So where was I? Ah yes! "it was 3:00pm… 37degC… could I with a map in hand, WALK from City Centre and get to Spencer Plaza? More in Part 2…."
From the top of Citi Centre, I couldn’t really see any buildings that would help me orient myself with the map, so I headed down stairs to the Information Desk. I found a security guard type person and put the map book before him and all I wanted to know was the name of the street (or streets) outside. I thought it would be easy. But he couldn’t tell me where we were, so I pointed to the map (because Citi Centre wasn’t shown on it). "Here’s Spencer Plaza, on Anna Salai. Where are we on the map?" "Light house is here, sir." I tried a couple more times and began to realise that I’d made a gross assumption! Just because he spoke English didn’t mean he could read it AND the Security Guard uniform should have alerted me to the fact that he was a Security Guard and NOT from the Information Desk (so why should I assume he must know English at all??!) QED:- I was possibly showing the man, a book that I recognised as a map, but really a load of meaningless squiggles on yellow lines to him ( that represented words & roads to me). I retreated gracefully and expressed thanks and walked outside....
I had no bearings and also my navigational compass was broken (figuratively speaking). So all I could think of was to try and find a major building and use this to find my exact location on my newly acquired charts! I headed up the street, what I thought was the right direction and came across Kalyani Hospital and this was all I needed! I was on Radha Krishnan Salai and I could see I was heading in a direction I didn’t want to go in, so ABOUT TURN!!! And I headed back to the cross roads that I believed would take me north on Dr Natesan Road. I stopped of at the Telephone kiosk on the corner to verify I was on the right track, that being confirmed my sails were set at full mast; I had a bearing, a heading, and most importantly a decent Cuban Cigar to keep me occupied. Off I went....
At the junction with Peters Road I headed West (turned left) and marched on to Anna Salai. It was hot and I got through 2 litres of water and sweated like a roasting monkey but ah! the clouds of Cuban tobacco smoke in my wake delighted the onlookers (as if! They were more interested to see if the English idiot would call it quits and hail an Auto). And yes the Auto’s buzzed me and tried to get me to hire them, all laughing that it was too hot and that I would soon be begging them, but as I walked on their smile dissipated and the laughter stopped. I was know heralded as crazy and they sped off...
Onto Anna Salai by the Thousand Lights Mosque and still going strong! Three kilometres down and one more to go! As I headed up the pavement I saw an antique shop (junk shop in cunning disguise) and made the mistake of stopping. The owner had seen his first potential customer for the day, namely me, and almost physically dragged me in. "Now what would you like sir?" (Trick question!! Dancing girls, maybe?) "I’m just looking but thanks!" But he was keen to show me grubby broken watches, clocks, damaged paintings and displayed signs of grief laden heart break as I left. The guilt lasted as long as the rest of my cigar... Oh, I finished that quite some time ago... exactly!... no feelings of guilt at all!
(Oh when is he going to talk about Spencer Plaza!!!!!)
I crossed the road and stopped at the Victoria Technical Institute. That was great! A chance to see real Handicrafts without bothersome Trades people and haggling over the price (which is fun to start with and a real turn-off by the end). There were beautiful table, chairs and art works. I bought a painting of Ganesh that I could take back on the plane but those table & chair sets have really captured my heart (YES! I do have one of those). There are three floors of fantastic merchandise to look at, in a hassle free environment. I really recommend this place and also the fact that a lot of it is students’ work and goes towards funding the Institute. But now, shipmates, on we must go to the prize of prizes...
(Spencer Plaza at last!!)
This had changed little, since my last visit in 2003. Phases 1 & 2 were pretty much the same; my supplier of sunglasses at ’local’ prices, Music World, Van Hueusen, Bata Shoes etc, etc. The annoying trinket and handicrafts tradesmen were still there... "Hello my friend." "If you’re my friend, what’s my birthday? and when did we first meet?" or as it began to wear thin "Just leave ME ALONE!!!!!!". Most of you probably don’t get this hassle but have a bit of sympathy for a guy who is obviously ’European’ by descent! I think they believed that I had buckets full of money and gullibility to match it! Still I bought a couple of CD’s at Music World; ’Across the Universe’ from the musical that’s become a firm favourite and James Blunt’s latest album, ’All the Lost Souls’ (shall I review these later at some point?
Lemme know). I also discovered the new Phase 3 and bought silk scarves from the ONLY Tradesman who didn’t bug me (there’s a lesson there) and a full duvet set. But generally Phase 3 is more of the same. If you are after decent antiques then go to Tiffany’s, it’s between Phase 1 & 2 but I am unsure what aisle or floor. This has so many great items in reasonable to good condition, sadly I bought nothing from there this time as I planned another shopping trip that never happened! If you want cheap Hot Dogs, there’s a little place at the bottom of Phase 1 that serves them from the window.
Look Spencer’s is a grand old lady, she’s a bit tatty and never as glam as the new girl in town (Citi Centre), but she’s unique. It’s a great people watching venue, has cheaper price-tags, has curiousity shoppes that Citi Centre would never allow for damaging brand image and that’s why its a must when you are in Chennai. At the end of the day I recommend both Citi & Spencer for different reasons. At heart though? Honestly? I just love Chennai.
Next time, I want to take you somewhere you never thought I’d take you.....