Feeding time at the zoo

Louise called it "feeding time at the zoo". We had sat down in a local restaurant/diner and were waiting for our meals to be delivered and the staff were gathering to watch us. They were fascinated by everything we did. "Imagine," I said to Louise, "it could be worse, this place is listed in your guide book so it must get the occasional tourist." But, that's how it sometimes is.

Walking down the street many people ask to shake my hand (I go with it), and yesterday I was alarmed to have a woman at a temple entrance stop me, touch my forehead and tell me I should have a bindi spot and a sari. "Quite right" said Louise in her dry humour. Most alarming for me though was her cool touch that I felt for hours afterwards.

But today took the cake.
We went to the Brihadishwara Temple in Tanjore in the middle of the day. Walking barefoot on the hot stones (shoes must be removed at left outside of Hindu temples) was getting to much for us so we decided to sit in the cool shade of the housing of the 25 tonne stone Nandi (the bull) and take in the scene. But a crowd (mostly male) gathered to take photos of us. Then they decided to each have photos taken with us. Excitedly, one by one they would take turns sitting with us for their photo. There must have been 50 photos taken, eventually we said enough... And turned to see that more (men) were coming!

We escaped but then decided it was our turn and we got some lovely snaps of us with the lady pilgrims (see other blog entry where I uploaded this photo). Even later in the temple more approached us!

And then tonight we walked into a restaurant and a staff member instantly asked if he could have my photo.

So yep, sometimes I'm the attraction.

By the way, I really liked the Brihadishwara temple.

(Photo of all the people taking our photo).