Coconuts and Monkeys!

What do they have in common?

(Apart - that is - from featuring in one of Ruth's favourite divisibility problems - often used in the past
professionally for EXCEL practice!)

Two weekends ago Greyrocks walked down The Nest as usual for breakfast and was aware of more activity than normal and in the middle of the track to the beach was a huge pile of coconuts. The whole bay is backed by mature palms and it was the turn of those surrounding The Nest to be harvested and pruned. This is an exercise unhampered by any Health and Safety measures for either the operative (unleashed many metres up in shorts and flip-flops wielding a machete) or the punters sunbathing, gossiping or eating breakfast as close as they wanted to the palm in question! Each (luvverly) bunch of coconuts landed with a great thud!

A week later there was a series of great thuds again and three mature monkeys sped across the roof of The Nest. They were making a progress along the balconies of the huts on stilts. This was just after we had been privileged to attend an Open Day at the school which Ellie at The Nest opened a few years ago. It has expanded hugely and we loved the ethos evident in the classrooms. We also saw the extensive nets between buildings and trees, which are protection against coconuts and monkeys. We were told that at the school the monkeys are a serious nuisance with habits such as aiming coconuts at pupils through holes in the netting!

So apart from these thuds here are some other elements of the Palolem soundtrack:

Trains

Canacona station on a major route south from Mumbai, so light sleepers (old people!) hear them through the night. Greyrocks talks of a short trip to somewhere one day. Maybe next year!!

Call to Prayer

The local mosque is also within earshot. For some liturgical or geographic reason it is no earlier than 6 am that this happens, for which Greyrocks is thankful!

The Poder

Many contributors write of the characteristic sound of the poder being a useful alarm. Obviously his potential audience reduces each year with the dilution of truly Goan residents and the replacement with tandoori breads, but nonetheless he is there many times in the day tooting the horn on his bike.

Birds

In our current accommodation we hear a glorious dawn chorus with songs that are exotic and unidentified. The usual old crows , of course, abound; but as yet the two Nepali parrots of our landlord have refused all attempts at communication - beit in English, German or Hindi!

Dogs

Rather less pleasant at night or in early morning is the barking of many, many dogs. Noble attempts are being made to humanely reduce the number of wild ones. Down on the beach many are half-owned by one of the shacks and they are fiercely territorial. All are easily set off by anyone in traditional dress and/or using a stick. 

Lifeguard Whistles

All along the bay's shore there are privatised and diligent lifeguards. They are particularly concerned about Indian bathers - most of whom cannot swim. If they stray too far the lifeguards blow their whistles and gesticulate. We have noticed this happening increasingly, and it seems that the growing popularity of the beach with all-male Indian parties who drink is causing concern, about drowning, litter and reputation. Notices ban alcohol, drugs and smoking on the beach, but this is never enforced. Last week we saw this headline in a Goan newspaper. "Scum of the Earth"? For a moment we thought that was us!!