Mangalore (Karnataka), India - December 13th, 2006

I went to look for a Post Office, and was getting different directions from each person. Finally, I got it right but it was not open yet, so I stopped in one of those tinny boxes in the corner of the red, dusty road, to have a chai tea and cookies, pointing at things, and the old gentleman was proud of serving that to me, and to find out that we communicated without either speaking each other's language. Most people here speak Karnada language and even the movies are in their language.
When I went to the Post Office to mail two postcards, the three employees there had to call the main office because they have never mailed a postcard for anyone and didn't know the rates. Quite interesting!
Walkingthru the streets where the taxi driver brought me last night to the hotel felt like going back in time many centuries. I was the real novelty to them.
Afterwards, I went to visit the Cathedral, Virgen del Rosario, a beautiful church, with a Catholic school attached, and a beautiful courtyard, like in the monasteries. The children run towards me to say: "hello", "what's your name?" and giggle amonst each other because they spoke to someone different, and used a few English words of which they were proud of.
I took a picture of 3 young ladies in that college. Two others moved to the side because they didn't wanted to be photographed. They all were art students, and just one, the oldest (18) was Catholic.