in the form of Reshi, the best guide we have had in our two months of being on the road. Informed, articulate, educated, elegant and young, Reshi brings to life the Meenakshi Temple, perhaps our last temple on the tour. Through a combination of information presented in context and engagement with the people using the temple, we become part of the daily life of what is truly a living temple. We learn about the prayers for fertility, the prayers for finding a good husband or a good wife, the anxious moments for couples waiting to meet each other for the first time in their pre-arranged union, the celebrations for pregnancy, the celebrations for a successful birth, and the general everyday worshipping that goes on every minute in this mainly Hindu nation. Success for the tribe of three.
Climbing through the clouds to reach Kerala
Straight up with a zillion switch-backs. Not only U-turns but a collection of unheard of V-turns. And, naturally, our Mr. Vinkie, blasting away on his horn, would pass, on a V-turn, with no wings and four Hail Marys from his four squawking passengers. We are finally getting it. So much so that, when Debbie offers a small monetary gift to a bride-to-be, she has her feet blessed for the honour she has bestowed on the family.
On our way back to the van, we ask Rishi if he is aware of any tailor shops in the area. We had read that we could get some clothes tailored to the sloppy contours of our bodies in the space of an afternoon. He says, "No problem, please follow me." In the blink of a needle and thread, we are all looking through bolts of fabric and getting measured. All of us, that is, except for the sleeping princess on the chaise lounge back at poolside. We know; however, we will have to figure out a way to get Terry in here and suited up as well. Once again, it's Rishi to the rescue. He suggests we come here early, before the night's activities, give Terry time to get measured and let her choose her fabrics and fashions. The tailors will then have time to marshall their troops and try to have everything ready before we leave at noon the following day. Let's try it.
Desperate times call for desperate measures
After one too many on-the-road near misses, the front-seaters start mixing rum and lime sodas way before Happy Hour. Why not? We know the girl at poolside will be up for it.
The rest of the day, after a body dip into a barrel of DEET, we retire to the main pool at our hotel. We need to rest for the night's temple celebration at which time, in the darkness of the early evening, the priests will lead two camels, one bull, one elephant and a procession of gilded deities on a four block walk-about in the neighbourhood. We'll also be ringside when the champ of all things buy-able will do her intense and focused pillaging of a small shop of unsuspecting tailors.
And, the night goes well. The animals lumber their way through the sparse crowds, the hawkers glom on to the only white people out (us), and the tailors make another new wardrobe for those of us now running out of cash reserves. The local economy thanks us in general and Terry, in particular.
We close out the day with one more round at the buffet table and I make one more personal promise to ease off on the tonnage, concentrate on moderation and a sincere desire to not pay any attention to the
Three tailors, four tourists
The boys work all night to keep the customer satisfied. previous two points.
See you in Periyar.
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Paul McDowell
non-member comment
Feb18th/2013 11:45pm
Hi Gang of Four: I must say your posts and pics have an other worldiness about them! This is a good thing;right.Sorry to hear about the mosquito bites.No need to go on about denga fever.I think it might be called dengu fever in India.Its likely all starting to seem normative,now that you've been there for six weeks.I follow your posts with keen interest-so please keep them coming. PAUL