He came around though, when we stopped for lunch at the Hyatt Hotel. This was a very plush hole in the middle of Chennai with a vast array of food from every corner of the earth. Needless to say, despite our resolve not to indulge, we couldn't resist the gastronomic delights. We were very impressed with the reclaimed wood display above, many with the most beautiful carvings.
Next the school run. The American International school that Manisha and Anand's children go to was like a huge university campus. The security was incredible, but I suppose it has to be, as the parents, or the companies that they work for, pay fees of over £30K for each child. We were very impressed with the facilities, and can see why Mala (10) and Aaron(12) love it here. They are delightful, articulate and intelligent children, who have gained so much confidence since coming here.
Manisha was very kind in taking us on a tour of Chennai. It has some beautiful buildings, like the University, Governor's house, and churches such as the one above. St Thomas,s is one of only three churches built over the crypt with the remains of Apostles. One is in Rome; another in Spain, and India has the third.
Indian customs prevailed however, in that we had to take our shoes off before entering! The traffic was horrendous, as we crawled across the city to our hotel, to get ready for a romantic Valentine's dinner in a beautiful restaurant called the Rain Tree - with Sandeep, the excellent travel agent and friend from Jaipur and his colleague Nikhita. Pink champagne and a delicious meal and good company made this a night to remember. Meanwhile,our friend Elia, a Greek Cypriot living in the UK, was being picked up at the airport by a driver, who offered him a choice of joining us or going back to the hotel, but was unable to understand what he said, so said the only word he could make out - hotel. Your loss Elia! Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Location:Chennai
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