March 7
Passing through Chennai on my 1 hr drive to Covelong, it appears to be another busy city of 4.2 mil people. Since this is on the Southeast coast of India, it is warm and has lots of vegetation including palm trees, poinciana trees, and bouganvilla. I arrive at Fishermans Cove, a Taj beach resort hotel, with magnificent manicured gardens, large pool, and beautiful clean wide private beach, with warm deep blue waves (picture 5 and 6). At dawn and dusk there are hundreds of crows flying around the tall tree tops where they have their nests.
The sunset here is a different experience since I am on the east coast and the sun is setting behind me. The sky is filled with interesting hues, and feathered orange clouds.
March 8
I go with a guide to see the 7th century hindu religious carvings of Mahabalipuram. The first is carved out of one piece of large granite rock, the second is carved in a small cave, the third a large bas relief of 33 meters long and 16 meters high (picture 1), and the forth was a free standing temple also carved out of one piece of stone by the ocean. We stop by another set of temples carved out of boulders where I take a picutre of visiting students (picture 9). At the last place, I bought an antique bronze goddess of wealth.
Passing through Chennai on my 1 hr drive to Covelong, it appears to be another busy city of 4.2 mil people. Since this is on the Southeast coast of India, it is warm and has lots of vegetation including palm trees, poinciana trees, and bouganvilla. I arrive at Fishermans Cove, a Taj beach resort hotel, with magnificent manicured gardens, large pool, and beautiful clean wide private beach, with warm deep blue waves (picture 5 and 6). At dawn and dusk there are hundreds of crows flying around the tall tree tops where they have their nests.
The sunset here is a different experience since I am on the east coast and the sun is setting behind me. The sky is filled with interesting hues, and feathered orange clouds.
March 8
I go with a guide to see the 7th century hindu religious carvings of Mahabalipuram. The first is carved out of one piece of large granite rock, the second is carved in a small cave, the third a large bas relief of 33 meters long and 16 meters high (picture 1), and the forth was a free standing temple also carved out of one piece of stone by the ocean. We stop by another set of temples carved out of boulders where I take a picutre of visiting students (picture 9). At the last place, I bought an antique bronze goddess of wealth.
I return to the hotel around 1pm, swim, walk on the beach, read and sit by the waves and watch another sunset. There are less then 10 people on the 1 mile of private beach.
March 9
Today is Sunday and the hotel is very busy with many children, their parents and grandparents. All the chaise lounges at the pool are taken, and I am unable to get one. Exercise at fitness center, another great breakfast, sit and walk on the beach, swim, and enjoy another sunset. There are about 10 families on the beach.
The Taj is the only hotel on this beach. At the end of the beach there is a fishing village of 6000 people, 20 minutes walk away. The lifeguard is from the village and explains to me that the hotel gives food and some free education to the village children, in exchange for the villagers refraning from coming on the private hotel beach and not bothering the hotel guests. He will walk with me to the village tommorrow morning at 8am.
This is the end of my India trip and watching the waves I contemplate.
March 10
Leaving the private beach I cross the public beach which is filled with trash. The fishing village (picture 2, 3,7) is divided into 4 sections: Catholic, Hindu, Fisherman, and Muslim. All the children go to the same school (a primary and secondary Catholic school). I take a picture of the female high school students sitting on the ground under a tree taking their final exams (picture 4). Spend the day at the hotel instead of spending the afternoon touring of nothing so special. Leave for the airport at 7:30pm for 2am flt to Miami via Frankfort and Chicago. First Class!
March 9
Today is Sunday and the hotel is very busy with many children, their parents and grandparents. All the chaise lounges at the pool are taken, and I am unable to get one. Exercise at fitness center, another great breakfast, sit and walk on the beach, swim, and enjoy another sunset. There are about 10 families on the beach.
The Taj is the only hotel on this beach. At the end of the beach there is a fishing village of 6000 people, 20 minutes walk away. The lifeguard is from the village and explains to me that the hotel gives food and some free education to the village children, in exchange for the villagers refraning from coming on the private hotel beach and not bothering the hotel guests. He will walk with me to the village tommorrow morning at 8am.
This is the end of my India trip and watching the waves I contemplate.
March 10
Leaving the private beach I cross the public beach which is filled with trash. The fishing village (picture 2, 3,7) is divided into 4 sections: Catholic, Hindu, Fisherman, and Muslim. All the children go to the same school (a primary and secondary Catholic school). I take a picture of the female high school students sitting on the ground under a tree taking their final exams (picture 4). Spend the day at the hotel instead of spending the afternoon touring of nothing so special. Leave for the airport at 7:30pm for 2am flt to Miami via Frankfort and Chicago. First Class!
I am finishing reading 'The Age of Turbulence' by Alan Greenspan. He shares his insightful views of the underlying dynamics of the global economies and reveals the policies that must be in place for countries to grow economically and increase the standard and quality of living of their people. As I understand it, the degree of Rule of law and property rights, economic flexibility, free market capitalism (competition) and globalization (free trade) determine the level of economic success. As I am traveling, I read the local newspapers to see what issues seem to be important in the countries I am visiting.
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