6 waiters wait on us and we learn the reason why. They all want to learn or practice their English and so they all gather around to hear the more proficient ones have a go at communicating with us. The State language here is Malayalam. We are practicing the Indian Head-Wobble, an essential part of communicating here. (We watched the movie “Outsourced” with Ramesh and Lakshmi the other night and it’s very funny, you can learn the head wobble from that).
Breakfast is toasted white bread, butter and jam; cornflakes; weak black coffee.
This state apparently has a literacy rate of over 90% and they have a freely elected communist government that has been in power for a long time. However, the suicide rate is also high since there is very little for educated people to do.
The young staff are insatiably curious about us. Indians will ask you very personal questions without meaning to cause offence. “Where are you from? Does it rain or shine there? What is your job and how much do you earn? Do you like India? What is your home like?”
Lunch: (Is great), Lettuce Finger; Avial (Banana, beans, carrots-all mixed in coconut oil); Snakegar (Kottu, (Curry) Dal); Sambar (Lentil and mixed veg.); Rasam (Tamarind juice, mustard leaves, salt, curry leaves, garlic, cumin, peppercorn); Thoran (cabbage and carrot chopped and mixed with coconut oil).
Over dinner we watch a Bharatha Nathyam (traditional Kerala Dance) and it’s pretty good.
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