New Year’s Eve spent on Covella Beach. It is a long, wide beach fronted by many resort hotels and a couple light houses. Fishing boats are pulled above the high tide mark and people wade between them to dip their toes in the salty water. Many people are there to share the turn of the year even though the Indian New Year does not arrive until late January or early February. I’m told though that it is a sober event and our New Year is spent in revelry—with much alcohol consumed. There were performances and a buffet—both interesting and delicious. The fireworks though were stupendous. It seemed every resort along the beach was shooting off their own—sometimes, scarily, right on the patio where we were standing. The fireworks started about 15 minutes before midnight and continued for a long time (I got a little bored and went back inside after a half hour). Seeing 5 or so different fireworks displays at once was very fun.
I’m not sure how close Covella Beach is to our hotel was since it took 45+ minutes to get there but lots of stop and go driving….sometimes very quick stops and goes. Driving (or rather being driven) in India involves seeing the sights—many the same—with intense moments of panic. Dogs, cows, goats, people, motorbikes, cars, buses, all share the same space and move sometimes without signaled intent. About the only other road traffic the bus driver seems concerned with are the cows. Sacred animals to one third of the people here, I don’t know if there is a proscription against harming them. Some people do eat them and they are certainly milked. Coffee and tea are served with heated milk and food sauces are made from buttered milk. Luckily I love milk….mmmmmm, rich and creamy J.
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