At first light the Marina is mostly sand and sky, a pale strip running south from the old fort while the Bay of Bengal folds over in long, quiet lines. Walkers look tiny near the lighthouse. A few streets inland, the stone steps of the Mylapore tank sit empty beneath the painted towers of the Kapaleeshwarar Temple.
By evening the city fills the gaps, with shoppers squeezing through T. Nagar and families spreading out on Elliot's Beach. The climate is hot and humid, with April to June the hottest months and most rain falling between October and December. A Local Friend might take you to the bench they have claimed since college and tell you exactly why it matters.
