Well I have not been doing a great job keeping up on my blogging here, sorry L. We had the day off yesterday which we spent on a local beach getting a little sun, but that was pretty uneventful, so I will talked about LAST week’s day off which was a little more exciting! This all took place Thursday, Dec. 1st. After some A.M. confusion on our requested departure time, we were off to explore local areas with Dr. Rishikesh as our guide. The hospital director insists that we have a guide with us at all times unless we are just going to the local market which is approximately 2 mi from the hospital - $1.60 on a Rickshaw there and back for all 4 of us! Ok, so back to December 1st…
-
1st stop: Malneshwar
This is a well-known place of tourism for the native peoples, yet not well-known or advertised to foreign tourists. It is known for its natural beauty and temple within a cave. We hiked up a million stairs, or maybe 200, set into the side of a mountain and lined with stands selling treats, trinkets and offerings for the temple. After a sweaty hike, we finally reach the top. The main attraction is the temple which is located in a cave where you must crouch down and get skinny in order to make it through the door! Though we are obviously not Hindu, we were still allowed to enter the cave, or should I saw sauna?! Was it ever warm in there!! It was a small, dark, smoky cave filled with the smoke and the smell of incents. Within the cave there is a focal point where a statue of a Hindu god sits surrounded by offerings. Sitting to the side of the figure is a man who was either a Hindu priest or temple attendant (not sure). Visitors kneel before the statue/figure and hand their offering to the man. At this temple an offering usually consists of flowers or a coconut. We didn’t stay in the cave long since it was small, dark and hot, but we did see a snake. One of the temple attendants lit a match revealing the snake rearing his head out an opening in the cave wall. I didn’t move at bit! To be honest, I wasn’t sure it was real didn’t even think it was real at first.
-
After leaving the temple in the cave, we moved on to see the waterfall. Since we had to leave our shoes on a small shoe stand before entering the temple area, we had to continue onto the waterfall without them. We’ll just say I should have worked on building my calluses before coming to India! Barefoot, we now descend several stairs, down a short dirt and stone path to a wide, shallow stream running among large rocks and boulders. The stream is created by the waterfall run off. After rock climbing and puddle jumping, we finally make it to the waterfall. It was quite beautiful. This waterfall is one of many during monsoon season, however, the others have dried up at this time. The current waterfall is the largest of them all and remains during the ‘winter’ months, as it carries water down from the mountain. Though the other falls are not flowing, if you look up the mountain, above and to either side of the lively waterfall, you can see the path created through vegetation by the other falls during monsoon season.
Like every other day in India, it was hot, so by the time we reach the waterfall, and the large pond below it, putting our feet in the cool mountain water was a must!! Not long after wading in the water, something was tickling our feet! We look down and there are fish nibbling at our toes! They are a type of Garra rufa fish, otherwise known as nibble or Kangal fish, that nibble off the epidermal skin layer. So we got a little a spa pedicure in the mountain waters of India! Can’t get that in the US! (it’s been outlawed and ruled unsanitary by the US government.) I have very ticklish feet and these fish did not seem to bother me, Jeremy had no problem with it either. Beth tolerated it for quite a while and Julie was just not having it! After cooling off by wading in the mountain water and getting our free pedis, we began our trek back over the rocks, up the path and up the stairs to find our shoes waiting for us on the other side of the temple. After reclaiming our shoes we enjoyed a refreshing treat of fresh juice and a local snack from a vendor along the path. Then it was time to descend those 1 million (or 200) stairs that we climbing upon arrival. MUCH easier this time!
-
2nd Stop: Ratnagiri.
Ratnagiri was about an hour and half drive from Malneshwar and you would think we had all just scaled an entire mountain because I think we all took a little nap at some point. Ratnagiri is a city of about 500,000 people, Area: 8,208sq km, 65% Literacy. It was nearly 1:00pm when we arrived, so we made lunch our first stop. Upon entering the restaurant (non-veg, of course) Dr. Rishikesh comments that this is a more expensive restaurant, but that he favored the atmosphere and thought that we would welcome an air conditioned rest. We agreed and take our seats at a large table with a lush padded ‘L’ shaped bench and 2 padded chairs. We open the menus and expecting prices closer to a nicer American restaurant, but we were pleasantly surprised that this was actually still a very inexpensive!
Since we don’t know what most of the dishes consist of, with our input, Dr. Rishikesh ordered for us what he thought we would like. Then Jeremy proceeds to place his own order. Dr. Rishikesh tells Jeremy that he had already ordered that for us, but Jeremy said “Oh, no, I’m ordering this for myself.” Dr. Rishikesh was concerned this would be too much food, and suggested canceling some of what he had ordered. We assured him that Jeremy will eat what he has ordered and then clean up what the 3 of us leave behind, and Jeremy did not disappoint. The food was great! Best we’ve had yet. At the end of the meal we were brought our bill in a dish of “mukhwaas”, whole fennel seeds that taste like black licorice, and served as both a mouth freshener and digestive aid. Now the bill at this ‘expensive’ restaurant came to approximately $6 per person! Well worth the comfortable seating and air conditioning!
While in Ratnigiri we stopped at a resort overlooking a banana research farm and the Arabian Sea. This resort even had a replication of the front of the Titanic ship, overlooked the sea. And of course, Beth and I could not pass up reenacting that scene. However, we played out our reenactment individually! The resort also had a beautiful pool where we took a moment to sit on the side and drop our feet in. Sitting poolside, overlooking the Arabian Sea… not gonna lie… didn’t really want to leave! After the resort we visited a large fort on the cliff-side, which sits on top of a peninsula and is surrounded on three sides by the Arabian Sea. Back in the day, this was an excellent place to observe the waters and prepare for invasion! Again we climbed many stairs and observed all that was to see from above! The following is printed on a sign at the fort:
This fort is also known as Ratnagad or Bhagavati Fort. This horseshoe shaped fort has an area of 1300 x 1000 mts. On the side of the Sea, the fort has a broken cliff at the bottom of which has a cave. There is a light house on the other side that guides ships upto 15 kms.
The Fort was built during the Bahamani Period. Later it was conquered by Adilshah that in turn was won by Lord Shivaji in 1670. From 1710 to 1755, it was kept by Angres and then upto 1810 it was possessed by the Peshwas. The Queen of Zanshi has visited this fort before the battle of 1857.
-
3rd Stop: Ganapati Pule
This is a small seaside town about an hour north of Ratnagiri. The drive we took as along their coastal highway. Dr. Rishikesh shared that this was one of his most favorite drives to take and asked the driver if he could take over. The driver complies and we all just look at each other a laugh. What hired driver would just let you take over?! The two men were familiar with each other since our driver has been hired by the hospital in the past, but still! It was an extremely beautiful drive, with one stop along the way for a photo-op moment. Once in Ganapati Pule we stopped at the beach where we rolled up our pants, went for a strolled and dipped our toes for a third time that day, this time in the Arabian Sea! So I did like I do anytime my toes touch an ocean, I took a picture.
Along the beach people were on the sand reading, playing volleyball, children building castles with moats and others swimming of course. Now the swimwear is quite different than the US, women were in their saris, men in shorts, and children in either shorts or like one boy, in the nude! Not a female swimming suit to be seen! I can’t imagine playing in the ocean with 20ft of fabric.
-
Throughout the day we were approached by people asking for pictures, no different than every other day I suppose, however, it did seem to be more often. We attributed this with being out in public now. Beth reminds us that we are the American Spectacle, but now we are realizing that Jeremy is the one people are gravitating toward, men and women alike! They could care less about the 3 American Beauties he has with him! Odd, I know! Well it wasn’t until we were at the beach that it all came together. While there Jeremy was approach by a group of young men, yes, young men. He and Julie (who I’m sure they didn’t give a damn about) politely posed for a group picture, SEVERAL group pictures, to the point where it was getting a little out of control. From afar, Dr. Rishikesh saw what was going on and swooped in for the rescue! Turns out that the young men were calling Jeremy Johnny…. Johnny? I guess it’s close to Jeremy, but then again, they don’t even know his name is Jeremy. Rishikesh fills us in that these boys were referring to Johnny Abraham, a famous Indian actor. Now whether they thought he was him or just that he looked like him we will never know, but none-the-less, it’s pretty funny! Now as Beth puts it, “we’re the American Spectacle WITH a movie star!” We begin to brainstorm how this might work to our advantage… nothing yet, but you never know when it may come in handy!
Throughout the day we were approached by people asking for pictures, no different than every other day I suppose, however, it did seem to be more often. We attributed this with being out in public now. Beth reminds us that we are the American Spectacle, but now we are realizing that Jeremy is the one people are gravitating toward, men and women alike! They could care less about the 3 American Beauties he has with him! Odd, I know! Well it wasn’t until we were at the beach that it all came together. While there Jeremy was approach by a group of young men, yes, young men. He and Julie (who I’m sure they didn’t give a damn about) politely posed for a group picture, SEVERAL group pictures, to the point where it was getting a little out of control. From afar, Dr. Rishikesh saw what was going on and swooped in for the rescue! Turns out that the young men were calling Jeremy Johnny…. Johnny? I guess it’s close to Jeremy, but then again, they don’t even know his name is Jeremy. Rishikesh fills us in that these boys were referring to Johnny Abraham, a famous Indian actor. Now whether they thought he was him or just that he looked like him we will never know, but none-the-less, it’s pretty funny! Now as Beth puts it, “we’re the American Spectacle WITH a movie star!” We begin to brainstorm how this might work to our advantage… nothing yet, but you never know when it may come in handy!
No comments:
Post a Comment