Ancient Civilization

**Note: I am having some difficulty posting pictures, but have a few I will put up when I can.**

Today I witnessed some of the amazing beauty of the ancient city called Mahabalipuram. We wandered through four types of temples: those carved out of giant rock from the top down (which aren't completely hollow, so you can't go inside), those carved into caves (they used the natural hollowness and made intricate designs around every side), those carved into walls of rock (left to the elements of the weather in an open air setting), and those built from the ground up. It was humbling to step into a time very different from ours, to hear the stories of these idols and gods and how detailed the stories are that have been passed down for so long. I also saw what out tour guide claimed is the world's oldest known slide, probably used for play by children in the 6th century CE. There were lots of people there, and lots of people trying to sell us things, but it wasn't an uncomfortable situation at all. It was a pleasant, though very hot, way to glimpse a look at the past.

It was also near the beach, which was a nice change of pace. We all walked up to the water to stick our toes into the Bay of Bengal. The water was cold, which felt good considering the sun had been beating down on us all morning long. The best part was watching the other people, though, who could have been from any part of India -- some city in the north or just from Chennai. There were many families, though, clearly out for a Saturday adventure, enjoying the outdoors and the beauty of the ocean. The beach was different from the ones we are used to, though, as there were five or six ice cream selling carts that had been pushed out near the water (with a great deal of effort, I might add) and not one person in a bathing suit or in the water. The purpose of a trip to the beach is different here ... less about exposure and swimming and more about the event (seeing a body of water when many people in India rarely get to). I was glad we were able to participate.

This afternoon I met a lovely woman with a fantastic bookshop. She has been moved out of the hotel and into a tiny space next to the parking lot. The space is not wide enough for me to spread out my arms, and I wasn't even able to step in because she has thousands of books stacked up from floor to ceiling. I just glanced inside, but spent most of the time chatting with the owner (who named the store "Giggles" because her friend told her to open her own store just for giggles). She told me about herself, her love for Madras (she still refers to the city with this name), for India, for books, and for international relations. She has made me promise to stay in touch and contact her before anyone else in case we need any more books about India when I get home.

Meeting people in this country has been my favorite part of this trip. Talking with people on the streets, chatting with teachers in a school, and grilling students with questions about every aspect of their lives, I have learned what the people here are like. I wonder what sense of the United States people get when they come to our country, and if talking with the locals has the same value there that I have found it does in other countries I have visited.

Tomorrow we are off to Cochin ... and the body of water will be the Arabian Sea. Another phase of the adventure is awaiting!