Monday, 21st January

Why is it sometimes sooo easy in life?

Now I know why every third small shop here has a selection of banana bunches hanging around outside! Because there are sooooo many banana plantations in Tamil Nadu that you can hardly fit them all in one photo. Unbelievable. I will definitely dream of bananas and coconuts tonight! Wanna bet?!

On the journey from Kerala to Kanyakumari, we drove through this banana state. Just me and the driver, all alone. Well, apart from the thousands of Indians who were also, or at least partly, moving on the road. And there's something else that stood out here: the marble and granite production. Dozens of shops displaying the most beautiful, colorful, and finely polished stone slabs outside. The drive to the cape took about 2.5 hours without the break at the first stop. The very tall, white temple. There I had to take off my shoes and in return, I got a number. Yes, India is very organized! Smile.
And then, unfortunately, I had to also give up my camera. No photography allowed. Oh no! That's too bad.... because there are incredibly many things that I discovered here at the entrance as suitable subjects. (PS: The Indians just took out their phones!!! I could have done that too, but out of respect, I decided not to...). Instead, I was caught by a temple guard (I wanted to stroll through these holy halls alone and let everything affect me! Darn it!!!) and led quickly past the beautiful and awe-inspiring statues, pillars, gods, frescoes, etc. Here and there, an explanation or a demonstration. Because some of the many columns, some of which are only about the size of a palm, sound like a gong when you hit them. I obediently pressed my ear to one column, and he played the 'organ' on the neighboring columns. Impressive how these non-hollow columns produce different sounds. It has something calming... Then we continued to the hot spots of the temple where a few worshipers were standing in lines. Daniela and her private guide went through the closed entrance, and I could look at the golden idol images bathed in very dim candlelight from up close. Plus, the mantras sung in the background. Great! Then, after about 20 minutes, it was all over, and he reached out his hand. I suspected that. He already knew the price: 500-1000 would be appropriate for good karma and the blessings of the gods. Marked accordingly on my forehead, I left the temple, retrieved my camera for a fee and my shoes for a fee (surprising, right?) outside on the street.

Next to the temple, there was a little lake, and in the middle, a small blue temple. Various shops and stalls all around. That was also interesting.

Arriving in Kanyakumari, the driver accompanied me down to the boat pier. I bought a ticket and lined up. He said I was very lucky because in December there are so many visitors here that you have to stand in line for kilometers at the ticket counter. It can take up to 2 hours or longer! I just have to wait for a ferry, and then I was already on the rusty boat with an orange 'life jacket' around my neck. So not alone... But as one of the 5 white-skinned people, still somehow 'alone'. Smile
The short crossing was no problem. On the first of the two islands, there was a large temple (dedicated to Swami Vivekananda) which is completely lined with black marble on the inside. No photography allowed. Well, that wouldn't surprise me either. A supervisor approached me and explained what I could see out here in the sea. These different shimmering colors in the water are created because this is a very special spiritual place: the meeting of the 'Indian Ocean', the 'Arabian Sea', and the 'Bay of Bengal'. And by the way, the sunrises and sunsets are also spectacular here! Well, unfortunately, I am here too late or too early for that. You can't have it all.
Then, stand in the now slightly longer line for the even shorter crossing to the second island. 20 minutes later, strapped on the orange thing again and off we go! On this smaller island stands a 40-meter high statue of the author of the Tamil Bible (Thiruvalluvar). Impressive. One toe is as big as an adult! Before joining the others in line, a family asked me for a photo. Somehow feels familiar....! Smile. And each family member stood next to me individually, and they took wild photos with their phones. We ended this short meeting with a namaste and a big smile.

Back on solid ground and it's already around 2 pm, the waiting chauffeur welcomed me at the boat pier. Then we walked through the numerous market stalls (clothes, hats, bags, seashells in all shapes, sizes, and varieties (!), malas, food and drinks, ice cream, freshly squeezed sugarcane juice, etc.) and through beggars. I just don't feel comfortable in these narrow streets. I feel crowded and followed. In any case, thanks to the chauffeur, I bought a mala necklace. From a half-blind woman with disheveled hair and a local amputee with both legs missing. I didn't buy from them because they are like what I just described! I looked at a mala at an 'empty' stand (smart move, Daniela! That way you can look in peace), and suddenly the two of them were there. And then it started... But I am satisfied with my purchase, and I think the two of them also made a very good deal. Hihi.
Next, we walked to the nearby 'Gandhi Mandapa' on foot. A memorial for Gandhi. Here, his ashes were kept before they were scattered into the sea. Many old photos remind us of this wiry man and his life. Many of them show him smiling, and that makes me smile too. Namaste!

Now I'm hungry! The chauffeur parked our car at a hotel. We go up to the 7th floor to the restaurant and have a wonderful view of the sea and the two islands I visited earlier. Cool! I treat him and we order and eat and have lassi. Yammy! My first cool drink in almost 3 weeks! Yippee. Because I'm actually not supposed to consume cold drinks. Only hot tea or hot water! Wink.

Now it's time to go back on the 2.5-hour return journey. This time we take a different route. It follows the coastline (you can't see the sea 99% of the time) and passes huge fields of rice, banana trees, and coconut palms! Oh yes, there are a lot of them here. And production is going on everywhere: they peel the coconuts and make copra from the shells. Just like in the Seychelles. I know that!

Now I'm back. Very tired. But tired in a satisfied way. Just as you are after such an impressive day. The photos of today are downloaded (otherwise I couldn't put them in the blog!) and the report is coming to an end soon.

Now to the restaurant and hope that I get a table. Because the two groups (24 Italians) have occupied all the individual tables (so they can make long tables for everyone!). And that meant last night, I could have chosen from about 30 chairs but didn't have a table. So I ate my food on my lap... Grumble. Hopefully, I will manage to get a better spot today! Phew!! And the worst thing is not even the table situation: it's the noise they make. Until they arrived, it was rather quiet. Tables for one or two or at most three or four people. Pleasant at the buffet, pleasant in terms of noise. But these two groups don't know any limits! Yesterday there was a 2-hour live dance show. Traditional with very beautiful and colorful dressed young Indians. Bells on their feet because this is very traditional and an essential part of the dance. Well... the Italians didn't notice much of it. And unfortunately, neither did the others! Because they were so loud that half of the visual impact was reduced. Too bad...!