Salam Manis: February 2008

These pictures are from Sal's camera.
More sunflowers!

We were on our way to Madurai and we saw this huge field of sunflowers. We just had to stop and click away

This was a couple of days before India's Independance Day. This picture was taken in Kanjanoor.

The famous water pump where many interesting fights have started and ended.

There were a few boys who were passing us by just at that time, so we told them to pretend to drink water while we pumped away

Pondicherry. The Aurobindo Ashram is a must see place if you are in Pondicherry. But you cant take pictures of the ashram. This elephant was outside the Manakula Vinayagar Temple. Knowing me, an elephant fan, i started going on a feeding frenzy.

For 1 rupee, the elephants "blesses" you. Just be careful to check first if it has a cold.

I dont think so my friend here has seen an elephant this close.. must ask her

Flower ladies

Pondicherry is a still a french colony. Hence the sign boards are in French. Tres bien!

Auroville, Pondicherry.

I love this picture. She looks so serene, but the truth was she was feeling so pukey and sick.. poor girl !

It was so hot, i wasn't feeling too good either.

Back to Chennai, we did some last minute shopping. Of course everyone heads to T nagar for this shopping thingy, and we came across this guy who was doing free hand engraving. So I got a souvenir for Vellaboy.

That's our driver Saravanan. You park your car here, you risk your car becoming a temporary platform for selling toys.

We passed by the not so "peachy" area of Chennai. The slums.

Im sure you have seen stray dogs rummaging through garbage... have you seen goats do it?

It was a hot day but it didn't stop these boys from a game of cricket.

Oi Salina, you looking for Sri Lanka beb?

My favourite shot!

Fisherman spend their afternoons mending their fishing nets. They are always happy to pose.

Good shot.

That's what i call humor :))

More humour. This is what's written on the board. "go slow, unless you have an appointment with God"

Alot of women use the moped to travel.

The main and most preferred mode of transport is the bus.

Central Station.

Chennai Corporation building.

Next stop - Madurai. Fresh sugar cane juice, which you can have with some ginger juice added in it or with some lime juice. Both are a refreshing to drink on a hot day. Another must try in Madurai is Jigar Thandha. Ask anyone in Madurai and they will show you the spot.

The tools and ingredients of Pan Parag. Sweet pan... thou await my presence as I miss thou taste!

This is the Egmore Railway station. A classic 1940's building. Our hotel was right smack opposite it.

Malaysiakini's special report for Merdeka was entitled " What 50 years of Merdeka means to you". so we decided to ask the orang asli what merdeka meant to them. So we chose Royal Belum as our destination as the aslis there were pretty much sheltered from civilization. So off we went on our journey and arrived in Banding at 5am. This is how pretty Banding is at dawn.

Malaysiakini.tv's video producer and malaysiakini.com's editor

our guide, Encik Yusof

Our boat ride took two and a half hours through pristine jungle

the interview..

the children are very shy

when we asked them what merdeka means to them, they said absolutely nothing. To them we have been independent for 2 years, that's when someone met them and asked them to register as voters.