We are back from Kerala where we enjoyed a leisurely and beautiful vacation. We saw lots of things from tea plantations to backwater rice patties and the sunset over the Laccadive Sea.
We first flew in to Cochin and headed straight to Munnar. It was a beautiful drive up as it got more lush and green as we went. We arrived at our bungalow about 2 1/2 hours after leaving the airport. It was so nice to be out in fresh air and greenery.
The first full day in Munnar we went to the Tea Museum where we learned more about how they process tea. Green tea, white tea, black tea...we know it all now. Kevin is now convinced that we need to plant our our tea plant and process it ourself. Guess we will just have to see where we can plant that tea plant.
That same day we drove up to a national park to see a rare species of mountain goat and enjoy some misty fresh air. It was a fun little side trip and it's always interesting to see different Indian wildlife wherever we can.
We spent a relaxing 3 days in an old plantation bungalow with our own personal staff to cook and clean for us. The highlight of hanging out in Munnar was the Cricket World Cup Final in which India was playing Sri Lanka for a chance to win their first World Cup since 1982. This was the second cricket game we have ever watched (the first being the semi-final of the World Cup a few days before against Pakistan) and it was quite a blast. Yes, the game took 8 hours, but it was fun to watch and it was great to root for India and cheer for a great finale to the game. It was also quite fun to watch it with the staff at our bungalow even though it took a lot of convincing to get them to stop working and come watch. :-)
It was then back to Kochi where we spent a few days enjoying the old Portuguese mansions, the wooden Chinese fishing nets, Vasco de Gama's old grave site and supposed home, and some time relaxing in our haveli-turned-vintage-hotel. We also got to do some shopping and finally found an antique door to make into a table (something we have been looking to do for a while).We also decided to throw in an embossed painted Rajisthani-style cabinet just for kicks. (Last chance shopping!! Yay!)
We also went to our first Kathakali show which was just as cool as we had heard. It is a theatre performance of Hindu stories from the Ramayana that uses elaborate costumes and makeup and contains a very unique performance art of using micro-facial expressions to portray emotions, commands, etc. It's very similar to mime in a lot of ways but with a lot more flair.
It was a very cool experience especially because the entire prep work of putting on makeup and getting ready for the show was part of the show. We watched the whole elaborate painting of the faces and creation of the masks and accessories out of cut paper and glue all by professional Kathakali experts who had been doing this for decades. Very neat.
It was then off to head further south for a couple days on the beach in Varkala. On the way down we got to experience one of the trademarks of Kerala, a house boat in the winding backwaters. Southern Kerala has a large lake/inlet that has reshaped itself a few times over the course of history from various major floods to result in a few large bodies of water and an intricate series of water alleys which have been inhabited and are now lined with houses, palm trees, and rice fields.
We spent 2 nights on the house boat with our chef and 2 engine workers where the only thing on the agenda was to eat, sleep, read, and repeat. It was a great time just relaxing and watching the daily lives of villagers pass us by.
We ended on the beach just relaxing, enjoying the sun and letting Elizabeth recover from a stomach bug :-( Most of our vacations tend to be a lot of walking and touring around so it was nice to be a little more low key and relaxing. Lots of nice sites, great weather, fantastic food, and just enough culture and history to still remind us we are in India.
K&E
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