An interesting city -- it was less developed than I anticipated seeing how it's dubbed the infrastructurally-sound-Bangalore. It seemed as if all parts of the city were under construction, with rocks and rubble everywhere and no end in sight. Traffic was atrocious, road quality was poor. (But the airport is great!) I think in some ways Chennai is a bit anomalous in terms of its infrastructure compared to the other "metro" Indian cities (except Delhi). It was nice to again be in a place where the general populace speaks Hindi/Urdu. The language convenience came in handy when I left my phone on the bus this morning and subsequently had to track it down.
The most fascinating part of Hyderabad was undeniably the old city. I do not think I have ever been in a place with so many Muslims packed with such high density into a relatively small area; couple that with the bustle of everyday old city India, the cultural expose that is uniquely Hyderabad but clearly discernible in every individual's action, the noises, smells, sights, monuments - it was breathtaking. The weather was great too! Very conducive for photography - will post pictures soon.
I must say that I had biryani twice today (the second at a supposedly well-known place called Bawarchi) and while it was excellent both times, it was still very comparable to biryani I get in Chennai. Maybe vegetarian biryani does not have the elusive flavor found only in Hyderabad...
Only 2 glasses of fresh sweet lime juice today.
Off to Bombay now, then Ahmedabad in a few days.
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