Already hot in Chennai

It is getting very hot in Chennai. The peak summer has not arrived yet, but it is already very very hot. Fortunately, Arvind and I hired a permanent driver for us, so we can go around to places in air conditioned car which helps a lot. We can also come back home for lunch now (our new office location was a bit far to come home for lunch if we travel by bike), so I am very happy about that. With this heat, I have to be very cautious about everything, from water to taking food from outside, since this weather is very prone to all sorts of diseases and illnesses and I do not have enough immunity like the other Indians to handle them. I just got sick yesterday with a severe stomach ache and I could not even lie down straight on the bed (had to lie in a fetal position). My doctor friend thinks that it is from some kind of viral infection. Today it was much better but I really have to be careful. This weekend, Arvind and I will escape the heat in Chennai and spend the two days in a hill station called Yercaud. That should refresh us a bit from hot and humid Chennai.

Indian remedy

In India, people say that you get 'boils' (pimple like thing) when the weather gets hot. I am not too sure how true that is, but maybe it's true... I am the type who rarely gets pimples, but the other day, I woke up with a pimple on my face! And that too, quite a big one! So I've decided to try out an Indian remedy for skin problems. Arvind has been suffering from mosquito bites and recently, his skin is getting much better because he has been putting a green paste made from Neem leaves and tumeric powder. One of Arvind's gramdmother's workers made it for him. So this time, I decided to try it for my self. Within a few days, the pimple went away :) I cannot tell whether it was due to this paste or not, but it is nice to think so :)

Concert at Dakshichitra

Arvind and I went to an outdoor concert at Dakshinchitra last night. Our friend was playing western classical music on piano and he was collaborating with a violonist who was playing South Indian classical music. Both musicians were doing their own music but magically, they fit so well and became an amazing piece of fusion music! The venue was Dakshinchitra, an artist village about 45 min drive from our home. The outdoor amphitheater was also a great place to have this concert - tropical birds chirping added to the awesome melody created by these two great musicians.

Trip to Pondicherry

Arvind and I went to Pondicherry for the weekend. It is an union territory about 3 hours south from Chennai. Unlike the rest of the country which was colonized by the British, Pondicherry was colonized by the French. One part of the city called the French quarter really looks like an old French town. There are still quite a number of French people living here. We stayed in a nice heritage hotel called Hotel du Parc. It was a perfect little whole-in-the-wall hotel right in the heart of French town, close to the beach as well as the shopping area. The food was also very delicious!!! We had such a great relaxing time that we did not have time to go to Auroville (a commune that consists of people from all over the world), one of the main 'attractions' of the city. We'll go there again (most likely) very soon so we'll enjoy the rest of Pondicherry in our next trip :)