Christmas Eve at The Arabian Sea

Our morning schedule here has been all about rising early. This morning we were up and ready to go by 5:30 which is later than our usual. The breakfast buffet was not open yet, so we spent some time planning our day. We decided to take a tour of the city and got a driver from the tour company. Breakfast was a welcome feast because it contained a nice mix of homestyle American food and traditional Indian breakfast food. I mixed french toast and coconut masala for a yummy meal.
The day out was nice and relaxing as we could go at our own pace. We visited a Hindu temple which doesn't allow anyone who is not Hindu to visit and, more than that, does not allow "foreigners". Although, Philip could pass as Hindu, we weren't feeling lucky about me slipping by as a native, so we just accepted a tour of the exterior from a local who exchanged education for rupees.
Our visit to the Arabian Sea was the most spectacular experience. Most of the people there are wealthy Europeans on vacation from colder climates or locals trying to make a buck by selling fruit or a spot on the lounge chair they set up. The water is incredibly warm and after spending a good part of the afternoon there I now have quite the sunburn and Philip has a nice dark tan.
A highlight of the day was visiting the Leela Kempinski Kovalam resort. It sits high above the Arabian Sea and offers incredible views and amazing food. We enjoyed coconut water, a sweet lassi, and chicken and goat curry. The food was some of the most spicy I've had but also the most delicious. It's funny how quickly I've gotten used to eating with my hands and not using utensils over the last few days. I suppose since I didn't have a choice, I adapted so that I could eat. It felt a little strange today to be seated among Europeans at lunch who were dining using utensils and since I had traditional South Indian cuisine, I just ate with my hands like I have been. I didn't think anything of it until I caught the waiter's look of surprise. We spent about 1 1/2 hours there enjoying the Indian opulence, yet being amazed that our lunch of drinks, food, etc. only set us back about $25 American--for 2 of us.
I still have this thing I can't let go of about leaving the driver out to sit and wait for us while we dine, sightsee or shop. They just sit in the car or near the car waiting for us to finish whatever we decided to do and it seems sort of odd to me. Today I wanted to invite our driver to join us for lunch, but thought it would be more awkward for him than for us. Of course, today the driver did seem to have a bit of his own agenda. When we suggested that we'd like to go check out the local shops for some handicrafts, he was quite happy to take us to what are likely 2 of the more expensive places in town and where we are more than sure he receives a nice kickback when his "clients" make a purchase. He didn't make any extra cash from us. We experienced a lot of pressure from the salesmen at the shops, though. I know they appreciate 'foreign' (particularly American) visitors, but it was a bit extreme.
It is Christmas Eve here and we are getting ready to go downstairs for another fine dining experience in the hotel. Tomorrow the rest of the family will be meeting us at the airport to return to Chennai. Here's wishing everyone a very Merry and Spicy Christmas!