Dream Trip 2009

Great Travel Moment

Living in India for six months was an adventure for all my senses, and after a while, I started getting used to the large crowds and constant activity of its big cities. A weekend trip to Pondicherry was a welcome oasis of calm, and a fascinating blend of Indian and French culture. For example, the quiet, leafy streets of the French quarter eventually led me to a bustling marketplace where an elephant was doling out blessings. Nowhere was this blend more striking to me than along Pondicherry's waterfront, a lovely promenade where Indian families strolled and the occasional vendor set up a picturesque shop in front of the sea.