We are with the same tour company today, and are prepared with who and where to look for our tour guides. We’re lined up to get off the ship early – we’re the 2nd in line. It takes a while to coordinate the gangways and things, so we end up standing at the foot of the stairs for a while. Just as we are released to go, this woman comes down the stairs and butts right in front of us to get out. We of course can’t let that go without a comment about not respecting the queue to which she flips us off! She actually flips us the bird behind her back all the way out the gangway and onto the dock. I was shocked! She has the audacity to jump a line of about 100 people, then gives us the bird when we rightly make a comment about queues? I’m still flabbergasted.
Sadly, that was an omen for our day….sigh. So, off we go, we find Lijo and get our bus assignment – and lo and behold, who is already on the bus? The whiners from yesterday – who I will call Arizona. Argh. We are soon joined by 2 Canadian couples (whom I’ll call Canada) and another couple to complete our bus. Our tour guide is the adorable Sandra – who is sweet and lovely – and immediately gets into an issue with Arizona when she tells us itinerary and it doesn’t match what we had on our confirmation. This one we’ll give them. We do want the itinerary we booked – so that’s all fine. Sandra calls her boss, and we get it organized. Then they get into the discussion of when we will return to the ship. In our minds, we want to return to the ship when our tour is done – and these tour guides know darn good and well they need us aboard on time. They aren’t going to risk us missing the ship. But these guys….if all aboard is 4:30, they want to be back by 2:00. It’s ridiculous. And so it begins…..
As we leave the port, we see the first of what will be many, many cows wandering aimlessly about the area. This one is just sauntering around the port area, like he owns it. Probably does, since Hindus believe cows are sacred!
Out of the port area, our first stop is the Cashew factory, which is in an industrial area with awful, bumpy roads (which Arizona complains about). Once to the factory, we’re lucky as we are the first to arrive and have the place to ourselves. It is amazing and enormous and crazy fascinating. Everything is done by hand – there are enormous rooms full of women at tables harvesting the cashews. Bowls and bowls of cashews in all stages are everywhere. Kitchen trays completely full of roasted cashews are staged near the sorting machines, oh my, I want to just dive into a bowl and never stop eating!
It’s also eye opening in terms of how we get our nuts – and how these women work – in the non-climatized warehouse, day in and day out, regardless of weather. We don’t know if it is a good job or a bad one for these women, but regardless , it makes you think about the many differences in culture, people and countries.
On our way out of the factory, Sandra asks if we want to buy cashews. Heck yes! Of course, we’re the only ones in the van who want to – so we’re out voted. At least she goes into the store and comes out with samples for all of us. So we at least have that.
Our next stop is the Kidra temple, where we all take off our shoes and enter while Sandra explains the Hindu religion to us. She’s not Hindu, and we’re really impressed with how much she knows (yes, sure, it’s her job, but still, it’s a lot to know!). The temple is beautiful with lots of ornamentation, huge silver “chalices” that are carried around during high holy days and of course cobras everywhere. I forget the meaning of the cobra, but they are viewed as pretty sacred too.
We spend some time going in and out of the different temple areas, and end up at the cleansing pools where people are dipping themselves into a succession of pools to cleanse themselves of sin. We’re not supposed to take pictures, but Sandra says one is ok, so most of us pay attention and abide by the rules. Notice the use of “most.”
Back to the van – and next up the Heritage Village.
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