bucket I've been on vacation here in South India for my Christmas Break, so I decided to just focus on one day: today and show you guys how life is in Chennai, where we're staying right now. Like all cosmopolitan Indian cities, it is very busy, and even at night you are lucky not to see an Auto Rickhsaw or scooter buzz by in a few minutes. In the morning, we take "bucket baths." We simply fill up the larger bucket with hot water, and then bathe ourselves with the pitcher. It looks like this: After taking bucket baths, you'll realize how much people take western showers for granted. However, bucket baths help on hot days more than showers. After I take a bucket bath, I brush my teeth. Here in India, Sensodyne is one of the most popular brands, other than the usual Colgate. We took an Uber to Saravana Bhavan for breakfast. It serves only South Indian food for breakfast, such as Dosas, idlis, and vadas. I recommend the paper dosa. Easily its most mouth-watering dish, it turns skeptics like me into believers with its crisp golden crust. .After our hearty breakfasts, we headed to a kacheri at the Music Academy. The concerts have experienced singers and dancers, some of which who sing in films. Some are free, and there's air conditioning. It's also extremely tidy and clean, for Chennai. If you are looking to immerse yourself in a cultural performance, this is the place to do so. I saw several tourists at the venue. After all, it's free! After we went home, we rested. In the afternoon, we headed to a grocery store, Nilgiri's. Think of it as an Indian equivalnt of Safeway, or Waitrose, except it's not large. We found the usual stuff there but as one would expect in a different country, there were a few unique items. Kurkure is an Indian version of Cheetos, pretty much corn puffs with Indian flavors such as Masala Munch, Chilli Chat, etc. They are not to be missed while in India as they are very unique. In Indian stores, you can also find unique juice flavors such as Litchi, Guava, and Jackfruit. For you tic-tac fans, the candies only cost ₹10 per pack (about $0.15.) Dirt cheap.
In the evening, we headed to a popular chat (Indian fast food) place called Gangotree. It was cheap, and the food was... amazing. I ordered Dahi Papdi Chaat and Pani Puri (note: Pani Puri isn't always safe because of the water, and never eat it in street shacks.) The Dahi Papdi was good, as expected, but the Pani Puri was on a whole other level. I was (literally) served Pani Puri while I was eating it. There was a man who was making Pani Puri. He had a pot filled with ice and whatever else was needed to create the perfect balance between spicy sauce and sweet chutney. He also had a bowl of puris (the crispy shell-like covering.) I stood up, and he dipped the puri in the pot, handed to me, and I ate it. And again. I think I had about 6 of them in all. The way he served them was only part of the experience; the Pani Puri itself was one of the best foods I've had during my week in Chennai. So, that's pretty much it. I hope you liked my perspective on a day in "the gateway to south India." Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for more posts like this!
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AuthorHi, I'm Charit, a 13-year old who loves traveling, taking photos, and writing! ArchivesCategories |