My Family Moves to India

An American family moves to Chennai

Palace #1

Monday, November 2, 2009 12:43:34 PM

The Green Hotel bills itself as an ecologically friendly, environmentally conscious hotel. That is not why I chose it. I chose it because it was relatively inexpensive and it is a renovated palace - the former residence of the Maharaja's daughters, when they wanted a break from the main palace. Overall it was charming - lovely ambience, nice staff, interesting library, and great food. (The bakery staff were trained by the frenchman who runs "La Boulangerie" here in Chennai.) It is a mark of our years in India that the fact that it did not have electricity 80% of the time didn't even phase us. I had packed flashlights (along with my mace and plenty of toilet tissue), and the hotel provided candles for free. What they lacked in electric (generators are baaaad for the environment), they made up for with all the lovely solar hot water you could use. And a bathtub. Candlelit baths all around. smile
Click to play this Smilebox postcard: 1st palace - Green Hotel
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Meanduring In MysorePalace #2

Comments

ECopley Monday, November 2, 2009 2:13:15 PM

These Smilebox things you have created are wonderful! Someday I'd like to learn how to do that.

These palaces you are visiting look so nice. You make me want to tour the world. Thanks so much for sharing these photos with us.

TeresamyfamilyinIndia Tuesday, November 3, 2009 5:09:55 AM

Just google smilebox and download the program. There is a small fee for using it add-free, but there are hundreds of designs.

Come and visit! smile

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Chennai blogs I read regularly:

Friend's blogs:

  • A Whole New World blog

    A very, very insightful look into special needs parenting.

  • On Krista's Mind

    A very special woman who has brain cancer takes the time to uplift us all.

  • Chinese Starfish

    This outstanding woman gave up a good career to start her own orphanage in Xian, China, for special needs orphans. My heroine!!

  • Pam in Henan, China

    You have to read the story of how she saved her Chinese daughter's life....and has spent 4 years living in China trying to adopt her.

  • Cherilyn's blog

    Neat family who adopted from Kazakhstan, and unbelievably, lived around the corner from us in IL.

  • Barbara & Wayne's blog

    Read all about their travels! Barbara is one of my oldest and dearest friends.

  • Danie's blog

    Lots of moving around here!

  • Lynn and family

    Moving back to the US - we will miss you!

  • Marsha

    Sadly, tragedy struck and they too have moved back to the US.

  • Jennifer's blog

    Yes, they too are moving back! So sad.

  • Donna's site

    Moving, moving, everyone is moving....sniff.

Favorite Furniture Stores

  • Collections Unique, 110 ECR (below "Mermaid Swimming Pools")

    antique and repro furniture, pricey but nice

  • The Treasure, #170/2 ALM Complex, opp. Prarthana Theatre, Injambakkam, ECR

    same quality as Collections but better prices

  • Timber, Old No. 6 Rutland Gate, 4th St, Nungambakkam; also a showroom in Kilpauk

    beautiful imported teak furniture from Indonesia

  • Centuar Furniture, 18, 3rd Cross Road, Raja Annamalai Puram
  • Grand Teak, 19 (Old no. 10) II Main Rd, R.A. Puram

    solid wood imports from Indonesia

  • Tulsi Arterior, Nungambakkam

    made-to-order furniture and lots of nice ready-made peices. Custom upholstering.

  • Teak Heirlooms, New 19, 1st Cross St, Sterling Rd, Nungambakkam

    outdoor teak furniture as well as coconut wood furniture

  • Rani Arts and Teak, No. 8, Harrington Rd, Chetpet

    widest variety of all-Indian furniture and artifacts - but very pricey!

  • Mani's - New #31, Old #17 Royapettah High Road, 044 28133078

    GREAT PRICES on used furniture. He will polish it up and it will look like new.

  • Aurorachana Export Antiques and Furniture, Hope, Auroville, Tamil Nadu 9443220174

    I've saved the very best for last. This place is run by two Germans who've lived here 30 years. They do an outstanding job restoring and refinishing old furniture, as well as custom-make just about anything you'd want to buy.

Weather in Chennai