After a day or 2 of rest in Kovalam beach...where you actually see some Indians, we decided to take a trip to the tip of India to have one more adventure before Kurtis leaves. Here the Bengal Bay, Arabian Sea, and the Indian ocean meet. It is a place of high spiritual signicance for many pilgrims and seekers and hindu's and such. Since Kurtis and I are running out of time and wanting to keep things simple we actually hired a car/driver and booked a hotel to head down there and watch the sun set and rise.
On the way we stopped at this great little market that was at the border of 2 states. Old women were selling there fish under umbrellas and men sat on top of their piles of vegetables. Everybody was poor, and weatherd, and desperate for people to buy stuff. Kurtis and I split for a little and he towered over all the people and I quickly got surrounded by Indian women and young boys taking my hand, playing with my hair, saying things to me while smiling wobbling their heads and clicking their tounges. It was a crowded market but it felt so great to be in the midsts of real indian culture...not a white man or women in sight.
When we arrived at the tip we got situated and grounded and got rid of our clingy taxi driver. We wondered around and found our way through the markets and pass the temples and to the tip of India were people gathered, swam, prayed, bathed, hung out, ate popcorn and cotten candy, rode a decorated horse, climbed rocks and watched the ocean and the sun. At times we were more the attraction then the setting of the sun and while we were waiting we spent time with a little street boy who find a soft spots in our hearts and Kurtis bought him an ice cream. The child did not know what to do! Many photos were taken...of us, and once again we got to experience a beautiful and magical sunset in India.
The next morning we got up at 5 am and strolled back to the sight were MANY MANY MANY people gathered to watch the sun rise. We sipped chai and sat amongst the Indians as we stared out into the ocean towards a small island that was the home to India's version of the statue of liberty. the sky began to change colors and people started to stir the silence came and then a whoosh and an awww of energy came over the crowd as the sun started to present itself in the sky. It was so wild because at first it outlined some clouds bright pink and it looked like the sky was cracking or a child's drew a squiggly line accross the sky with a pink marker. The sun finally appeared and everybody cheered and clapped and sang and went down to the water to bless themselves with the oceans water. We went down to do the same and on the way i got surrounded by tons of young indian men that wanted there picture with me. They totally caught me off guard...but in the end I too splashed water on my far head.
You feel like a movie star in India some times...especially when they find out you are american
