after a long time, i took a very short break from chennai - and went to pondicherry, by bus.
i have been visiting pondicherry for many years - i can remember a visit almost 40 years ago, with my dad.
this time, as i was also going there alone - the last few times have been rushed drives in half a day - i decided to relive some of my old routines..
i was lucky to get some standing space, said the good hearted conductor, as it was a saturday afternoon - who, for some reason, took pity on me and offered his seat whenever he was moving inside to issue tickets etc - and ensured that the seat next to him was for me, when that passenger got off along the way.
like a walk along the beach after breakfast and a brief stop at the public library to catch up with all the newspapers..
a lot has changed.
from a sleepy little town - that one could walk all around in less than an hour, it has become a city and has expanded in all directions..
i could see many new hotels and restaurants including boutique hotels - such as the ones on the beach road, including a yoga therapy center.
some of the other hotel chains - such as GRT and Ginger also have established their presence.
the old trishaws are not to be seen at all. they have given way to the share autos and buses even for travel from the city to the new bus stand.
the old bus stand and the train station are still intact, though the bus stand is not used.
i do not have any complaints against development - but feel that some old things need not change and surely there is no need to make everything modern - like the plastic palms for street lights!
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