Friday, January 14, 2005
Home sweet home!
It's done, I moved in a flat on the roof of a 4-story building in Chennai south. Quiet, balcony and terrace, nice wind, view on St-Thomas church and the Marina beach lighthouse at the horizon (2 white flashes, 10s). Nice neighbours, I met 2 of them within 5 minutes after having crossed the gate. No fridge yet, but Pizza Hut number to order chicken tikka pizza. To go there I had a first thrilling experience with the Bullet bike. I crossed Chennai by night to bring it there "a l'indienne", means no helmet, no driving licence, even without ownership papers. No big traffic but the first real sensations on bike, especially on the many fly-overs. Still toubles to kick-start it and to catch the 3rd gear, but progressing.
Yesterday was Pongal, the rice harvest festival (supposed to be followed today by a cow festival, where cows are painted-horns and body!). On the way to Elliot's beach, I ate my first fresh coconut :
1) 1st step : the boy selects a (green) nut and start to cut its end with a big bent knife (~"coupe-coupe"). The nut is not yet hard, and the pulp not yet fiberous, so it's very simple to open a small hole and to put a straw in it : ready for drink!
2) Once empty, he cuts the nut in 2 pieces and collects the white that was in contact with the milk : not yet as hard as on an old nut, it behaves like gelatine or octopuss body but very nice to eat.
On the beach I tryed to sea the damages of the tsunami, but it is difficult : this place is dirty, was it clean before? probably not. This house has collapsed : was it standing before? hard to say. Only a police "notice" in the middle of the beach : "one may drown while swimming"...
Last brilliant idea of Jayalalita, the Genius of Tamil Nadu (Chief Minister) : she wants to raise 5000 crores (1 Mrd Euros!) to build a 1000km wall along the seaside to protect the fisherman from the tsunamis. It is likely to prevent them also from fishing...Unfortunatly, there is no satiric paper here (like our beloved "enchained duck" - Canard Enchaine), I can imagine the way this idea would have been nailed down!
On the way back crossed a small area where speakers where pouring traditional music in the narrow streets full of beautifull geometric patterns made of color powder in front of each housedoor. Three young children came to me - I was expecting some usual beggers - but they just shaked hands with me wishing happy pongal, smiling, and ran away. Good surprise! Will remain my inner pongal picture.
Good culinary surprise : excellent beef sirloin with vegetable gratin served on the 8th floor of the Park hotel (AQUA restaurant). This floor has a unique decoration : a big terrasse with swimming pool and surrounded by sofa/beds covered by canopies. In the night, the lighting makes it a magic place with the wind blowing in the white clothes like in sails. (unfortunatly we had not booked so we had to sit inside...).
I started to digested the books & CD's brought back from Paris. "How to dismantle the bomb" is getting better and better. Edge is back and it a good new. His corus(ses?) are amazingly well inspired. Erik, I get your point! This short x-mas stay in France was really good, happy to see the one I could see, sorry not to see the others. I had lots of nice random-walks on the Rive-Droite and saw 2 master works movies of 2003-4 : "the bad education" (some late) and "Aaltra" from Delepine-Kervern (a delightfull and unique back-humor wheel-chair road-movie, in Lucernaire theatre...). The last is a must but unfortunatly no chance to see it out of Paris...I could have waited a long time in Chennai!
Yesterday was Pongal, the rice harvest festival (supposed to be followed today by a cow festival, where cows are painted-horns and body!). On the way to Elliot's beach, I ate my first fresh coconut :
1) 1st step : the boy selects a (green) nut and start to cut its end with a big bent knife (~"coupe-coupe"). The nut is not yet hard, and the pulp not yet fiberous, so it's very simple to open a small hole and to put a straw in it : ready for drink!
2) Once empty, he cuts the nut in 2 pieces and collects the white that was in contact with the milk : not yet as hard as on an old nut, it behaves like gelatine or octopuss body but very nice to eat.
On the beach I tryed to sea the damages of the tsunami, but it is difficult : this place is dirty, was it clean before? probably not. This house has collapsed : was it standing before? hard to say. Only a police "notice" in the middle of the beach : "one may drown while swimming"...
Last brilliant idea of Jayalalita, the Genius of Tamil Nadu (Chief Minister) : she wants to raise 5000 crores (1 Mrd Euros!) to build a 1000km wall along the seaside to protect the fisherman from the tsunamis. It is likely to prevent them also from fishing...Unfortunatly, there is no satiric paper here (like our beloved "enchained duck" - Canard Enchaine), I can imagine the way this idea would have been nailed down!
On the way back crossed a small area where speakers where pouring traditional music in the narrow streets full of beautifull geometric patterns made of color powder in front of each housedoor. Three young children came to me - I was expecting some usual beggers - but they just shaked hands with me wishing happy pongal, smiling, and ran away. Good surprise! Will remain my inner pongal picture.
Good culinary surprise : excellent beef sirloin with vegetable gratin served on the 8th floor of the Park hotel (AQUA restaurant). This floor has a unique decoration : a big terrasse with swimming pool and surrounded by sofa/beds covered by canopies. In the night, the lighting makes it a magic place with the wind blowing in the white clothes like in sails. (unfortunatly we had not booked so we had to sit inside...).
I started to digested the books & CD's brought back from Paris. "How to dismantle the bomb" is getting better and better. Edge is back and it a good new. His corus(ses?) are amazingly well inspired. Erik, I get your point! This short x-mas stay in France was really good, happy to see the one I could see, sorry not to see the others. I had lots of nice random-walks on the Rive-Droite and saw 2 master works movies of 2003-4 : "the bad education" (some late) and "Aaltra" from Delepine-Kervern (a delightfull and unique back-humor wheel-chair road-movie, in Lucernaire theatre...). The last is a must but unfortunatly no chance to see it out of Paris...I could have waited a long time in Chennai!
