A Brief Excursion to Paradise

Took a few days to visit the beautiful island of Koh Samui in Thailand.  This is the dock in front of my hotel, Le Meridien.

Although it was tempting to just stay in this lovely hotel with my own private pool just outside my room, I did venture out one day with a driver to see the island.  Below, just outside the hotel.

Buffalo Fighting Festival Ko Samui

The Buffalo Fighting Festival, Ko Samui is a very popular event held on special occasions such as New Year's Day in January, and Songkran in mid-April. This festival features head-wrestling bouts in which two male water buffaloes are pitted against one another. Unlike Spanish Bullfighting, wherein bulls get killed while fighting sword-wielding men, Buffalo Fighting Festival, Ko Samui is a fairly harmless contest. The fighting season varies according to some ancient customs and ceremonies.

On the day of the fight, the bulls are adorned with colorful ribbons and gold-painted leaves on their horns. Holy water is sprinkled on them as a sign of blessings prior to the fight. The bout takes place in two rounds, one in the morning and the other in the afternoon. The buffaloes lock horns with each other - much to the cheer of the huge and lively crowd - until the weaker one submits. The first Buffalo to turn and run away is considered the loser. The champion buffalo becomes worth several million baht.

(http://www.asiarooms.com/en/travel-guide/thailand/koh-samui-island/festivals-and-events-in-ko-samui/buffalo-fighting-festival-ko-samui.html)

While India is largely Hindu, 95% of Thailand's population is Buddhist.  There are many beautiful temples around the island.

The east side of Koh Samui is where most of the hotels, shops and restaurants are located.  The west side
is less developed and lovely.  This is called Five Island Beach, though you can only see four from the shore.  Had lunch at a little place on this beach.

Is there anything better than a cold beer on a hot day at a deserted beach on a tropical island paradise?

Sunday Evening at Marina Beach, Chennai, India

Street Signs & Wonders

Went for a long walk this morning from my house to Express Avenue Mall, a brand spanking new shopping complex in downtown Chennai.  Took these photos along the way.

The monsoons have started bringing daily storms and flooded streets.  Sand flooded at Marina Beach.

A beautiful building along Marina Beach,  the Vivekanandar House where Swami Vivekanandar stayed for a short time with his family.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Swami_Vivekananda-1893-09-signed.jpg

A gateway along Marina Beach Road

Cows Rule

The signs and store fronts fascinate me.

I like the eyes on this poster.

No Parking in Fround of Gate

I love this wall.

A wonderful accidental collage of posters upon posters.

My personal favorite

Pandy Pan House

Banana Kart

Street Pancakes

I love how this tree strikes a dramatic pose with the wall

 Yellow Yellow

My coffee at the Express Avenue Mall

This website is not an official department website.  The views and information are the English Language Fellow's own and do not represent the English Language Fellow Program or the U.S. State Department.

Mysore

Trichy, Bangalore, Mysore, Pondicherry, names of Indian cities are like charms for a bracelet, a tiny temple for Trichy, a little auto-rickshaw for Bangalore, a Palace elephant for Mysore, and a loaf of French bread for Pondicherry.

Visited Bangalore and Mysore this past week.  Too busy in Bangalore to get any photos, but managed to snap a few in Mysore.  

Lush, Tropical Mysore in the Morning Mist

Tuk-Tuks lined up in the morning in front of the hotel,  small altar behind the sign

Hindu altars everywhere, this one for Ganesh

Entrance to the Mysore Palace

The main building of the palace grounds.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mysore_Palace

Wish I could have gotten a better photo of this, but just happened to look over and see the elephants walking by and hurriedly snapped this.  What's a palace without elephants?

Sri Shveta Varahaswami Temple near the entrance to the Mysore Palace.

Sri Shveta Varahaswami Temple Door

There are several species of giant trees in India.  Here is one from inside the Mysore Palace grounds.

There's a Disneyland-like atmosphere outside the Palace.  Here a man selling fresh sugar cane juice, and below, a man trying to sell me a snake.  He walked up to me with this wiggling wooden snake and I screamed, which made him absolutely crack up.

While I was in Mysore, I visited a school as part of my job, sitting in on the classes, meeting with the teachers and administrators, and holding court for 100 very enthusiastic children.  Here are some of the images from that visit.