First stop for the day was the Bodyguard Muneeswaran Temple. The temple history dates back to 1919 when workers from another area brought the idol of Lord Muneeswarar, created by Shiva, to Chennai and placed it under a tree next to the military barracks. The commander objected and later that day had an accident, so he believed Lord Muneeswaran had healing powers. People started believing the same, worshipped him and built this small roadside temple. He is worshipped as the protector from accidents. We went there as we were starting on a journey to have our bus and ourselves blessed. When we arrived, several children and adults were having their heads shaved as the hair, cigars, and liquor are uses as offerings to the gods. One toddler girl then had her ears pierced. A group if women were cooking over open flames on the sidewalk, their preparations to be used as offerings. We watched all this and then the priest came to bless the bus, placing a flower garland on its front, breaking a small coconut and tossing it on the ground next to a small lit candle and then squirting the bus and the ground with lime juice. We were then blessed and had a dot of tilaka, a pale yellow sandalwood paste, placed on our foreheads. In this case it was used to welcome us and as a sign of honor.

Our now blessed bus with our guide Rebecca, driver Selva, and bus assistant Suresh set off for the flower bazaar, one long block long where flowers are sold and whereabouts people were making flower garlands which are important in the culture are used for weddings, honoring important people and deities, and for burial rituals. There was so much color and, again, people welcomed being photographed. One man after being photographed gave me a flower. While waiting for the bus after regrouping, we had an encounter with a very attractive transsexual woman. She blessed us all and applied a red tilaka to our foreheads and cheeks. She stated she is married and has a wife. Once on the bus, Rebecca shared with us information about the LGBT status in India (which I have edited.) Since 2014, hijras (eunuchs, intersex, or transgender persons) are allowed to change their sex without gender reassignment surgery and may register as other rather than male or female. Some states provide protections such as free surgery in government hospitals, housing and welfare benefits. Homosexual acts for men were illegal until 2009 and then reinstated ny the High Court in 2013. Recently the Supreme Court ruled that homosexual people had the right to express their sexual orientation without discrimination, so the whole issue is to be revisited. She stated there is no right to marry and that any children of gay couples have no rights from the government including education.

We returned to the hotel, and I elected to skip the group lunch. I wanted to visit the George Town area and would then meet the group at nearby Fort St. George. I hailed an auto rickshaw in front of the hotel and told the driver my destnation was the Armenian Church in George Town. I asked if he understood and what the charge woukd be (200 rupees). Off we went and 10 - 15 minutes later he stopped in front of St. George’s Catholic Cathedral. I pulled ou Google Maps to find we had gone the opposite way and he had no clue. I tried to show him on the map which was pointless. He stopped about 12 times asking other drivers how to get there in Tamil. Half an hour later we arrived at another Catholic church,but next door to the Armenian church. He wanted more money which I refused to pay. He had wasted my limited free time. I got out, briefly looked in the church and at the boys playing on the playground, and walked next door. The caretaker at the Armenian church gave me a brief tour of the church built in 1712 and rebuilt in 1776, one of the oldest churches in India. He rings the six bells in the belfry every Sunday. There are about 350 graves there and the tombstones are flat and are part of the pavement. There are only 2 Armenian families in Chennai and they have intermarried. The Armenian church in Calcutta maintains the church. My map showed what appeared to be a good working with you EP of light area cancelling the colonial style High Court I had to go back to reach the entrance because Ami concrete Barry kid in the street not allowing me to crash where I wanted to when I arrived at the entrance where military people told me I could not enter in the area and it was only open to the public on Sundays and holidays. I had to double back again and walk down a main road towards Fort Saint George where I was to meet up with the group. The map showed a direct route, but neglected to show the railway tracks that could not be crossed. I was able to find a pedestrian underpass, passed under and continued on. The area next to the road was protected by the Indian archaeological society; set back from the road was a word concrete wall which was that remaining from the original structure of the Fort. Fort St, George, constructed in 1644, was the first English fortress in India and in the city then known as Madras. When I arrived at the entrance to the Fort Complex I did not see the bus for anyone from the group I was not quite sure where to enter and after crossing an exit driveway, I was accosted by some Indian soldiers. I explained my situation and was told rather rudely by one he could not understand my swag I was very surprised as he should know I was not speaking the Queen's English I told him what he said was not very nice and there was not a nice word to use I repeated my statement very slowly he only told me to turn around and showed me where the entrance was I went up to the desk and asked if the group had entered again there was difficulty with my being understood so I spoke very slowly and finally when they were not there entrance was free, but one had to sign and I asked the woman at the desk to tell the group I had entered when they arrived in side is the Fort Museum is closed on Fridays the remainder of the buildings with one exception on government offices and not open to the public. Saint Mary's Church is the one attraction that was open. As I was walking there, I turned and could see behind me that the group had arrived. We entered the church together. It is the oldest Anglican church east of the Suez and the oldest British building in India. There are 104 tombs, and a number of memorial plaques for various British military officers who died India or the east Indies.

The next stop was Santhome Catholic basilica built by the Portuguese in the 16th century over the Tomb of St Thomas one of the 12 apostles of Jesus. In 1893 it was rebuilt by the British and given the status of Cathedral. As the bus go into the parking lot we could see a small group of musicians outside the front of the church and below as a bride in a white wedding gown grill and other members of their families getting out of cars we walked over and watched the festivities outside of the church we were invited to enter the church for the ceremony it is very unusual for a bride regardless of religion in India to wear a western wedding gown and not an Indian sari. There were not a lot of guests there, and we were told that often only immediate family attend the ceremony and everyone else attends the wedding party after. The wedding was unusual per Rebecca who is Christian as there was a lot of rock music, little from the priests, and as we departed, he groom went up on the pulpit to speak. Ir was unexpected, entertaining, and informative. We returned to the hotel to I have a brief rest before our farewell dinner the dinner was at a vegetarian restaurant with a Buffet contemporary in style prior to dinner we went into the basement bar for a drink. Food was good but there was a lot of it. I think we were happiest with the ice cream at the end of the meal.