Sunset Cocktails, Full Moons Rising and Jali Patnem, India

Patnem, India

Down to the beach and breakfast in our usual fashion. Several cow parades on the beach today including calves. I couldn’t get my camera out quickly enough so have no evidence to show you. Will do better next time. The sea was absolutely glassy today, fabulous to swim in.I saw the two drunks again. They staggered past in the afternoon, luckily missing my lounger this time. Not as drunk as yesterday but certainly not compos mentis. Again, too slow to the camera….. I want to do a blog at some point about the various beach characters. Coming year after year and also day after day, you get to see some regulars, some of them rather…err…colourful. And Bob and I tend to name them so for instance: Loincloth Man and Topknot Juggler man. No doubt they reciprocate and we are Elderly Fat Couple :).
Came back about 4pm as we wanted to go to BoomShankar restaurant at Colomb Bay for sunset cocktails. Bob’s swim shorts have gone a bit loose, god knows why as he can’t have lost weight. I think the cord has stretched!!!! Anyway, half way across the pool terrace, they dropped to his thighs and he regaled the assembled company with a full moonie! He pulled them up quick and then they dropped again before we reached our room! We howled with laughter. Not sure what the other guests did…..
Colomb is a small horseshoe shaped bay/cove that lies between the much bigger bays of Palolem and Patnem. BoomShankar is a bit of an institution in these parts as it faces right into the sunset and they serve absolutely stonking cocktails. I am particularly fond of one called Last Days of the Raj which is bright pink and a mix of gin, pomegranate juice, lemon and lime. I had two. They were strong. Bob had 2 Black Russians. He shouldn’t have! LOL. The sunset was ok. Not one of the best but still very good. It was quite packed there.
We had a little shop around the stalls in that area. Some amazing pashminas and shawls in a Kashmiri shop. So fine and light. Excellent quality. I don’t know what you’d pay for them at home but in fact you just don’t see them like this at home. Incredibly soft fine cashmere you can pull through your wedding ring.
We got tuks to bring us back to a new restaurant called which is behind Salida called Jali. Lovely open air place under the trees and next to the temple. It serves European food, vaguely Spanish, small plates. Everything was amazing. I had slow roasted pork belly with a lemon vinaigrette plus a dish of roasted vegetables – an amazing selection. We also had a dish of beetroot, potato bravas, cauliflower in tahini…. gorgeous flavours. Afterwards I had a double espresso but Bob had the ice cream in espresso and Gloria had Sicilian lemon tart with gin and tonic sorbet. Sensational. It was so cheap.
Walked home admiring the amazing stars.