Thanks. GoaNet people have given helpful suggestions. My neighbor Ana greatly enjoyed the last Book Club Meet, when I was in Delhi.
On Sun, Jan 30, 2011 at 11:01 AM, Frederick Noronha < [email protected]> wrote: > Dan, quite a horror story! Indian chewing gum indeed! Hope you get better > soon. > > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Areca_nut#Effects_on_health > > Frederick Noronha :: +91-9822122436 :: +91-832-2409490 > > > On 28 January 2011 21:57, Dan Driscoll <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > ----- Original Message ----- From: Dan Driscoll > > To: [email protected] > > Sent: Thursday, January 27, 2011 10:12 PM > > Subject: Churna Paste. . . > > > > > > Looking for a GTDC 'Feedback' Button, but perhaps you can do the needful. > > With some visiting friends from Canada I took the Backwater (Savoi > Village) > > Tour last Tuesday. Actually I myself am a Canadian, but married to Goan > and > > living in Goa for now more than twenty years. > > > > In general the Tour was quite okay, and what I have to relate is not by > way > > of Complaint; rather let us say it may be taken as an 'Alert' or > 'Cautionary > > Tale', lest it ever happen again. > > > > I have not had Paan more than three times since coming to India, first in > > 1973. At Savoi Village we sampled nice food, and the Paan was described > as > > 'Indian Chewing Gum'. There was no erstwhile Paan Wallah to assist us, so > we > > helped ourself to the betal leaf and prepared our own 'Paan Supari'. I > > mis-judged the white paste to be something in the order of 'mayonnaise', > so > > I helped myself to half a teaspoonful, liberally applied on the leaf and > > topped by other ingredients. > > > > When I bit into it, I soon knew I could be in trouble. I managed to spit > > most of it out, but my tongue, roof of mouth and gums have been paining > ever > > since, to the point that I am hardly able to take solid food, and must > take > > a pain reliever to sleep at night. > > > > I suggest that measures be taken to prevent all persons unfamiliar with > the > > Paan digestive application not to make up their own Paan. A printed card > > could be prominently displayed, and perhaps someone should play the role > of > > Paan Wallah, so that the lime paste is sparingly applied. > > > > This has been almost a traumatic experience for me, and it is not over > > yet---three full days later. >
