Nine

PINK OLEANDERS AND CAMPARI
We Indians do not appreciate Indian hospitality. It is at a totally different level. Please do, for it is only when you come to foreign shores that you realise that though you are paying through your eye-teeth, hospitality here is redefined. For example, there are no glasses in the room, other than two plastic toothbrush glasses, one of those crushable kinds. There is potable water coming in the bathroom and so you need to use these glasses. We have tea bags, but there is no way of drinking tea in the room while looking out at the spectacular view. Well, you can't get it all. 
People are friendly and smile and greet one another, but apne Indian hotel ki baat hi kuch alag hai.... 
Sometimes in the time of multimedia, we are thrilled we got wi-fi. Though in our room at Voltera the wi-fi is very weak and the hotel reception kindly asked us to come and spend time there as often. Polite and informative. 
Waiters, both girls and boys are efficient, to the point, extremely quick. The menu cards are not exhaustive for the vegetarians. There is the starter, first course, main course and then a dessert. Luckily they do not serve any short eats with your drink. Eat dinner along with the drink and so on. For vegetarians there are tomatoes and mushrooms. But the Focaccia bread has won my heart. I saw Bruno eat a  piece of bread with salt. The waiter kind of got warm with us and along with making a doggie bag, also sent something sweet in a little bag. 
And then walk. You walk for the dinner. You walk post dinner. Considering you need to return to your room. The villages are quaint, with little shops with expensive stuff... Luckily there is a sale happening now..... People also live here for we saw their thrash neatly packed and kept outside their doorsteps. 
These people live in quaint houses with shutters and grow beautiful flowers from little boxes on their balconies. While Coop, the supermarket did advertise as we drove into Voltera, obviously it is some distance away. Not that I need anything from there. 
By the way Oleander is very big here, both in pink and white. Oleander is aralli poo in Tamil and Ganer in Telugu. The flowers here are a stronger pink, slightly larger and probably pruned to grow like a tree with a shock of pink Oleanders on top. I do not have a photo of that. 
We went to Illy's yesterday evening/ night for dinner. I drink Americano coffee everyday morning. It is black and strong. Yesterday night I had an Americano as a drink with Campari, bitters and soda and all mixed and poured over lots of ice
The resort is perfect, with a swimming pool..... And people love water.... They jump into the chlorinated blue water at all times of the day, the sun searing away. Obviously they will get a tan. My Indian skin is tanning. And I of course don't swim. 
While on the walk to the Voltera town for dinner, saw a shop filled with chopping boards of all shapes and sizes, made of olive wood. Wanted to buy a few but don't have the heart to carry anything back. 
There was also a guy making super earrings with embedded stones... Did not buy. 

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