Pondicherry!!!

So right now I'm sitting in an internet cafe outside of our hotel in Pondicherry!! It is so beautiful here. It is like Chennai, but a little bit more touristy. I actually see white people walking on the streets, so people don't look at us like we came from Venus or something :) We've done quite a bit of shopping since we came yesterday. We left kuppayanallur early in the morning around 8am, and then rode the bus several hours to an area outside of Pondicherry called Auroville. Basically Auroville is a huge hippie town that tries to create a perfect society by getting rid of religion/authority and existing for the sake of humanity. It was a bit beyond strange to say the least.

Then we came to Pondicherry! Yesterday we walked outside a Gamesh (killed that spelling, sorry) temple with an elephant outside of it! The elephant walked right past me on the street!!! I could have touched it if I wanted, but I didn't. Some other members of our group walked up to the elephant and gave it coins because it is trained to bop you on the head if you do that. Some of the team members have really cool pictures of this. I did not participate seeing as how I feel I've had enough adventure for one trip :)

On our way back to the hotel we got a bit lost, but the morning we did much better finding our way around. Megan, Hannah, Tessa, Zeneta, and myself all walked on the beach this morning. It was so beautiful and the breeze from the Bay of Bengal (Indian Ocean) felt so wonderful in the sun. We sat down at a small cafe right next to the water - I think this breakfast was my favorite part of the trip!! It was just perfect. Zeneta and Hannah ordered the most delicious coffee EVER! It was espresso with ice cream! I need to try to make this back in the states. We did some more shopping and soon we will leave to go back to Chennai.

Today is Pongal in India so everyone is celebrating the "new harvest" season! Happy Pongal!!

Saturday I will be home! I miss you all!

Love, Alicia