TURQUOISE CHILL

  Walking into a mall food court is always an adventure. There are so many choices that your brain, your stomach, and your eyes seem to go to war over what to eat. Every outlet has something tempting, making the decision far more difficult than it should be. Thankfully, today's battle ended rather quickly when we decided to try Au Bon Pain at Acropolis Mall. Their display of freshly baked donuts and a comforting bowl of creamy Mac 'n Cheese were simply impossible to ignore. Once those had caught my attention, the rest of the meal came together effortlessly. We added a couple of wraps, a bowl of hot soup, some crispy wings, and rounded it all off with a cool, fizzy, minty drink that was perfect for the weather. It turned out to be one of those satisfying meals where every bite hit the spot. Sometimes, the hardest part isn't finding good food—it's choosing where to eat. Today, Au Bon Pain made that decision wonderfully easy.

  Birthdays become even more memorable when they're spent with the person you love, good food on the table, and a relaxed evening together. This year, I was treated to just that at Chili's Grill & Bar in South City Mall. The celebration started with a couple of chilled beers, followed by a delicious meal that lived up to the restaurant's reputation. The highlight of the evening, however, was the wonderful surprise birthday cake that made the occasion feel even more special. Sometimes, birthdays don't need grand parties or elaborate plans. A quiet evening with my wife, great food, a toast to another year, and a fantastic dessert are all it takes to create memories that last a lifetime. It was a birthday celebration I couldn't have asked to be better.

  On my last day as I was heading back to Kolkata and was on the way to the Airport, I still had a yearning for more of the sights of Chennai and here's a quick click of a temple I saw on the way. Being a Railway buff (train-spotter) I couldn't help but notice this Locomotive which is used for Overhead traction checking as I alighted from the car at the Airport Departure Terminal. The Engine is being used to test the Electrification of the Chennai Metro. At the Airport, I captured a couple of Aircraft pics as I walked down the Aerobridge to my Indigo Aircraft. An Indigo Airbus A-320-232 (VT-IDV) above and and Air India Airbus A-320-231 (VT-EPF) below. As I board my Indigo Flight back to Kolkata, the adventures of walking the streets of Chennai are sinking in and I'm planning my next trip to cover all the other amazing Pieces of Architectural Heritage this city has which I couldn't cover in this two day jaunt. I'm back in Kolkata and can't help but capture this s...

My second day in Chennai and after seeing some of the Churches and sights yesterday, I've got a serious agenda of seeing the rest of the sights in the city by foot. I've always felt that one gets a true sense of a City when one walks through the streets. So my first destination was the Chennai Eggmore Station. I had heard that the Station Building was a sight to see and sure enough after a half hour or so walk when I arrived at the point where I got my first glimpse, I understood exactly why. After seeing the platform and inquiring whether they still had the Narrow Gauge Railway line at this station, I decided it was time to walk onto the next destination. Like I said, if you walk around you get to see so much more, and while my next destination was the Chennai Municipal Corporation Building, I came across the Entrance of the Government College of Fine Arts. This is just one wall, the other was quite damaged. I wish they maintained these better. I finally ...

The next morning I had an agenda to begin! Sightseeing in Chennai. St. Andrew's Church The massive dome inside. Original Stained Glass Windows. The awesome gigantic Pipe Organ, which is still in use. St. George's Cathedral I always found this a sight to behold in any Church. Rows of seats and the Isle leading up to the alter. Plaque commemorating the visit of the Archbishop of Canterbury I'm not sure what the Eagle Statue signifies, but it was quite majestic. St. George's Cathedral from the side. When in Chennai, if you don't stop at one of these joints and pick up stuff, you might as well not head back home because that door is not going to open for you.  That ended the morning session, thanks to my wife's aunt who offered to show me these wonderful sights, that too in the luxury of an AC car. My post lunch session started with me hopping onto a Local Bus (Route 29C) and heading t...