The temples of Madurai and a few other stops

The previous post in this series is here..

We had reached our nice hotel in Madurai the previous night from Rameshwaram after a few extra stops by car. FIL had requested that the same driver take us around Madurai the entire day. We got 6 hours of sleep and had to get ready at 5AM. It was going to be a busy day. 

We started by visiting the Madurai Meenakshi temple. I have an interesting blogging history with this temple. You can check out my very first ever post where it starts off as an angry man venting.. have become a lot calmer now, at least on the blog!

This is my visit to this temple after 2005! It was a much better experience. Had sworn never to go near this temple again.. but guess there is always some fate or destiny..

We entered the temple at 6AM and were out in 45 minutes. Then it was time to visit two more temples. First one was Koodal Azhagar temple. There was a wedding party there and we had to rush past the crowd from the wedding to finish seeing the temple and getting darshan.

Then we were to go to Thirupparankundram Murugan temple. Given we were ahead of schedule, we talked to our driver and decided to go Pazhamudhir solai. We went up to the Noopura gangai (MIL decided to stay back given the climb to the top of the hill was steep) and me, San and FIL made a trip to the top and came back. Then we got to see Pazhamudhir solai. The priest was friendly and he was telling us about his cousins in Mumbai and US. 

We made a stop at the Kal azhagar temple which I believe is part of the 108 divya desams. It was a beautiful temple. By now we were cutting it close. 

some of the stuff is in ruins.. but looks like folks are working on preserving these few hundred year old temples. The temples older than these seem to be doing fine!

Once we came out, we drove to the other side of Madurai to Thirupparankundram. We drove past this beautiful church on the way.

The Murugan temple closes at 1PM and we made it to see the deity and deepa aaradhanai at 12:55. It was touch and go. We were also very hungry after that visit. 

We had a quick bite to eat at one of the local Vegetarian hotels. The ladies in their infinite wisdom decided that they will shop for Saris. They had seen the Thirumalai Nayakkar Mahal (palace) and were not impressed. I had never seen it. So my FIL said he will take me there after we drop the ladies at a Sari store. While they shopped we walked through this massive building and its hallways and took pictures. There is usually a light show in the evening which is the rave, but we were going to miss that anyways.

We drove past the city center and saw the amman temple tank during the day.. our driver was nice enough to park, so I could go get some pics.

We also stopped to get some Madurai famous Jigarthanda.. a sweet drink that has 3850% of your daily required fat and 80000% of the daily required sugar levels. 

After that we decided to change plans.. more on that later..

Rameshwaram to Madurai

The last post in this travel series is here .. and is three months old! 

My iPhone storage is full after more trips and if I don't microblog this now, it will be gone from memory!

On that quickfire trip to India, after we spent the day in Rameshwaram, we had to drive to Madurai to reach our hotel that night.

We left Danushkodi at almost 5 PM. We had two planned stops before reaching Madurai city. 

The first was Thiruppulaani. A beautiful place with an amazing temple tank full of fishes that gave us a free feet cleaning. The temple dates back to the year 1300 and is one of the 108 divya desams. The idol was just beautiful to look at. Sculptors had the golden touch then. Today's temple idols simply don't come close.

Then we stopped at Uttarakosamanagai temple. This is another famous temple in the area. It is a Shiva temple famous for the 6 feet Nataraja idol made of emerald. They cover it with sandalwood paste throughout the year and the emerald is seen only once a year and close to a hundred thousand folks come to visit it on that day!

We got to see the sandalwood version at least. The temple was going through some renovation and we navigated our way through the massive temple complex in the dark. 

Then we stopped to have an early dinner and it was off to Madurai..

A very very short video clip to remember.. we got to watch the sunset on our drive..

We got a glimpse of another beautiful temple tank after entering Madurai.  We reached a fantastic hotel that my FIL had booked. He told us it was one of the best in Madurai. He was right!

 

We had a good nights sleep and were up early to visit the temples in Madurai the following day. 

Think you will see a theme on our trips. India or Europe, we stay in each place for a day and keep moving cities every evening!

Madurai in another post!

Nature trip in Arizona Part 5: Horseshoe Bend, Sedona and back

The previous post in this series is here..

Day 3 was for the return journey to Phoenix. Given San's back and our attempt at being nice to my SIL we decided to drive to Phoenix but stay overnight near the airport and take the first filght back in on Memorial day morning to the bay area. 

First stop on way back was the horseshoe bend. It is a mile walk from the parking lot. San walked slow and steady. It was 8 AM and already hot. We should have visited this place during golden hour. The direct sun and shadows did not make for great pictures. The place was way too crowded. I tried to sit on the ledge and San starts screaming as usual. So doing yoga poses on the edge was ruled out!

 

A short video clip of horseshoe bend..

After the walk back from Horseshoe bend I was asked to "hit the gas"... and that I did. There was some volcanic crater on the way back towards Sedona. Just before going to the exit, we decided to keep driving .. lunch was calling. 

We took a good 20 minutes to find parking in Sedona. Then we had a nice Italian lunch at Sedona Pizza and Pasta. Excellent food and excellent service on a busy day!

Walked around a few stores along the busy street, the ladies did some "shopping" and we were on our way back towards Phoenix. 

We had an early but amazing dinner at a place 5 minutes from the airport and close to our hotel. Indian Delhi Palace food was mouth watering!

After stuffing ourselves we went to sleep early. We had to wake up at 3:30 to make it to the car return and catch the first flight out. The car rental place is not close to the airport. There is a train ride from there to the airport!

We made it back to the bay area and San was still in decent shape and declared her back was no worse than when we started. That to me was a success. The SIL seemed to have had a good time as well. 

This was a new place for all of us and it was a good trip overall given we took an extra nights rest.

We have so many places to visit that I doubt we will hit Page again anytime soon. If you have not been to Antelope canyon, definitely see it in this lifetime.. plan and visit!

Glad that this trip was captured in this blog finally, over the next long weekend! 

Nature trip in Arizona Part 4: Antelope canyon boat tour

The previous post in this series is here..

While eating the tamarind rice and choking on it, I asked San "arent we supposed to be on a boat tour today as well?" and she goes "In the interest of time I did not book it!".. a few tears and sentimental dialogues that would seriously make Sivaji Ganesan hand over his Chevalier award to me, we called the tour operator and were confirmed for the 5PM (last) boat tour of Antelope Canyon. We were asked to be at the dock 15 minutes before and the dock was 15 minutes from our hotel. 

We decided to take a power nap for an hour and head out..  

it was Antelope canyon day.. a tour all morning, a tour all afternoon and now for the evening a boat tour.

We realized while entering the dock that the boat tour fees did NOT include the entry to the dock which was part of the National park service. If you don't have a National park pass, you have to pay 30 $.. if you do enjoy national parks, strongly recommend you get the annual pass for 80 bucks.  It is always a good thing to support our national parks!

Seeing natural wonders gives me more goosebumps than visiting any temple. Keep telling my family that if you want to realize god, go to a National park and take a look from any vista point!  Or look at the smiling face of your spouse or children.. while the second option makes you mentally happy, you don't get the exercise.. so go to the parks!

The boat tour was great! we got waterbottles on the boat and a tourguide who was local and gave us a personalized tour as we spent an hour on a boat going through the canyon on water! 

Loved it through and through!

a photo gallery of the nature pics..

Once done, we decided to go find dinner in Page. The first mexican place we went to had a 45 minute wait. So we went to the second one and were promptly seated. The food was amazing as was the service. 

my models did not disappoint!

Video highlights reel of the boat tour and back..

The next morning was going to be an all day drive back to Phoenix after a few stops. So we decided to hit the one big super Walmart in the area before going to bed. Have not seen a store this big in my life! Stocked up on some yogurt, bottled water etc. for the return trip and made it back to the hotel.

Day 2 of the trip was done!

Nature trip in Arizona Part 3: Lower Antelope Canyon

The previous post in this series is here..

After we were dropped off at the tour operator office for Upper Antelope canyon, we walked as fast as we could to our rental car that had been baking in the parking lot, and made a dash to the office for Lower Antelope canyon tours. 

When we went to check in, the tour was just about to start. Good thing I dropped off the ladies to find parking. By the time I made it to the office, the tour started. After walking a 100 feet with the group realized that my iPhone was missing. The tour guide said "sir, if you leave the group now, you cannot join again!". In two minds the whole time, tried to put the iPhone off my head and decided to enjoy the tour with the SLR.

Did take a few photos with San's phone. Fortunately it had just dropped below the bags in the trunk. So all was well. 

The lower antelope canyon looks even more amazing because you wouldn't expect a small gap on a rock side to open into such an amazing place! 

This one is even more mind boggling than the upper canyon. The features look the same but the colors and swirls and light show within the canyon walls is amazing. The paths are also a lot more narrower at places and you are better off watching your head at all times!

No video for this tour.. but plenty of pictures. The tourguide and SIL became art directors and we ended up doing a lot of posing, to add to the fun!

Nature galleries..

We walked back to the car. The guide was telling us about the one plant that grows everywhere in the area that the Indians use as morning tea and herbal supplement for all ailments!

We took a short break at the tour office and took pictures in front of the murals..we had not had a break for food or restroom since leaving the hotel in the morning. 

They were all smiles after the tour.. This was just for the photo. We were glad to make it back to the hotel room to finish the leftover idlis, tamarind rice and thayir sadam that was waiting for us in the fridge.

No wonder the kids refused to come with us on tours these days. The very sight of those tamarind rice, idly and thayir sadam packets makes them run.. it is just a question of time before they pack the same thing and drag their kids along to national parks..

Strongly recommend the lower antelope canyon if you go to this area. Do NOT miss it! Given a choice of either canyon, pick this one.. 

We had one more tour for the day.. that in the next post!