A hotch potch of events.

My little stint in Madurai is rapidly drawing to a close and I find myself looking at the city and particularly my drive to work each morning as I did in the first couple of weeks , trying  to capture as much as possible of this crazy chaotic city. I am going to start with this banana shop which I just love and have spent the whole 8 weeks so far failing miserably to get a decent photo until today that is .

So colourful and beautiful smelling  unlike the next shot .

I pass this walkway every day and have to hold my nose because I think every man in Madurai uses it as his public toilet , caught one in the act . Probably not necessary that photo but they literally do it anywhere there is a kerb or a wall and if you can't be bothered standing , squatting will do .

And one very full bus .

Traffic policeman doing a wonderful job !

Followed him up the road for ages today and wee Kumar was getting very frustrated by it all.

So when I got to the orphanage this morning I got the girls all dressed for school with their shoes on this time. 

Saradah the older girl in the different uniform goes to the government school and the younger ones  a seventh day Adventist school.meant to ask why today but forgot.

I let Saradah use the I pad for games and she sneakily took these .this feisty little monkey is on the point of walking , so I hope it happens before next Friday. I want t bring her home I really really do .

This is Jana with the cleft palate. You can't see it but she has to be fed with a quaich like cup . It has a pointy wee spout that you slip into the corner or her mouth and she manages fine .

Here she is again. She is the quietest wee soul and so patient as she waits to be fed. She will be operated on when she is older.

Here's Ancy again fully recovered and getting a good set of cheeks on her.

 This is the wee prem baby. When I arrived he was a scrap of  a child and look at him now . His whole face lights up when you talk to him. I want him as well.

And she is thriving as well. All the babies in the baby room apart from wee Ancy are much more alert and wanting to be up more , but it isn't easy or safe to take them through to the big room as they are likely to get a bash so unfortunately there is a bit of crying that goes on in this room. As often as I thnk I can get away with it I sneak through and have a cuddle and a fix of small baby smell.

Today Elizabeth confirmed the purchase of 10 new high sided cots with more of the donated money. They can't come soon enough as several of the middle room babies stand and lean over the low sided cots now. It's almost unbearable to watch. Infact the wee one that's almost walking in the previous picture fell out her cot with such an almighty clatter. Add to that the fact that two of the cots are away getting fixed so there are two to a cot for some . It all gets a bit out of hand on occasions.

This was rather a bizarre sight to behold on my drive through this run down area on my way home 

Pith helmets and all. Mounted police is my guess.

And I walked past this colourful praying place. I think this was done because yesterday was a holy day for Hindus . Everyone hesds for the temple and is also supposed to stay up all night

Infact Anitha went last night to the Menakshee temple in town in the evening and queued for 1 1/2 hrs.to get in to pray. I would have loved to have gone to watch .

It is very hot and humid here so when I came back I opened the door for a through draft and this is the view that met me as I went onto the balcony.

They were really enjoying the next door neighbours plants.

So here endeth another busy day.  I am hoping for a better sleep tonight. 4 hrs. Is not enough !

Night night .