About 2 months ago.I took my first Beach holiday at Pondicherry...a laidback coastal town known for its beaches. Once I stepped out of the railway station,it looked like any other small town with crowded shops & bustling traffic.Where's the sea I wondered!?
As we walked around looking for our hotel,we reached the Promenade or "beach road" as it is called. The sudden view of the glistening blue sea surprised us! This road runs parallel to the sea & has the most amazing view. I was tempted to dump my bags & immediately dash into the water,but better sense prevailed :)
We found this nice little hotel called 'Executive Inn' at the end of the Promenade.The lady incharge was polite but she had us in splits when she insisted that boys & girls should not share rooms in her hotel!! Seriously lady!?! We agreed of course since we had no plans 'otherwise' :) :)
Once the accomodation was taken care of,we went in search of some grub! And guess wat we found in the middle of the bylanes of this small south-indian town - A North Indian Punjabi dhaba!! It not only served north indian 'homely' food but also provided "Hindi" tuitions!! Can u believe that?!
The food was simply amazing...we had lip-smacking desi-ghee soaked rotis,dal-fry & delicious palak paneer.
Post lunch,we decided 2 explore the town & headed out to the famous AURO Beach. Sand,surf & wind...the 'auro' experience was scintillating! Splashing & rolling in the water..we played hide & seek with the waves. With the camera snapping pic after pic,we enjoyed every moment in the water.Hours flew by and soon it was time to return.With pocket-full of shells & hair full of sand..we trudged back...happy & wet!
Once the sun went down,it was time to hit the Promenade.The sound of the waves crashing on the rocks was music to our ears. We were drawn to the sea like moths to a candle...but the dark endless ocean looked scary & mysterious. So we chose to step back & njoy the sea breeze from the comfortable portico of Le Cafe instead.Its the only beach side cafe & offers great food with a view :p
As we sipped on coffee,hordes of localites moved around the colorful stalls nearby...
It was like a "mela"...vendors selling everthing from mirchi bhajjis to neon toys,women with gajras in their hair but no slippers on their feet(?),kids running around with playful abandon,foreigners watching with amusement,tourists clicking pictures & lovers walking hand-in-hand. There was something for everybody...a perfect spot to spend the evening!And the place was addictive too as we realized later :)
Early next morning,we were back on the Rocky Beach...dis time to catch the sunrise.By God,it was beautiful!The sea looked different..peaceful & serene.While the sun rose slowly over the horizon,we stood by totally mesmerized.Waves crashed softly on the rocks and the cool sea breeze blew tantalizingly.Time seemed to stand still...
However,once the sun came up completely..it became too hot & we scurried to Le Cafe again for a quick breakfast..or so we'd thought.But once we started ordering,it seemed difficult to stop! The food was aawwesummm....perfectly done omlettes,yummy vadas & of course the famous Croissants..washed down with iced teas & great conversation:) ... 2 hours of pure indulgence!
Another USP of the Silver beach is its food stall serving delicious fried fish & chinese snacks.Sitting under thatched roofs with sand grazing your feet,you can enjoy the sumptous food with cans of beer/cold drinks.A perfect way to end your beach party :)
As we walked around looking for our hotel,we reached the Promenade or "beach road" as it is called. The sudden view of the glistening blue sea surprised us! This road runs parallel to the sea & has the most amazing view. I was tempted to dump my bags & immediately dash into the water,but better sense prevailed :)
We found this nice little hotel called 'Executive Inn' at the end of the Promenade.The lady incharge was polite but she had us in splits when she insisted that boys & girls should not share rooms in her hotel!! Seriously lady!?! We agreed of course since we had no plans 'otherwise' :) :)
Once the accomodation was taken care of,we went in search of some grub! And guess wat we found in the middle of the bylanes of this small south-indian town - A North Indian Punjabi dhaba!! It not only served north indian 'homely' food but also provided "Hindi" tuitions!! Can u believe that?!
The food was simply amazing...we had lip-smacking desi-ghee soaked rotis,dal-fry & delicious palak paneer.
Once the sun went down,it was time to hit the Promenade.The sound of the waves crashing on the rocks was music to our ears. We were drawn to the sea like moths to a candle...but the dark endless ocean looked scary & mysterious. So we chose to step back & njoy the sea breeze from the comfortable portico of Le Cafe instead.Its the only beach side cafe & offers great food with a view :p
As we sipped on coffee,hordes of localites moved around the colorful stalls nearby...
It was like a "mela"...vendors selling everthing from mirchi bhajjis to neon toys,women with gajras in their hair but no slippers on their feet(?),kids running around with playful abandon,foreigners watching with amusement,tourists clicking pictures & lovers walking hand-in-hand. There was something for everybody...a perfect spot to spend the evening!And the place was addictive too as we realized later :)
However,once the sun came up completely..it became too hot & we scurried to Le Cafe again for a quick breakfast..or so we'd thought.But once we started ordering,it seemed difficult to stop! The food was aawwesummm....perfectly done omlettes,yummy vadas & of course the famous Croissants..washed down with iced teas & great conversation:) ... 2 hours of pure indulgence!
Skipping the local churches/museums,we decided to checkout the water sports center a.k.a Silver Beach.We took a ferry down the "backwater"and reached the pretty little sandy beach...the water was white & sparkling...just like the name. Palm trees & bamboo huts added to the quaint charm.The waves were not as rough as the ones in Auro & it was fun to hit the water! My sister & I,the only water-babies in the group, played around with gay abandon.A whistle-weilding guard patrolling the beach would frequently warn people not to step too far in the waves ..which could be as treacherous as they looked tempting. One thing I have to admit,the water & beaches at Pondicherry are quite clean compared to other commercial ones like Mumbai.The localites focus on keeping the city clean is commendable..
Back in the city,it was time for dinner & goodbyes. After a brief shopping spree on the way to Ritchie Rich(4 Litchi ice cream),we arrived at a lovely rooftop Continental restaurant.The French influence was quite evident & the food was good, like almost everywhere in Pondicherry.
The weekend was over in no time & so was our "beach holiday" ...but not without giving us a lifetime of wonderful memories & some great photographs to remember by!! :)
