Ashvin and I settle down and begin breakfast. I gobble up everything. The fruit is fresh and just the right temperature.
The cheese omelette is pretty much outstanding. The coffee is divine.
15 minutes into breakfast we're joined by a friend of Ashvins. The Gentleman is a local and full of amazing stories.
He has a shipping business and runs a wonderful restaurant in Fort Cochin too. He sits to my left on a bench and we spend almost an hour talking. Soon he leaves.
10 minutes after he leaves, we're joined by another interesting friend. He's full of stories about this cafe. He apparently, visits the cafe 7 times a week and has done so for 11 years already.
I've travelled the whole world just by meeting people in this cafe says he
.
I believe him completely.
He has a hotel business and a flourishing fishery export business and he's here on his coffee break.
Things work slowly in Fort Cochin Sam, he smiles.
But we love our life here.
As the conversation veers towards prawns and various species I inform him about my fiancees love for prawns. He promptly invites us to a prawn feast.
Oh what a shame, Jenny will arrive tomorrow and we will go straight to Calicut! She isn't going to see Fort Cochin. Well, if you change your mind and decide to return here...
CLICK! I freeze conversation and look at Ashvin who smiles as he understands.
I could do whatever I liked, I could actually come back here, couldn't I? Sure, what's your plan anyways? Well, she arrives at 9am tomorrow into Cochin and I intend to pick her up and our business associates are going to drive us to Calicut...
Drive? To Calicut? In this rain? Oh yuck. Could I take the train?
Sure. The Kerala inter-city trains are great!
I quickly make up my mind.
My original plan was to drive to Calicut and then got straight to Trivandrum from Calicut. But I have an extra day...
Kerala Inter-city trains!
I turn back to Ashvin's friend.
We accept your invitation, see you on Sunday afternoon.
I call my business associateds informing them that I do not intend to join them in their drive to Calicut. They are aghast and dismayed to hear that I am opting to go to the train station, without a reserved ticket. I tell them not to worry.
How will you go to the airport Sir?
I'll uhh.. take a cab.
No, he says firmly.
My driver will take you to Airport and then drop you to Ernakulam Junction where you can get the train to Calicut. He will also buy your ticket.
Really, you don't have to worry...
No Sir, I insist.
Well that's that. I'm grinning from ear to ear. We're coming back to Fort Cochin!
As I turn towards Ashvin to continue talking, to our right - 2 young lasses settle down on the table. They smile at everyone and begin talking to Ashvin's friend, who is now joined by another guy.
Over the conversation I overhear them talking excitedly about watching the new Harry Potter movie in Cochin.
They're
so German, lol. I can tell so easily from their accents.
What do you girls do? Asks Ashvin.
They're Doctors/medical students. Studying at Vellore and on vacation in Cochin.
Where are you from?
Germany. Of course you're from Germany I laugh.
I meant what part?
They laugh,
it's a little place near Stuttgart.
I ask again patiently.
What is the name of the town? Tübingen.
I nod knowingly.
You know Tübingen?
Yes.
You KNOW Tübingen??
Yes, I've been there. Twice.
REALLY? they look at me unbelievingly.
Of course they're from Tübingen. They're medical students, it makes perfect sense.
Those of you that have followed my blogs in the past will recollect Tübingen as the place where JD Madan was admitted and my subsequent visits to him in that beautiful place.
Yes. I know Tübingen. University and Medical centre, next to the little town of Reutlingen.
You know REUTLINGEN!!??
They've almost fallen off their chairs in shock. I giggle. Most people would not know Reutlingen, but Reutlingen is the home town of my closest friend from Germany and I know it is right next to Tübingen and he had studied there.
Have you been often to Germany?
Yes I have. Our Marketing office is also in Germany.
My wife is German too. I add this at the end with a small pause for extra effect.
Now their shock is replaced with smiles as we talk about Germany and other things.
A little while later, they're gone. So has Ashvin's friend. We spend more time smiling and nodding at every person that walks in and out of the cafe.
It's raining like crazy outside. Soon 3 attractive girls enter the Cafe. I notice the fact that even though they are clearly on holiday, they are wearing full make-up including heavy mascara and wash-proof lipstick. A bit odd as most tourists don't worry too much about external appearances on holiday.
Ashvin and I look them over very slightly, a typical guy thing to do and resume our conversation as they sit next to us. As they take their rain-ponchos off, I realise that's what we need, Jenny and I.
Those are excellent raincoats.
Ashvin turns slightly towards the bench where they're kept.
Yeah. Nice ones.
I wonder if they bought them here.
I doubt it, let's ask them
Sorry, but did you get those raincoats here?
They laugh.
NO. One would think that with the amount of rain here, there would be various choices of raincoats but you get some pretty bad ones here. We got these with us. Best $1.50 we ever spent.
We spend another 30 minutes talking with these 3 girls from Canada, exploring India in the monsoons. All 3 have Indian fathers. No, not the same guy, 3 different Indian fathers. They're on their way to Goa and then Mumbai. I give them a few tips on where to party in Goa and where to eat in Mumbai.
So what do you do?
We're stewardesses on Continental Airlines.
I smile. Of course they are. That explains the make-up.
I have now spent 4 and a half hours in this cafe and less than 20 minutes talking to Ashvin.
Soon I find out that my colleagues have shifted to the Taj Residency. Ashvin drops me there and I check into a comfortable room with a great sea-view.
Tonight I will meet the boys from Team-BHP!