We awoke the next morning by the lake, and were soon being served coffee, toast, spicy rice and omlettes for breakfast. I know GAP is a budget tour company, but this really did feel like luxury - again, they would not have us lift a finger, and we tried!
We did the reverse of the previous day, including Ox cart across the other island. Kathleen and Sylvia took a ride on the cart and we all had a good laugh. We got back in our comfy SUV, and headed out to the middle of nowhere, the last of the last rice paddies, over a gradually degrading road until the SUV could barely pass.
Our destination had been carefully arranged by our wonderful guide, Issac. With a days notice, this village orphanage could put on a dance show for us, complete with elaborate costumes. Again, there was not a tourist for miles around, or within the past few months, it would seem.
So, the dancers, that is another interesting story. This is a boys orphanage, but the dance is done dressed like girls. Don't ask me, I didn't make this up, it is just how it is..... To make things a little more interesting, one of the 9 dancers was a "real" girl. Spotted her pretty fast, and enjoyed a spectacular private performance, after they had served us lunch on a banana leaf, made specially for us.
The performance was somewhat like the dancing in Bali, but more athletic, with very "Cirque de Soleil" yoga towers being made with bodies. Headstands, flip over back bends, stuff we workshop and try in yoga class being pulled off with ease and in stacks - very impressive.
After some photo ops, it was off to our hotel to clean up and pack for our overnight train journey further south in India - the adventure continues.
1 comment:
I think what I loved most about Orissa was the general lack of tourists, at least in the places that I went. Your blog is reminding of that. Sounds incredible...
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