where did i leave off...

we were on the balcony in the late afternoon. another Israeli emerged from some room and onto the balcony. where are they coming from?
i don't recall his name. the three of us went for coffee. the clouds were lingering in the air. the sun was creating a golden glow through them. the entire sky was amber coloured.
cafe coffee day. some cafe franchise in India. i had an iced coffee. there was a TV and it was on showing HBO. the movie Stardust was playing. the music in the cafe was terrible as usual. unnecessarily loud and not suitable for a cafe in any way. the other two Israeli guys showed up. Ray and Emile. we all watched Stardust with english subtitles, disregarding the awful blaring music. it sort of droned out in my head and i could imagine Robert Deniro speaking.
we decided to go for dinner. all of us. we tried some fancy restaurant. i told them it was over my budget. some locals came upto us and tried selling these whirligig helicopter devices that you sling shot into the air. they have lights on them. 'very good working, yes' they said. 'special price i give you'. no thanks. we walk to a new restaurant. we pass these enormous trees. the trunks are gigantic. the diameter was about 15 feet. the branches flowed out like water shooting out of a blowhole from a whale.
we found a new restaurant and sat down. we ordered some beer. it was served in teapots. the menu was very limited. so we chugged our beer and moved onto a new place. we finally settled on a new restaurant. wine and beer it was called or something like that. it was expensive. i found the cheapest thing on the menu with the most to it. 'prawns noddle'. it was good. four Israeli's and a Canadian. they spoke Hebrew to each other. i just sat and listened, drinking my beer and eating.
from there we took off back to our homestay. we made a stop at the little snack shop and bought some cookies. we all sat on the balcony and smoked.
there were two slugs in my bathroom sink. i left them. in the morning they were gone.

i went for breakfast at Kashi. an art cafe. it reminded me of the kinds you would find in Canada. it was strange to be there. the gallery was in the front and the cage was in the back. paintings hanging on the walls. a tree growing in the corner of the dining area. little tables set up with single flowers. it was really nice.
the food was amazing. they have set meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner...that change everyday. the breakfast was french toast with honey and fresh fruit. a mound of fresh fruit. papaya, pomegranate, pineapple, oranges, banana and coconut. so good. also the coffee came in a little french press.

at the end my stomach wasn't feeling well. it was my first time using the toilet Indian style. i won't go into it.

i went back to my room. i rented a bicycle. a purple bike with a basket on the front. i had no say in choosing. it had a nice feel to it. i biked around Fort Kochin, Kochin, Mattancherry and Jewtown. it's actually called Jewtown.
i cycled through the bustling streets. dodging oncoming rickshaws and elderly tourists making their way across the road. swerving around potholes and goats.
it felt like paperboy.

i had enough of that and decided it was about time for a shave.
i went into the first barbershop i saw. it was called 'new style salon'. i love the names for shops here. they're really humorous.
the barbershop consisted of one chair and a single mirror. the tools were all piled on a table in the corner. the fluorescent light on one wall wasn't working.
a man was sitting in his chair getting his haircut. the barber, a young man about 26, was using the most care. each cut was so precise and detailed, even on his cellphone. he put a lot of time and effort into his job. and he was an artist i must say. he finished up and it was my turn.

i asked for a shave but leave my moustache. he didn't say anything and started away, not sure if he knew what i meant. i went with it. he applied shaving cream with a brush. lathering it on. slapping my face with it. he brought out a switch blade. inserted a razor into it and began. i trusted the indian barber with holding a switch blade to my throat. he could kill me. right then and there. he was talking to his friend. which was making me nervous. not looking at his strokes. the blade was extremely sharp. the scraping sound itched my ear. my ginger beard came off so quickly and smoothly. he was a professional. i didn't need to worry. he's done this a thousand times. since he was six probably too. he trimmed my moustache for me. and tidied up the hair on the back of my neck.
he finished up and slapped my face around with some after shave. then talcum powder around my neck and it was done. 20 rupees. 50 cents.

i cycled back to the area i was staying in. i grabbed a late lunch. a mini chicken masala sub, samosa and mirinda. went back to homestay and sat on the balcony eating my lunch. school was out and the children were loud. skipping below me. holding hands and laughing. dressed in there blue and white checkered uniforms. a woman swept up leaves into piles and burned them.