We left Vellore yesterday afternoon and rode the packed city bus 4.5 hours to Pondicherry. It was a wonderful drive as we passed the brilliant green of the rice paddies and the colorful stands in the bazaars of the small towns we stopped in along the way. Many of the locals stood the entire 4.5 hour ride due to the amount of people on the bus. I could not stop smiling at the darling little boy who was halfway in my lap most of the way due to the crush of people behind him.
When we first arrived in Pondi, it appeared similar to the hustle and bustle of Vellore, but as we rode in our rickshaw to the Les Hisbiscus hotel in the French quarter, the architecture turned more to the white buildings of a quaint French neighborhood and resembled something entirely different than the India we know. Wisps of conversations in French drifted our way as we disembarked from the rickshaw and greeted Bascarane, the gentlemanly proprietor of the utterly charming Hotel Les Hisbiscus.
Much to my delight we found REAL red wine last night, and had crepes for dinner. I think we all felt a bit like we were cheating on India, but the food was excellent. We just finished a European style breakfast, croissants and black coffee, meanwhile listening to Miss Cami Stinson croon sweet melodies on Julies iPod. We are headed out to explore this quirky town where elegant French culture meets vibrant Indian life, hoping to do some shopping, visit an ashram and relax on the beach. Even though I feel like I am on an exotic adventure everyday in Vellore, Pondi really feels like vacation.
Ciao, or should I say namaste....?
When we first arrived in Pondi, it appeared similar to the hustle and bustle of Vellore, but as we rode in our rickshaw to the Les Hisbiscus hotel in the French quarter, the architecture turned more to the white buildings of a quaint French neighborhood and resembled something entirely different than the India we know. Wisps of conversations in French drifted our way as we disembarked from the rickshaw and greeted Bascarane, the gentlemanly proprietor of the utterly charming Hotel Les Hisbiscus.
Much to my delight we found REAL red wine last night, and had crepes for dinner. I think we all felt a bit like we were cheating on India, but the food was excellent. We just finished a European style breakfast, croissants and black coffee, meanwhile listening to Miss Cami Stinson croon sweet melodies on Julies iPod. We are headed out to explore this quirky town where elegant French culture meets vibrant Indian life, hoping to do some shopping, visit an ashram and relax on the beach. Even though I feel like I am on an exotic adventure everyday in Vellore, Pondi really feels like vacation.
Ciao, or should I say namaste....?
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