Madurai

On the road to the western ghats from rameswaram we took a couple of days pitstop in madurai, a medium sized town inland and near to the mountains. After the heat and crowds of rameswaram we assumed madurai would only be busier and hotter, we were gladly wrong. A chilled (by india standards) ambience, a more cosmopolitan feel and plenty of amenities made our stay a very pleasant one. We walked through the main temple, checked out the bazaar shops selling anything from fruit to plastic tat, ate on rooftop restaurants, witnessed cows directing traffic and generally refuelled. We also had chance to watch a bit of the idiot box in the hotel and the film true lies and classic arnie lines and jamie lee curtis in the niff refreshed our mood.

Foodwise we managed to get away from eating south indian staples which i sadly have to say have recently been making me very bored. Eating dosas, idlis and uthappams non stop for days has tested my patience and resolve for the local food. At first they were fresh, interesting and tasty and their omnipotent presence was welcome. Now they had become mere clag carriers for miniscule amounts of anything flavoursome. Dosas in my eye had become shamois leathers, uthappams soggy frisbies and idlis were now pieces of wet polystyrene, both forcing niki onto a diet of bourbon biscuits. I soon follwed in frustration. Some northern alteratives in madurai were a god send.