The buzzing of the alarm woke me up at exactly 6:00am, just enough time to get up and make it to the beach in time for the sunrise. The sky was just beginning to get light and the morning air was cool and crisp, a nice contrast to the previous day. The promenade along the beach was busy. Some sat on the rocks gazing off into the horizon while others meandered along. Not long after, a road race began down the main street, boys with numbers pinned to their chest chasing the ambulance that led the way. We spotted two girls in the race and cheered them on.
Lauren and I sat perched on a rock watching the waves roll up and crash into the rocks. The heavy looking, perfectly rounded waves in metallic-like colors gave the water a semblance of molten metal. Clouds obscured the horizon, but pink rays began to creep up above them and light the whole sky. Fish danced in the waves and fishermen cast their nets from skiffs so low to the water it seemed one medium size wave could overtake them. Eventually, the tangerine-colored round ball of light emerged in a hole in the clouds, perfectly lining them in orange, and casting peach colored shadows in the waves. After sitting peacefully for a few more moments, we headed back to the hotel to catch another hour of sleep before breakfast.
Lauren and I sat perched on a rock watching the waves roll up and crash into the rocks. The heavy looking, perfectly rounded waves in metallic-like colors gave the water a semblance of molten metal. Clouds obscured the horizon, but pink rays began to creep up above them and light the whole sky. Fish danced in the waves and fishermen cast their nets from skiffs so low to the water it seemed one medium size wave could overtake them. Eventually, the tangerine-colored round ball of light emerged in a hole in the clouds, perfectly lining them in orange, and casting peach colored shadows in the waves. After sitting peacefully for a few more moments, we headed back to the hotel to catch another hour of sleep before breakfast.
Breakfast was delicious and involved some of the most buttery, flaky croissants, a vegetable stew, and curd that I mixed with dry oats and raspberry jam. Once we were full, we met a van outside the gate that dropped us off at the ferry to Paradise Island. On the Island, most of our group swam in the cool water to escape the heat of the day. Lauren and I lounged in the shade and let the smooth sand spill through our fingers and cover our feet. Before leaving, we took a walk down the shore, letting the surf splash our legs.
I enjoyed a cup of hot chai on the swing back at the hotel as the rest of the group freshened up for lunch. Once again, lunch was delicious. This time I ordered bruschetta, though it ended up being more like pizza on baguettes. Later we wandered the streets back to the hotel for a mid-afternoon nap and to enjoy the peaceful atmosphere of the hotel’s gorgeous courtyard. In the late afternoon, we met up with a guide who took us through the French quarter of Pondicherry, describing all the building restoration projects going on and how they are trying to preserve the heritage and the architecture left over from the French colonial rule. He also shared some interesting side thoughts on communism and its relation to the poor as well as on the Indian education system.
After the tour a few of us stopped at a small café along the beach. We sat outside enjoying the nice breeze and some warm drinks. We met up with Zane, our assistant coordinator for the week, and we split a cheesecake that ended up being nothing like cheesecake. By this time, day faded to evening. As the sun sunk in the sky the promenade came to life and was soon packed with people. We wove our way through the crowd, stopping to glimpse a street performance before reaching the Alliance Francaise where we watched a band play a mélange of French, Indian, and Persian music with traditional instruments. I let the sounds wash over me and allowed my mind to be free to wander. I caught a few French words here and there but the meaning was lost on me.
After the performance Zane, Claire, Lauren and I ate a fabulous dinner at a restaurant called Villa Shanti, a place our guide from earlier had pointed out and noted as one of Pondicherry’s best. I had stuffed chicken with tomatoes and eggplant with couscous - easily one of the best meals yet. Walking home, we admired the perfect silver lining the moon cast on the clouds. The ocean breeze wafted over a few streets and it was a perfect end to a great day.