Decorations for the engagement party

Dressed in jeans, with a baseball cap covering his shaved head, Dixon introduces himself to us at the engagement party.  “I hear you’re from California.  I studied oenology  at Napa college for four months a few years back.” That’s India. Just when you think you’ve heard or seen everything, you haven’t. Wine and India are not two words you expect to hear in the same sentence.

Dixon worked many years on Carnival Cruise ships and was paid by the company to take the course. “Wine Professor “is his new title and he teaches classes for hotel personnel in wine appreciation. “I’ll be the MC at the wedding” he tells us.

When we arrive at the church, the pews are already full to capacity- women elegantly dressed in their best saris and satin dresses and men wearing black suits and ties. Gerald is in his safari shirt and cargo pants and I am wearing my wedding attire and  the silver, sparkly heels Francis’ wife lent me for the occasion. We discretely seat ourselves in the back, and listen while the ceremony is conducted in Concani ( the local language).The church is beautiful.  It is a large white building with stained glass windows and chandeliers.  The congregation is alternately deep in prayer or singing hymns along with the choir.

After the ceremony people line up outside the church to greet the newlyweds. At the far end of the courtyard it appears that after the guests congratulate the couple, they are receiving something. We are motioned to join the line.  I’m feeling a bit excited about the prospect of getting a “wedding treat”. It turns out to be a box of mango juice and a hot dog bun filled with shredded lettuce and mayo. So much for local delicacies.

Greeting the bride and groom

The bride and grrom arrive

The invitation states “reception commences at  seven thirty  in the evening at Dr. Neville’s Wedding Hall” but we are told that IST ( Indian standard time) dictates that guests  start arriving closer to nine. Nonetheless, we arrive promptly at 7:30 pm and enter an enormous outdoor wedding venue, lit up like Disneyland. Tables and chairs are set up around a lake with fountains and lush landscaping.

True to form,  with the band playing “Rhinestone Cowboy”,people start trickling in  at about 9:00. “Ladies and Gentlemen, please come onto the dance floor and welcome Mr. and Mrs. Cordozo appearing for the first time as a married couple.” It is Dixon with a microphone, standing in the center of the open space. I don’t recognize him at first,dressed in his snazzy suit and dapper hat. From there it all proceeds as on a cruise ship, with Dixon exhorting us  to clap, cheer and dance, first the Mexican Hat dance, then the Bunny Hop and eventually some Goan dances. The place is rockin’. Once the music starts ,I get up and step out onto the dance floor, forgetting about my growling stomach. The music is mostly pop and some Goan contemporary, and alternates with the MC announcing what exactly we should be doing. ” Happy to see California doing our Goan dancing”, I hear from the microphone while I dance with Francis, his wife and daughter.

When the announcement comes that the buffet room is open, it is almost 10:30pm.  The food looks impressive and abundant, but unfortunately isn’t  much better than the pre dinner appetizers of little white bread peanut butter and jelly triangles and minced meat rolls which looked like miniature dog turds.

Round midnight I need to rest my weary bones ,  so I drag myself off the dance floor,and look for Gerald, who is sitting at a table and chatting with some local guests.

Its been a great evening and we decide it’s probably time to go.  Another glimpse into incredible India.