Saturday, March 19.A long ride from Pondicherry to Tanjore. We mad a lot of stops during the day and the entire trip lasted from 8 AM until 5 PM. Our first stop was watch a parade along the street escorting holy ash to the temple. Then we stopped again and went down a path into a walled enclosure to see the huge guardian figures by another temple. We walked into a one room kitchen/ restaurant to see it. We drove over a bridge where the old bridge was converted into shopping stalls. Then we went to the hemp village where one extended family works together making ropes. We watched them as they did many of the steps to making the rope and gave out our pencils and spare toiletries from the hotel. One lady was giving her little baby a bath with Johnston's baby powder.
Now we go to the village of Paguni Vitram where they are holding a colorful festival. Hundreds of dressed up people were milling around, eating, and circling the temple by foot, wagon, or rolling through the dirt. Mothers wheeled children in stretchers and thanked the gods for healing them. On the way back to the bus an 
oxcart was stopped in traffic and Laurel was invited to ride in it down the road through the traffic and merchants selling balloons, cotton candy, pinwheels and fruit.
We stopped on the side of the road again to watch people making handmade and machine made mats. The finest ones were for bridal presents with the bride and grooms names as well as doves and other symbols woven in them.
Next we take a wild ride through one lane streets in our giant air 
Our hotel for tonight is the Sangan. Our fearless leader Lacuna says to not espect too much but it is more than adequate with plenty of bathroom facilities an you can see in the photo. got to get off computer now, time is up, love you all....Laurel and Nancy
oxcart was stopped in traffic and Laurel was invited to ride in it down the road through the traffic and merchants selling balloons, cotton candy, pinwheels and fruit.
We stopped on the side of the road again to watch people making handmade and machine made mats. The finest ones were for bridal presents with the bride and grooms names as well as doves and other symbols woven in them.Next we take a wild ride through one lane streets in our giant air
conditioned bus to view the many temples in the town of 
Kumbakonam. Cows and goats, people, dogs, motercycles and tuck tuks all fight for the right of way but nobody seems to get hit.
Kumbakonam. Cows and goats, people, dogs, motercycles and tuck tuks all fight for the right of way but nobody seems to get hit. In the tank were bathers and a floating festival cart-- all sparkles and flags, all ready for the festival. The young men bathing in the water all waved when I took their photo and laughed.
The hit of this town was when we got out
and went into a 12th C.
temple to get blessed by a holy man and get ash placed on our foreheads. He took my hand on the way out and we walked out together, he was 78 today and I'm sure he did need a hand to stay balanced. He didn't want his picture taken- too bad for that.
Our hotel for tonight is the Sangan. Our fearless leader Lacuna says to not espect too much but it is more than adequate with plenty of bathroom facilities an you can see in the photo. got to get off computer now, time is up, love you all....Laurel and Nancy
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