AND THEN THE RAINS CAME

Buckets, pails, tubs, jugs, ewers, all at once, first intermittently, then steadily, on and on, delightful! Amazing! Temperatures actually in the 70s, not the 90s any more.Fresh air, good smells (well, not in some places – cows win out when there have been enough of them standing around doing what they do). Amidst the deluge we went off to Pondicherry for the weekend, for me to train another group of human rights activists, at a beautiful conference center outside town, by the ocean (the Bay of Bengal to be precise).Banana groves, coconut palms, frangipani in full bloom (one of the best smelling flowers ever) little ponds, little lizards (so much nicer than the thumb-sized cockroaches at the other place), thatched roof, bamboo-siding meeting room with giant rooks (a very big crow) flying in and out.Of course the roads are flooded something fierce, making the already crazy driving even crazier. Dark night, no street lights, everyone keeps their brights on all the time, except for when they turn off the lights altogether. The explanation for this strange behavior had something to do with “macho”, but I didn’t get it, so mostly I closed my eyes.Finally out of the car, barefoot, walking in deep water on sandy paths, warm, sweet, the Indians laughing at me for enjoying it so much. Lots of people on motor scooters with plastic bags on their heads, some covering their faces too, just like the warnings say you shouldn’t.One scooter with a family of 5, entirely covered in a plastic sheet with a hole cut out for mom’s face – the driver. After an apparently successful day of training I went off to town (the poor trainees had more meetings they had to attend) to see this former French colony’s attractions: shopping, cheap alcohol, and sweet pastries, none of which do I enjoy. But the few hours were great fun, because in fact there was some brie and baguette, and ridiculous sights. Several shops affiliated with Auroville, a nearby sort of ashram community full of westerners seeking freedom from their cellular nature, selling products labeled “Eco-Chic”. Several things with six-pointed stars on them, I’m guessing to appeal to the large number of Israeli tourists.The most unusual thing about these shops was the prices: could’ve been home. No bargaining, boring bags for $35, even worse jewelry for same. Better stuff in Madurai for $5, (or if you’re Indian, $3.)And raingear, for adults, covered in Disney characters: Mickey Mouse is everywhere!