India is not like the US. No, no. Not at all. Our first day, our tour bus picked us up from the airport and took us to our hotel. This was after a 14 hour flight, followed by a 2 hour night's rest followed by a 3 hour flight. At the top of a hill the bus stopped inexplicably. For 10 minutes there was no explanation; but this is India. Finally our guide came back and reported that the bus couldn't go down the hill and that we had to carry out luggage down the steep hill dodging cars, buses and tuk-tuks. Welcome to India.
But I come here, not to complain, but to wonder. The next day Shirley and I were at breakfast. A nice place overlooking the beach called the Swiss Inn (we weren't ready for full immersion quite yet). We overlooked the beach and could watch a row of guys in skirts (the guys wear skirts here) and turbans who were hauling a rope that went out to sea. Far, far out to sea. They hauled and hauled all through breakfast with no apparent result other than lots of coiled rope on the beach. I kept wondering what they were pulling in; the world's largest lobster trap maybe or a hooked right whale? Towards the end of breakfast, Shirley and I realized that there were two rows of guys pulling on ropes and that they were gradually drawing in a net that originally must have covered most of the cove we were looking out at.
We weren't able to stay long enough to see the catch, but I couldn't help think this is exactly how this cove was fished every day for the last thousand of years or so.
But I come here, not to complain, but to wonder. The next day Shirley and I were at breakfast. A nice place overlooking the beach called the Swiss Inn (we weren't ready for full immersion quite yet). We overlooked the beach and could watch a row of guys in skirts (the guys wear skirts here) and turbans who were hauling a rope that went out to sea. Far, far out to sea. They hauled and hauled all through breakfast with no apparent result other than lots of coiled rope on the beach. I kept wondering what they were pulling in; the world's largest lobster trap maybe or a hooked right whale? Towards the end of breakfast, Shirley and I realized that there were two rows of guys pulling on ropes and that they were gradually drawing in a net that originally must have covered most of the cove we were looking out at.
We weren't able to stay long enough to see the catch, but I couldn't help think this is exactly how this cove was fished every day for the last thousand of years or so.
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