Tuesday.

So Mary Ellen did a lot of the dirty work figuring out what was close by and whats worth doing in Chennai. So I give her a lot of the credit for know what was what. We started out at breakfast at a little caffe next door. They had a glass case with croissants and such in it. We ach got one and I got a coffee. I swear I saw something scurry past a plate on the bottom shelf. No, my imagination. Certainly. Right?! RIGHT!!???

So we went to the bazaars to go shopping. We did work. I got an awesome gift for my parents. I really hope they like it. It is perfect for our house. I was so excited. I bartered hard for the price. Even threw in a sap story. I was happy with what I paid. I can not wait to see it in our house! I hope they like it.

As always, there are people that come up to you tring to sell you their junk. Well a guy carrying a bunch of bongo drums approaches me. great. I tell him no. Friend Friend, how much you pay. You my first customer. ‘I'm not your friend, I don’t want any.’ I make you fair price 600. ‘no’ oh friend, its fair price. Feel fell. You like. ‘no, I don’t want it.’ Ok ok ok how much you make me fair price. ‘100’ awww friend, this is real leather, feel feel. 500. ‘no’ then I went into a shop, he was waiting for me when I returned. Fine finefine 400. But I cannot go any lower. I must eat. ‘100’ we kept walking. ‘really dude I don’t want it. Oh but this is high quality. You must feel its real leather. How much you pay. ‘100’ oh friend, why you try and cheat me? ‘100’ still walking. I go into another shop. This continues for 30 minutes. I'm getting a little upset with the guy. Finally , I say ‘listen. Im not gonna buy it. Sorry you are wasting your time’ fine 200 ‘no’ 180 ‘no’ 160 ‘no 100’ 150 ‘no’ 140 ‘no’ 130 ‘no’ 120 ‘no’ 110 ‘no’ 100 ‘sold. Now leave me alone. Haha I bought the drum for 2 USD. I was happy. And the guy left me alone. We went to another bazaar and spent more money. I needed another bag because I bought too much stuff! So I got a bag and haggle all day long it was awesome.

We got back to the hotel around 4 or so, just in time for a quick lunch/dinner. We went next door to the café which has a Mexican restaurant upstairs. So we order some chimmychangas and enchiladas and ask for a hotdog croissant/pig in a blanket from the glass case for an appetizer. Another table of 2 gentlemen sit down and they too order a pig in a blanket croissant. Then I see the one gentleman react negatively and take a picture of the food. Soon thereafter, he calls the manager over and shows him the picture. The manager gasps and flushes red with anger and embarrassment. I over hear the customer saying he is going to send the picture to HQ. Then the manager grabs a napkin and picks something off the plate. I could hear a crunch. The crunch you only hear when you crush a bug, like a roach, like an Indian cockroach. I call the manager over and cancel the order for the croissant. The guy at the other table smiles and acknowledged me and my decision. Both Mary Ellen and I temporarily loose our appetite. But soon our food comes and we devout it. It was really delicious. And I didn’t see any bugs, so I thought maybe we were ok.

Later that evening we went to this giant mall. I mean huge. Like NYC or Chicago huge. The security was as tight as the airports. No joke. 2 sets of metal detectors and guards checking bags at each entrance. Separate lines for men and women.