this will be short! Am in a cyber-cafe...have 15 minutes before the last bus returns to our village Nedampura. This is a small town and after 9 pm everything closes and no auto--rickshaws are to be found, or if they are, one has to BEG them to take you home. The bus is only Rs 5, compared to RS 60 for a rickshaw, so bus is the preferred method of transportation.
We are sharing our big beautiful old Kerala home (actually, the home of Brigitte Chataignier, French Mohini Attam dancer) with many friends...of the bug variety. We are really the intruders here, because the house has been empty for a good part of the year, and Brigitte kindly offered us use of the home. Our invaluable helper and cook, Lakshmi, without whom we could not function in this home, had cleaned up everything for us before we arrived, but that did not stop the resident animals from sticking around: there is a beautiful striped cockroach who likes the bathroom, that I have decided to befriend; he (she?) is more timid than I am -- scurrying away from me when I come in, so I decided instead of freaking out every time I see her, I will try to get to know her.
There's also several large spiders in the kitchen, the ever-present geckos on the walls of the house, little tiny, very cute miniature frogs, birds of all varities (outside...), and who knows what other creatures. We are in a forested area, so this is an animal-friendly environment, and we are really taking over their territory.
Look forward to posting more soon...getting to a cyber -cafe can be challenging! Have to go catch the last bus home. 'till later,
p.s. did you know that shellac comes from the "lac" bug in India, and that India is the world's largest producer of shellac?? more bug stories later!
We are sharing our big beautiful old Kerala home (actually, the home of Brigitte Chataignier, French Mohini Attam dancer) with many friends...of the bug variety. We are really the intruders here, because the house has been empty for a good part of the year, and Brigitte kindly offered us use of the home. Our invaluable helper and cook, Lakshmi, without whom we could not function in this home, had cleaned up everything for us before we arrived, but that did not stop the resident animals from sticking around: there is a beautiful striped cockroach who likes the bathroom, that I have decided to befriend; he (she?) is more timid than I am -- scurrying away from me when I come in, so I decided instead of freaking out every time I see her, I will try to get to know her.
There's also several large spiders in the kitchen, the ever-present geckos on the walls of the house, little tiny, very cute miniature frogs, birds of all varities (outside...), and who knows what other creatures. We are in a forested area, so this is an animal-friendly environment, and we are really taking over their territory.
Look forward to posting more soon...getting to a cyber -cafe can be challenging! Have to go catch the last bus home. 'till later,
p.s. did you know that shellac comes from the "lac" bug in India, and that India is the world's largest producer of shellac?? more bug stories later!
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