The aroma around the canteen is more familiar to me now after staying in the hotel for two days. The sun at noon was burning bright. Most people chose to stay in shaded places. There was not a single soul in the swimming pool and garden. Inside the Canteen, the ceiling fan was turning slowly trying in vain to move the damp and warm air around. There were several customers quietly having the lunch. The waitress did not raise her head when I walked in. I found a table next the opening doors to the garden and waited patiently for the menu.
For last two days, I had had the lunch at the same table and the waitress knew me well. After I made the order, she asked: ” You are with a young lady, where does she have her lunch? “ I answered: “She is working in the Holiday Inn and has her lunch there.”
After a while, the food arrived and I was having my lunch slowly, not paying much attention to the food, instead staring at the garden.
Although there are no human audiences in the garden, the show of plants is still going on. The coconut trees occupying the top section of the stage spread the leaves extensively to meet the first ray of light. The ones at the edge bow slightly, seem to apologize to the palm trees below. The palm trees are not shy, shaking their shining green leaves to smile back. The plumeria (夹 竹 桃) trees have their own special. Their yellow flowers give the most pleasant smell. The solid fruit of Crescentia (铁西瓜 ) trees are green lanterns for the show. Streliteia flowers(天堂鸟花) pretend to be the birds. They wiggle their tails to attract bees and butterflies to join the show. When they enter the stage, the music is on. The Butterflies’ gracious waltz steps make bees anxious. They put on the best circle dance to tell the butterflies off. Butterflies win the show back by just making a pose.
I finished my food and returned to my room. The illustrations were still in my mind and I think this is what summer in south
