auroville...and the night ahead

La terasse beckoned us through the slighlty hidden archway..a cool place built aesthetically using sutmps of cocunut trees for pillars and a tatched roof...cool and windy..we were expecting a menu where prices started in 3 digits, but to our surprise the prices were nominal compared to what even a sangeetha in chennai charges. and we dug in for the long haul.
but the start was not good..."soups and frite"..i ordered..the waiter blinked "sprite????".."no no frite" i said pointing to the menu.."oh!!!u mean freets"
yeah!! yeah!! i replied; in a tone which was meant to convey that in my part of the country that thing was pronounced the way i just did it..
the waiter just smiled..i smiled back in the realisation that ordering veg dishes from a menu written in french/english was going to be fun(for all practical purposes the menu could have even been in greek or latin)
The fried potatos, with the hot soup set the taste buds yearning for more. We were out for a ball and we were going to have it. But then rarely did it strike us that these would later form an explosive combination once inside the body. But then again, first things first. starters done with, it was maincourse time..Italian wood fire pizzza for me ...and steaks for the others..The jouney began in all earnesty and providing respite to the mouth from all the chewing and swallowing was the harmless gossip and banter. oops i almost forgot. we also had mashed potato to go with this round.
Main course done..icecreams and frites for desserts:-))
stepping out into the early evening sun, we were brought back from the hallowed confines of a meditteranean setting to the hot early summer climes of Pondy..more specifically to the loud world of dravidian politics..Amma was going to have a rally in Pondy...yes, we were blessed to the see her in person and experience first hand the best in the world of sycophancy.
Managing to get out of pondy a good hour before the rally the drive to auroville was largely uneventful..except for the final 2 Kms. Bad roads, lush trees mango guava and jack fruit, lots and lotso white skin and life just ambling along ..no one in any particular hurry. Welcome to Auroville..The reception center was like an arts gallery and to shed the fatigue from the ride we loitered around in the A/C rooms for a while. Refreshed, we were all set to go to the maitri mandir only to be told that it was a good 15 minute walk. And the thought brought the fatigue right back. No walking business for us today. A lime soda from the canteen and we were off on our main pursuit..the Auroville beach ;-)
A lot of stories about the beach do the rounds in Chennai and we were going to get a few of our own to tell. Parking our bikes at the gates, we try and pass for regulars only to be shooed away by the security guards. Standing there perplexed, i had this feeling that we were going to be fodder for laughter for the few auto drivers there..only to have the thought cut short by sreejith leading the way..through a clearing beside the gate..smelly and shady we were wondering were we were headed.Only to be assured a few steps later by the lashing waves of the Bay of bengal. We felt like explorers and with the anticipation mounting by the minute, what resulted was one of the biggest anti climaxes of recent times. the clearing led us to the beach, only to be greeted by hundreds of "Onlookers" if u know what i mean, separated from the main beach by a fence and a few security guards..and a board that requested us to respect others' privacy ..Phuuu
Not to be undone and making the best use of the situation we quickly changed and dove right into the sea...real shallow and real gentle. we walk almost a 100 meters in. enjoi the waves, the occasional swimmer who has moved on to the wrong side inadvertently and then startled by some prick, moves back again. it went on for a while. Sunset and we were out of the water. All sandy we slowly ride back to Pondy only to be greeted by huge crowds waiting for amma. The rally was late.
a quick wash later we were back on the road, this time no bikes, we were going to explore the night life on foot. First pitstop - Hot and cold for Dinner. Take a turn on the road and there it was..The tempo carrying Amma a spot light on her face and the loud speaker blaring ..and I think i heard free rice????
The rooftop restaurant at H&C was quite a setting, and under the influence of a little bit of inhibition reducing substances the conversation grew more interesting as the night grew older.. A good 3 hrs and we were out on the empty roads...11.PM we decide to walk to the marina only to be surprised to see a good family crowd at that time of the night. i once again wonder when Kerala is going to be like this..
A few party animals coming out of the pub were to be our eye candy. And once we were sure that there were no more left where they came from we pushed on ..Only to have the night spiced up by a PYT totally lost in her world,drunk??? drugged??? riding a scooter all over the lonely road and us three standing right in the middle. She halts..We halt ..??????again anti climax..she comes close and then takes the turn on the road just ahead of us ..we walk on, only to have her zip past on the parallel roads a few times. Enough to have a few of us imagining a few things...the cool sea breeze, tired legs an A/C room ..we doze of with promises of catching the sunrise...Promises????