The Southern Sally: 5 - "The Ride to Rameshwaram..."

Rameshwaram was a place I always wanted to visit...

Especially after watching Chennai Express :p

I had heard raving reviews from my cousin who visited Dhanushkodi (Land's End or Ghost Town) and  wanted to off road on my Bull in the marsh/beach/bog/shoal terrain of Rameshwaram-Dhanushkodi stretch. Therefore Rameshwaram got included in the Southern Sally.  

After sumptuous breakfast; courtesy- Club Mahindra Puducherry, I continued via the ECR and took the Neyveli-Kumbakonam-Pattukottai-Mannarguddi-Ramnathpuram route to reach Rameshwaram.

Google maps told me I'd take about 8 hours. I told myself to take around 9.5 hours, take pleanty of short pit-stops for rest, grub, snaps and simply absorb the countryside..

After the Neyveli by-pass, bang smack in-the-middle-of-nowhere is a small refreshments place - Only Coffee! Contrary to the name they also serve tea, biscuits, chocolate and snacks. They also sell handicrafts and cottage-industry driven products like handmade soap, honey, spices, coffee filters and cups. 

Ideal break point in the journey, this provided ample rest, heavenly coffee and curious glaces at my Bull and riding gear. I loved the Copper tumblers in which "degree coffee" was served... the aroma is still fresh in my mind...

The countryside was spectacular with a myriad of colors and aromas of the earth. a plethora of images - bridges, streams, paddy fields, fruit orchards, glimpses of coastline and smiles from locals were dotted along the journey.

The Pambam bridge announced my arrival at the "Gulf of Mannar Biosphere" area into Rameshwaram.

My bull... on the spectacular Pambam Bridge

Pambam Road bridge which recently got a facelift and restoration work.

 Pambam Road bridge heralded my arrival into Mannar area. Its an overwhelming feeling... 320 degrees of water around me... It takes some time getting used to so much water. One can almost feel the rise and ebb of the water... No words I can use here completely describe the awe-inspiring ride on the Pambam.

A Panorama of Pambam Road bridge. 320 degrees of water... unnerving!!

I reached Rameshwaram by late evening and checked into my hotel. A generous portion of Blue Label (from Pondy) on ice did more than good to my aching bones after 400 km on the Bull. I needed the night's rest to gear up for the epic off-road challenge next morning...

Tomorrow... Land's end!

The Southern Sally: 4 - "Birthday in Pondy..."

Puducherry is a city, an urban agglomeration and a municipality in Pondicherry district in the Indian union territory of Puducherry. It is affectionately known as Pondy, and has been officially known by the alternative name Puducherry since 2006 (Source: Wikipedia).

Mural on wall - Alliance Francaise - 125 Years

Puducherry; or Pondicherry; or simply Pondy is a place where time passes slowly... and its a good thing :)

Everyone seems courteous; No one is in a hurry. The skies are clearer when there aren't any clouds; The clouds are always silver-lined; even the grey-est of them! The air is salty; yet the place, sweet... The roads in the French part of town are neatly organized like a criss-cross pattern... One can see lot of bicycle traffic and this part of the town is usually cleaner and greener...

Pondy is truly reminiscent of its French presence with a plethora of French buildings and streets with French names. The city has many beautiful colonial buildings, churches, temples, and statues which, combined with the systematic town planning and the well planned French style avenues, still preserve much of the colonial ambiance. Pondicherry is also a popular weekend destination. It is a blend of spiritual aura, French colonial heritage, Tamil culture, virgin beaches and the cosmopolitan flair of many nationalities in a small but varied city.

Alliance Francaise, Puducherry

Promenade Beach - Goubert Street

The most charming place to catch the pulse of Pondy is the Promenade beach/strip. The tourist information center at the Promenade Street is abuzz with activities/events for tourists. From art to culture, drama to linguistics, Pondy has something for everyone!

La Cafe on the Promenade

The ornate French buildings stand out in the neatly labeled by-lanes of the French-part of town. This part of the town also hosts cafes and bakeries with indulging views of the sea. A tip - Don't go there with any expectations. The Promenade cafes are meant for the lazy and the laid back. Don't expect hurried service!

The City of Pondicherry have recorded history after the advent of the Colonial Powers like the Dutch, Portuguese, English and the French. Though nearby places like Arikamedu, Ariyankuppam, Kakayanthoppe, Villianur, Bahur which were annexed by the French East India Company over a period of time and which became the Union Territory of Pondicherry after Independence have history predating the Colonial History.

Goubert Avenue - Mahatma Gandhi Statue

A marketplace named Poduke or Poduca is recorded as a Roman trading destination from the mid 1st century. The area was part of the Pallava Kingdom of Kanchipuram in the 4th century. The Cholas of Thanjavur held it from the 10th to 13th centuries, only to be replaced by the Pandya Kingdom in the 13th century. The Vijayanagar Empire took control of almost all the South of India in the 14th century and lasted until 1638, to be supplanted by the Sultan of Bijapur. The French acquired Puducherry in 1674 and held control, with occasional interruption from the British and Dutch, until 1954 (de jure in 1956), when it was incorporated into the Indian Union along with the rest of French India (Source: Wikipedia).

A view from Promenade Beach

Cafe X'Staci -  Pizzas!

Pondy has a vast coastline, only a few kilometers of which hosts sand beaches. Most of the coastline is rocky shelf with drastic dips into the sea which makes it unsafe for tourists due to rip tides. Other popular beaches are the Auroville beach and Paradise beach. (Source: wikiTravel)

A must-visit pizzeria is Cafe Xstaci on Mission Street- famous for its wood-fire oven pizzas. Cafe X'staci is run by a local businessmen Manav and Supra in 2010 with just 15 Pizzas on the menu. Today they've expanded it to over 75 Pizzas! With their traditional wood fired oven, Cafe X'staci is popular with locals and tourists alike. 

Spending my birthday in Pondy with the Sunrise, Sand and the Sea was indeed invigorating...

I shopped in the by-lanes of the Promenade and ate to heart's content of X'Staci pizza with travelers sharing their travel stories... 

Tomorrow... I travel to Rameshwaram...