back in Palolem, day 2

"Shalom."

"Huh? Oh, hello."

"Oh, sorry. I thought you were Isreali. You really look Israli"

I'd been mistaken for an Isreali many times by Indians already in India, but this was the first time I was mistaken for an Isreali by an Israeli...

She joined me at my table and we starting talking. She and her friends had just finished their manditory army and had come to India for their after army vacation. She said people usually go to South America or India. She also asked what my family name was and said it sounded Jewish. She asked what my mother's maiden name was (it's Lewis) and was sure that was a Jewish name, too!

After a few minutes, this guy came over who'd she'd met the night before and who was much more interested in her than she was in him. It turned out to be someone I'd known back in Korea but I didn't even realize it at first.

Once he left, her Israeli friends showed up and she introduced them to me. One of them, Neta, clicked with me right away. She was really down to earth and we had a lot in common. When she got back to Israel, she was going to start a course in Chinese medicine.

I ended up spending the whole day with them and accidentally forgot about meeting Geeta for lunch.

That night we went to a restaurant I hadn't noticed the first time in Palolem. Actually, I'm not even sure it was assembled yet. It was a multi level complex, extending way back into the palm grove, with a bar, a dance floor, a DJ, and lots of tables.