Sun, surf, sand....and cows!

Arambol is a quirky place that has sucked us in for several days. Crawling with British, Russians, Israelis and other travelers, there is a laid back new-age feel in this little village. The one street through town is a brilliant mix of clothing shops, with modest Indian women in colorful saris trying to pull you in to take a look around. The street is noisy and crowded with bare chested middle-aged men and women in tiny bikini tops. The culture clash here is quite extreme. Everyone co-exists well in this town but the chasm between them is great. On the beaches, Indian women wade in the shallow water with their pants rolled up, fully clothed....right next to women in the tiniest swimming suits. The cows roam freely around the beach, as if it were their pasture. In the early morning the fishing boats come in. The men and women sort through their catch while the travelers head to the beach to do yoga to start their day. It has certainly been a relaxing getaway, and given us a chance to keep an eye on the latest news while things settle down.