I am typing by torchlight, as the power is out-this time the regular evening 30 mins, but as its Sunday, its moved by half an hour, so at 8.30 its late-better early in the evening, gets it out of the way, and over the weeks I’ve been in India, I’m now so used to the power going out at scheduled, and unscheduled, times, power will be such a luxury! Even when it’s on, it’s usually unpredictable-unless one is staying in posh hotels with generators, so not me then…
This morning began with a longer than usual lack of power, so I set off a dawn to walk to the fishing village past the lighthouse, through village shacks and coconut groves, watching women fill brightly coloured jugs from the village tap, and cook breakfast inside the huts
The tiny shack enroute provided sweet Marsala chai down the hill and up again, much to the amusement of the local men.
Most tourists frequent the restaurants on the beachfront, but I’m relishing the chance to eat on the hoof for a change, as my friends have departed.
The locals invited me inside (with the flies and the smoke, seemed rude to refuse though) and insisted on plying me with fried goodies (15 rupees for two large teas, deep fried banana. Papaya and a doughnut, as opposed to about 200 rupees for toast and jam on the beach)
Having watched the fishermen mend their nets and pottered about the harbour front, I wanted to find the rock cave temple, the oldest in India, apparently, but despite asking the locals, no one knew where it was….I had to go back to Lighthouse Beach, and pick up a rickshaw, only to find, after a 30 minute and 250 rupee return ride, that I’d been in sight of it the first time, typical.
Despite the locked gate, the rickshaw driver, obviously concerned I wasn’t going to pay him, insisted I clamber over the metal fence, ignoring all the warning signs….and there it was, a fascinatingly eerie carved rock, in the middle of nowhere dating from the 18th century, according to legend, and now a protected monument.
(I expected to be shot at any minute as I shinned back over the fence-the temple in Thrivandrum is protected by armed guards, due to the gold/wealth inside, as is the palace….but the history gods protected me, although I had a narrow escape tripping over and nearly in to a very deep well!)
The heat is intense here; see pic of me looking exhausted standing by the path to my little room off the beach!! I’d stopped to chat to friends-everyone recognises everyone very quickly-including the hawkers, peddlers and stall holders, who have now stopped asking me to buy anything, eventually even they’ve given up!
This afternoon I took the rickshaw again to nearby Sanuda beach, my original choice of destination, until I decided to stay with the populace… It’s tiny, and the high surf has wiped out the sands, leaving sun beds balanced on a narrow walkway, and even the restaurants are closed due to the waves. I found one open for a wonderful cold orange lassi, drunk with a mouthful of salt as the crashing surf splashed over the rocks!
I walked through the coconut groves, past the swish Taj hotel and golf course, and into the local villages which line the seafront. The backwaters wash down to the coast here, kingfishers dart about amongst the trees, the lagoon on one side and the pounding surf on the other. Children rush up wanting pens and money (neither of which I had) and women sitting in the shade weaving coir for rope invite me to join them, although I refused as nothing in India comes free.
Back to the evening sunset, watched with the Sunday crowds at the lighthouse-see pic of me looking suitably exhausted-and a paper cup full of stall cooked veg and hot nuts for supper…the surf is so high here now there are flood defences going up along the sidewalk, which is reminiscent of Lewes! Storm clouds gather overhead-but as I finish this, the power is back on, at least for the moment!
I decided again a long day trip to the southernmost tip of India, and to spend my last couple of days absorbed in the teeming mass of seething crowds in the city rather than in an a/c taxi looking out of the window, despite the noise, smell, heat and dirt. At least, that’s the plan as I write this……
This morning began with a longer than usual lack of power, so I set off a dawn to walk to the fishing village past the lighthouse, through village shacks and coconut groves, watching women fill brightly coloured jugs from the village tap, and cook breakfast inside the huts
The tiny shack enroute provided sweet Marsala chai down the hill and up again, much to the amusement of the local men.
Most tourists frequent the restaurants on the beachfront, but I’m relishing the chance to eat on the hoof for a change, as my friends have departed.
The locals invited me inside (with the flies and the smoke, seemed rude to refuse though) and insisted on plying me with fried goodies (15 rupees for two large teas, deep fried banana. Papaya and a doughnut, as opposed to about 200 rupees for toast and jam on the beach)
Having watched the fishermen mend their nets and pottered about the harbour front, I wanted to find the rock cave temple, the oldest in India, apparently, but despite asking the locals, no one knew where it was….I had to go back to Lighthouse Beach, and pick up a rickshaw, only to find, after a 30 minute and 250 rupee return ride, that I’d been in sight of it the first time, typical.
Despite the locked gate, the rickshaw driver, obviously concerned I wasn’t going to pay him, insisted I clamber over the metal fence, ignoring all the warning signs….and there it was, a fascinatingly eerie carved rock, in the middle of nowhere dating from the 18th century, according to legend, and now a protected monument.
The heat is intense here; see pic of me looking exhausted standing by the path to my little room off the beach!! I’d stopped to chat to friends-everyone recognises everyone very quickly-including the hawkers, peddlers and stall holders, who have now stopped asking me to buy anything, eventually even they’ve given up!
I walked through the coconut groves, past the swish Taj hotel and golf course, and into the local villages which line the seafront. The backwaters wash down to the coast here, kingfishers dart about amongst the trees, the lagoon on one side and the pounding surf on the other. Children rush up wanting pens and money (neither of which I had) and women sitting in the shade weaving coir for rope invite me to join them, although I refused as nothing in India comes free.
Back to the evening sunset, watched with the Sunday crowds at the lighthouse-see pic of me looking suitably exhausted-and a paper cup full of stall cooked veg and hot nuts for supper…the surf is so high here now there are flood defences going up along the sidewalk, which is reminiscent of Lewes! Storm clouds gather overhead-but as I finish this, the power is back on, at least for the moment!
No comments:
Post a Comment