Saturday, February 2, 2008

Saturday, February 2, 2008:
This morning, after awaking to the sound of goats, motorcycles, and dogs, I was able to have a warm “shower”, it was very nice. Not the same as the showers that we have in the states but similar. My host’s wife brought my breakfast into my room, which was a quite lavish room. She, along with all the other hosts we have had, has tried very hard to provide food that we like. For my breakfast she had prepared toast and an omelet—it tasted wonderful.

After breakfast my host brought me to the Hospital for the Blind where our group was given the grand tour. There was also a computer with internet access so I was able to very quickly check some of our email. After the tour of the hospital we were taken to the Rice Industry Company. There we were again given flowers and a grand tour of the scientific facilities and the grounds where they have rice paddies, fish hatcheries, and a number of other types of plants that they are growing. It was quite interesting seeing all that they were working on. We were also served lunch, which was again prepared to be somewhat mild to accommodate our “sensitive pallets”.
After lunch we quickly loaded up in one vehicle to drive to Kornak, where the famous sun temple is. It was a about a two hour drive and as we are learning the roads here are not quite the same as they are in the states. The trip was well worth it once we finally got there, it took a little longer because we had to stop to get a police escort (I’m not quite sure why) and then make some arrangements for admission.

Our guide told us that the temple was built in 12 years by 1200 workmen toiling day and night. It is a magnificent piece—so grand and intricate. It is currently being repaired because the proximity to the sea makes it difficult to maintain with the humid conditions.

After the tour we had to quickly get back in the vehicle to get back to Cuttack. The rest of the evening was quite a rush. We first attended a Rotary meeting where we also had dinner, and then we went back to our hosts to quickly pack and head to the train station for another overnight train trip. We were not the first stop on the train so there were already people on the train and this made it a little difficult to fit our luggage in by our bunks. It did not all fit so we ended up piling some of it in the middle and then chaining it with the chain and lock that Susan’s host had given her. Evidently this is common practice to help discourage the theft that can take place on the train.