January 12

We awoke and readied. We set out for a big walkabout – 5.7km (3.5 miles). We are going to Gandhi Memorial Museum. Along the way we found a very local sit down place for breakfast. We actually shared a table with two young men. We thought we had ordered a dosa and an omelet (but we got two dosas and an omelet). They started us out with a banana leaf, and gave us dabs of coconut chutney, and tart lime chutney. Then brought the plain dosas. we had started eating when they brought us sambar in a little bowl. Then the omelet came with red onion and dusted in black pepper. Great breakfast and both meals, as in the total bill… only cost 75 rupees (95 cents)!!! So amazing.

We stopped at a little stall and got cold water (They have tap water on the tables, but we dare not drink this.) Also found a stall selling fresh squeezed juice – we had these before, don't recall if I mentioned this. We had two fresh pineapple juices without added sugar. You have to tell them or else they will add it, and just makes it too sweet. The natural fruit is sweet enough because it is ripe. Anyway, we walked on and arrived at the Museum.

It's free, but unfortunately so. The place is neglected and this makes it seem somewhat rundown. There is a replica abode of Gandhi's on the grounds. It is called Bapu Kutir Sevagram, and is like the one he and his wife lived in from 1936 to 1946. You can not go in, but can peer into it. Next we went on to the museum. Just outside the museum, there is a great statue of him and three signs that lists his 'Seven Social Sins'; his 'Eleven Vows'; and his 'Constructive Programs'.
Inside the museum, there are two main rooms. The first one was the story of lawyer Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (his real name), from the start to the end of his career as a lawyer. It described some of his more notable cases. Then described his first imprisonment and his disbarring as a lawyer. The hallway between the rooms had a plaque describing when he became known as Mahatma. This means: 'great-souled, venerable' in Sanskrit. The second room was more about India – from “when the white man came to India”  to India's Independence in 1947. The displays were very outdated and only briefly mentioned Gandhi. It would have been nice to have more on his movements and campaigns. I know this is not the end all museum on Gandhi, but being the “Father of India,” we expected more.

Back outside, Jeff ordered a ride on Ola (like Uber). A tuk-tuk responded and took us the 13 km (8 miles) to Samanar Jain Hills. When we arrived a festival was going on – don't know what it was about, but we know a festival season starts tomorrow – Pongal. It was very loud music, and quite a few people. There is a Jain temple here at the foot of the stone hill with a body of water covered in lily pads. We bypassed through to go up onto the hill. On the hill there are 1st Century rock carvings. We made it! The carvings are in a line on an almost vertical wall, which may have helped preserve them. It was very windy and got too steep for me to go on up to the top. I turned around. Jeff went a bit further up, but turned around also. We were hiking back down and a group of boys wanted a selfie with us. We obliged. Then it turned into a selfie of just me with them. I don't know why, Questions?? Finally down, Jeff ordered another ride to take us back.

A car responded and dropped us off at the main road a few blocks from our place. We found a little Restaurant, The Sandwich World. We had a chicken cheese wrap (more like a panini); steamed momos of peri peri chicken; lemon chili fries; butterscotch shake; and mint mojito. Good and hit the spot.

Back to our place, I blogged and Jeff read then edited this. We received our laundry – yeaa!! It was most of our stuff! It cost 600 rupees ($7). Then seista time. Will have a light supper and be done for the day! Big day again today. Tomorrow we will move on. We are ready to be out of this bigger city.