Diving In: Maldive Adventure, Part 3

When I got back from my diving experience, my partner and I had dinner with a couple we had met on the island—a Japanese photographer and his wife (Mr. & Mrs. I), and they had stories to tell about Ms. S, who was becoming rather (in)famous at Biyaadhoo Resort.  She was always sitting alone and when they invited her to sit with them for lunch, she rather abruptly declined and even moved further away. The resort staff were at their wits end trying to satisfy her, but to no avail.

That evening they were having a special Beach Barbecue for all the guests, and it was a nice outdoor feast. We were there with the photographer and his wife, as well as very young newlywed couple from Ichikawa, Japan (Mr. & Mrs. U), and we were all having a good time. Again, we invited her to come and join us, but she would have none of it. So at that point, unfortunately, we all gave up.

Maldivian food revolves largely around fish (mas), in particular tuna (kandu mas), and derives much of its flavor from the Sri Lankan and south Indian, especially Keralan, tradition. Dishes are often hot, spicy, and flavored with coconut, but use very few vegetables.  Curries known as riha are also popular, and the rice is often supplemented with roshi, unleavened bread akin to Indian roti, and papadhu, the Maldivian version of crispy Indian poppadums. A traditional meal might consist of rice, a clear fish broth called garudhiya with side dishes of lime, chili, and onions, or a fish curry; roshi breads and papadhu; grilled fish; and sweet black tea. Some other common dishes include: mas huni — shredded smoked fish with grated coconut and onions: the most common Maldivian breakfast treat; fihunu mas — barbequed fish basted with chili, which is super-hot but wonderful; and 

bambukeylu hiti — breadfruit curry, which is really tasty and one of my favorites on the trip (it is also a refreshing change from more fish!).

Photo courtesy of Trip Advisor.

The beach barbecue  made a nice change from the restaurant and the food was fantastic. There were all kinds of barbecued seafood dishes, Maldivian fish curry, barbecued meats, lots of salads and tons of fruits. It was a very enjoyable evening! And the food was yummy!!!  A few of the Japanese guests did not like the fish, as, being tropical (as opposed to cold water) fish, the flesh was not very firm and it was rather dry. For some, the meats were too overcooked, too, but I made sure that I got pieces that were cooked the way I like them. Overall, it was a fun experience and gave us something other to do than just sit in the restaurant and eat rather similar foods. There is only one restaurant at the resort, and it offers Maldivian and international cuisine with fresh salads, and home-made soups for starters; curries, pasta, meats, and veggies for mains; and fruits and cakes for desserts. The food is not great (as in Wolfgang Puck level), but it is certainly very palatable and quite tasty. The bar is great with all inclusive drinks continually getting topped up as the staff keep coming around and checking your drink. It was highly recommended that we ask for Bombay mix after 5 pm—and that was a great suggestion. It somehow made the segue into dinner a lot easier. . . .

Wildlife on the island is plentiful, and we were surprised with herons walking around, hermit crabs, bats, and of course the fish. We snorkeled and swam with 2 turtles less than 2 feet away from us: they were so majestic in the water. The coral is great and colorful. We just had to remember we were in the tropics, but fortunately we had taken plenty of sunscreen and mosquito repellent with us.

The day after, my partner (M) and I, went snorkeling, and  we had a great time, with all the fish, turtles, and even some rays. The island, as I said in an earlier post, is like a long pencil rising from the seabed. The top of the eraser is like a table reef, in the middle of which is a little island. That means that basically, if you swim beyond the edge of the table reef, you suddenly find yourself in open water about a mile deep. Well, we were having a great time, basically snorkeling our way around the island (it takes about an hour with stops). M was having lots of fun and I noticed that he was near the edge of the reef but did not think anything of it.

Fish seen snorkeling around Biyaadhoo

All of a sudden, I looked over at him and he sank like a stone. At first I was frozen, not knowing what was going on, but after a split second I took a deep breath and dove in after him. I had to go down about 5 or 6 meters quickly and grab him and bring him back to the table reef. Even there at the edge, the water was shallow enough that we could stand as it only came up to our chests. After he caught his breath, I asked him what the problem was. "Weren't you on the swimming team in college???" —"Yeah, but that was in a pool that was at the most 2 m deep and I could easily see the white bottom. This is jet black and bottomless and seemed to go on forever and I just panicked and started sinking like a stone. Thank goodness you came to get me!" I didn't know what to say. I had never met anyone who was a good swimmer in a pool but a stone in the open water, so thank my lucky stars that I dove in and retrieved him, or he probably would have kept sinking till he hit the bottom!

I was telling the I's about it, and the husband laughed, saying, "Next time, let me know. I'd love to photograph him sinking!" We all got a chuckle out of that. Then, when my partner went to the restroom, I said to the I's and the U's, "Tomorrow is M's 33rd birthday, and I am going to have the hotel bake him a cake, so please join us for dinner; but it's a secret, so don't mention it!" They all agreed and after M came back we all said good night and made it back to our comfy rooms.