Chennai in July

Greetings from Chennai, India, formerly known as Madras, as in the type of fabric that was hip in the 70s (according to my mom) and maintains its relevance amongst East Coast frat boys. I must confess that I am writing this from a distinctly unbackpacker-esque location, the Courtyard Marriott. But no, this isn't just your cookie-cutter Courtyard Marriott that eliminates the need for business travelers throughout America to remember what state they are in. This is a classy joint. You can tell by the 500 rupee bottles of Evian (that's 10.12USD) on the minibar. I showed up in a prepaid taxi, got out with my backpack and laptop bag and the bellman looked at me quizzically, to which I replied, "I travel light." He realized I was not about to tip him and did that amazing side-to-side, maybe yes-maybe-no Indian head gesture that I think needs to spread to other parts of the world (it's just SO versatile). The receptionists were kind enough to mask their disgust at my 2nd hand linen shirt that still retains a tint of green from my Cairo laundry adventure. Considering the air-conditioning hadn't been functioning in the plane in Delhi (it was 110 in the cabin according to my thermometer), it must've been tough for them. All that aside, I made it to my room, ventured out to find a non-overpriced meal and now am basking in central A/C.

I'm only in Chennai for 3 nights so I'll make this brief, but thought I should give a rundown of the past few days.

On Saturday, the 4th of July, I got up early and took the train to Agra to visit the Taj Mahal, jokingly referred to by some Indians as "Man's greatest erection for a woman." It was indeed stunning. The symmetry is unbelievable and, like the Pyramids, you can just imagine how it must've looked when it was completed centuries ago. Though I haven't seen Slumdog Millionaire yet (I know, I know... save the abuse), I was instructed to take this picture.



While the Taj is the main draw, Agra does have some other beautiful sights. Agra Fort is a HUGE structure down the river from the Taj in which the Indian Army still has garrisons. There is also the Baby Taj (official name is Itimad-Ud-Daulah), which I found really amazing, possibly because there were no crowds. Here is a picture of the Baby Taj, which predated the actual Taj by about 20 years.
Besides the sites, Agra is actually a pretty awful place. The roads are crowded, there is a marked lack of urban planning and much of the city derives its income from ripping of tourists. Perhaps I'm too quick to judge, but I was happy to get back to Delhi.

On Sunday, I met up with some fellow Princetonians for coffee and then we watched the Wimbledon final... unbelievable if you didn't see it. I then went with the son of my host family to one of his friend's homes where I encountered a scene so familiar it was eerie... a group of 20 somethings sitting around, watching South Park and playing drinking games. While IT may have flattened the world substantially, we cannot discount the impact of students who attend foreign universities, only to return and disseminate cultural relics such as "quarters" and "Kings". Perhaps Tom Friedman could focus an article on this phenomenon also?

Besides a few bouts with Delhi belly, I truly enjoyed my time in India's capital. Things just seemed to "work" more than they did in Mumbai.

For now, goodnight, and I'll try and be more diligent about my updates.

Day 36/82
Distance from NY-JFK: 8371 miles
Current mood: thoughtful
Current music: Usher's performance at the Michael Jackson memorial which is on CNN...
Only here moment: Hard to judge from my sanitized bubble, but in Delhi airport earlier today I had free highspeed wifi while looking out at slums only a few hundred meters away. India certainly has a long way to achieve its goal of "inclusive growth".