Indian Friday: A Lazy yet Busy Day in Pondicherry

My diary, revived from my trip to India back in 2007. This second part details my solo travels during the last three weeks or so.

A Lazy yet Busy Day in Pondicherry

Wednesday 28th November.

Well, up early, but not bright and early.  I wrote cards and had breakfast on the balcony, then waited to talk to Cristelle and ask her advice about shopping and a masseuse.  She offered to help, and together with another French guest we sped off on her motorcycle. 

This isn’t us on Cristelle’s motorcycle of course, but some schoolgirls spotted earlier. The featured photo shows the scene outside their school gates before morning school.

In a shop with bedspreads, she knocked the owner’s price down a bit but was still quite critical of it.  She took me on to somewhere else where I also ended up buying things.  By the way, I’ve changed to a downstairs room now.

Bilingual street signs.

A quick lunch at  @ Coffee.com (slice of cake and a lime soda) and then back for a massage with Lakshmi, whom Cristelle had booked for me at a price of Rs. 200.  Cristelle had forgotten to tell me to supply oils, so my precious supply of sandalwood oil from Mysore is all gone.  Still, it was interesting and I enjoyed it.  Then off to arrange postage home of my purchases, buy massage oil, and find somewhere to eat.

France in India. Once, the Public Works Department; a high school; and policemen sporting képis.

Before that though, I went to the beach.  Le tout Pondicherry was out walking there, so there was a convivial atmosphere – families, couples, old, young. 

Beach near Auroville

But the restaurant mentioned in the Rough Guide, La Coromandale, was horrible.  Dirty- you needed wellies in the toilets, and the fact that only Europeans and not one local eating there was, I thought, telling.  I really couldn’t be bothered to trail over to the Indian part of town, so I thought I would have to settle for European.  But Rendez-vous was wonderful!  Flunkeys at the door, certainly, but a busy happy atmosphere of the roof terrace, and a good mix of locals and Europeans.  There was a big menu, but the Indian choices looked good, and my meal was sensationally good.  A simple lentil and spinach curry, but so fresh and zingy.  It may well be one of the best curries I’ve ever eaten.  And I had my first alcohol in India – a beer, which really hit the spot.

I finished the day, as ever, at the great Internet point round the corner with the lovely geeky guy who helps me upload my CD with the pictures on.

Nowhere in my diary did I seem to mention my visiting the Catholic Church of the Sacred Heart, very near where I was staying. I don’t know why, as I was impressed. It was like a rather superior English Gothic Revival parish church, but in Glorious Technicolor.

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Author: margaret21

I'm retired and live in North Yorkshire, where I walk , write, volunteer and travel as often as I can.

42 thoughts on “Indian Friday: A Lazy yet Busy Day in Pondicherry”

      1. My turn comes in a week or so when we have the painters in and begin the process of moving/covering everything, while packing for our 3 week trip away. Nightmare! Endurance is all xx

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  5. I had a very unmemorable two nights in Pondicherry thirty one years ago and never thought of going back. I recall a stroll on the beach, but there had been spectacular beaches and stops all the way down from Chennai. We went somewhere very a la mode for dinner, but we spent most of the evening waiting for our order to materialize. And that’s all that I can recall

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    1. The French presence in India was intiated by the French East India Company from the 17th century onwards. They were far less of a presence in India than the British, but they had a significant impact: one which continued till the 1950s when the French enclaves were incorporated into India. Pondicherry was perhaps the most important centre, and it seems quite proud of its Frenchness, which is celebrates and preserves.

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  11. I too look forward to Friday and a trip to India. I shall be sad when this series ends. I loved the Rick Stein TV programme of him touring India and this French influenced area. The three on a motorbike is scary and no-one wears a helmet either. Even worse when you see mothers and children on board!

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  12. I’m enjoying your diary Margaret. Yes we always look for a cafe/restaurant where the locals dine, their absence is a sure sign of the quality. That church is very spectacular, surprising you hadn’t mentioned it in your diary. I never went to Pondicherry. It sounds a quite different place.

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  14. I left this post yesterday in the middle and used the scroll bar just above the France in India section, boy I was confused, then scrolled up to re-read and remembered where I was. What a trip you had and great experiences. Thank you for sharing this glimpse of India with me and us.

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