Gingee Fort

Gingee is a small city about 2 1/2 hours away from Chennai. I enjoyed this drive. It takes you through a somewhat mountainous region and it is nice to see more of the country side. The area on the way is mostly agricultural and I get a sense of what Chennai may have been like before the IT industry took over.

Lots of haze from the pollution I'm guessing

So far, this has been my favorite destination. Incredible scenery, monkeys, and a nice hike up some ancient stairs.

Kanchipuram

Kanchipuram is about a 3 hour drive away from Chennai. It is know for some of the oldest temples in the state and silk making.

There were several interesting things to look at on the way.

Burning trash.

 This is an amusement park that I thought was interesting because the building has this huge crack in it. It's a surprise it doesn't just break off.

 Catching a ride on a very high stack of produce.

 

 This is a mango tree that people put stuff on to represent love. On the ground they stack rocks which are supposed to bring you good fortune for having a baby. 

The best part of this temple was being blessed by an elephant. You give him a coin and he gives you a little smack on the head. Pretty cool. 

Kanchi Kailasanathar Temple

Silk Making