It’s been quite a busy couple of days…. Well…. for Patnem…..
Monday was a Patnem Standard Day. Bob made another yummy masala omelette, this time with tomatoes, mushrooms and onion stuffing. Nice hot day at the beach with lots of swimming. In the evening we went to Casa Fiesta and I had a fabulous kingfish steak in lemon butter sauce. Delicious. They have the most fantastic display of fresh fish every night. Bob had sushi which was lovely . Lovely starry sky.
Yesterday I had arranged to go to Margao with Heather to the nail bar there to get our nails done. Margao is the regional centre and railhead, a busy town. It’s got echoes of the Portuguese past with beautiful churches, a flower filled park and some colonial era bungalows and buildings. There’s a market too. I must admit I don’t go there unless there is some particular reason. It’s hot, dusty and very very busy.
Chris and Pat decided to come along for the ride, a decision I expect they later regretted….. Anyway, the taxi picked us up at 0845 to get us to the nail salon for 10am as arranged by telephone. They wouldn’t take a booking which was unusual. I’ve been to them many times in the past and always by appointment.
The journey took nearly 2 hours due to traffic. Apparently Mr Modi, the Prime Minister, was visiting and the roads were blocked with police directing the traffic (not to its betterment). We queued for ages at various point only to find the logjam was policemen in the road and plain clothes officials too.
We got to the nail bar at about 1030 and Chris and Pat took the taxi onto Fabindia about 5 minutes drive away. We went in to find after much head wobbling and smirky buckpassing that only 1 technician was on duty and the rest weren’t coming till 12. “you can wait 2 hours”. Smirk! This was more of a problem than just an annoying wait. We’d booked the taxi to take us, wait 2 hours while we got “done” and then take us back. We didn’t know if he could wait 4 hours. As it happened he did have another booking but he arranged with his brother to do it.
He came and picked us up and we whiled away an hour in FabIndia then taxied back by about which time the staff arrived and the manicures began . We were starving. I hadn’t had any breakfast, expecting to be home by 2. Chris and Pat went next door to Pizza Hut and had theirs and brought us back some grub to scoff.
Pleased with the manicures but thats it for me. Next time I will use Patnem to give my nails a rest. We came back and Bob was at the pool and I got in and later, Heather came up for a swim.
Last night a group of us went to Pahadi Roots to see Mark snd Dave perform. They play a mix of folk and blues. Very good. Very nice food too. I was so tired though. Literally hit a wall. Saw the first set and then tottered home. Asleep within 5 minutes!
