day 73 – at sea

here are some pics from yesterday in cochi and today's sea day blogpost... enjoy!

manilal, our tuktuk driver and faithful companion 

hindu goddess and gimli, i mean, baby cow

traffic

ubiquitous goat

merging traffic... sort of...

oncoming tuktuk

beautiful saris everywhere

more beautiful saris

elephants abound in decor

florals... aaah...

some variety of crow here...
prettier up close, between size of crow and raven

sparkly sunshades at taj in cochi

reminds me of gimli

lots of altars

here comes the major foodie porn...

jars of goodness

local brew

mmmm....

mmmm....

oooooooooh....

aaaaaaah....

drool....

sweet...

more sweetness...

did you need a napkin?  i am still buzzed from yesterday’s good vibe… what a great time bob and i had together!  today’s day at sea was a chance to rest and catch up on laundry… bob and i had lunch with a sweet little 80 year old lady with whom i have lunch on the occasional sea day, and she got to know bob a little better… she’s had roommate issues, and i was glad to hear her roommate was being moved to another cabin, so she doesn’t have to feel awkward… she is such a sweetheart i can’t imagine anyone being unpleasant to her, especially someone for whom she paid to come on the cruise, but not all friendships work out, i guess. 

my theme tonight was a repeat from first half, “on the road.”  i had a nice crowd but was done early, since we have 6-8 am immigration and face to face passport and visa check for arrival in mumbai tomorrow.  i was psyched that i actually ended 15 minutes before bob, so i went to his lounge, and the pianist there insisted that i sit in for the last couple tunes with the trio… only a few dancers were there, so we did a waltz, a swing and a latin number, and it was like medicine for my soul to play a few tunes with my sweetheart!  i love the piano bar gig, but it is so different than playing in a duo or trio with other people!  what fun!  the piano bar has been going really well, and it’s a relief as this is such a long contract with so many of the same folks on for such a lengthy time…  it’s hard to sustain the energy, the sincerity and the material that far without being mindful!  i am relieved and thrilled that with new folks on in sydney, hong kong and singapore, new life and liveliness keeps coming into the piano bar… there is the sweetest couple of fellows who have been a together for about 40 years, and one of them is a world class needlepoint artist who has work in several museums and even designed stuff in the white house… anyway, they are recent fans, and he wants to make a needlepoint for me!  i am so excited!  we also got a bottle of scotch last night from my long time regular and pal (adopted auntie) loretta.  she and pat (writing guru lady) and i have been sitting together during bob’s first set most evenings before dinner 4:30-5:30 and solving the world’s problems, people watching, discussing outfits and watching the dancers while enjoying my sweetheart and his bandmates…  ciao for now!  -xo