Coastal Goodness - Kerala

Even while flying down the highway at high speeds from Ernakulam to Alleppey you could feel how beautiful Kerala is, a perfect combination of coastal lagoons, beaches, surf and boats, palms and banana trees crammed in every spare space, seemingly trying to evict the few houses. What a difference a compass direction makes, as it seemed a world away from Tamil Nadu on the opposite coast. But it just what everyone we met kept on telling it would be (even the locals in Tamil Nadu were saying get over there as fast as possible) - beautiful!

Sunset on the backwaters

After arriving by train in Ernakulam (Cochin) we had headed down to Alleppey to take a boat cruise on the extensive network of canals which comprise the Keralan Backwaters. Arriving in town after surviving yet another high speed, cramped bus trip, we were confronted by what was becoming a frequent problem - two official government tourist offices adjacent to each other, and both claiming to be the REAL government office (while having significantly different prices?). At least our experience led us to ask around and not trust the 'we are the official office' line...

Hard work for some...our punting boatman

Despite the fact that heaps of tourists come to Alleppey for the backwater cruises, there aren't too many who stay there, most coming down for a day trip. Still, we managed to find a nice homestay for the night, sharing a house with a couple of old ladies who rented their spare room to a hostel across the road. Though not sure that they were particularly up with the ettiquette of their role as they told us not to eat with the manager and his family as it is too expensive, better to go into town - not sure that would have been part of the agreement.

Anyways had a bit of trouble finding somewhere worth eating in town, although we did find a place doing damn good ice-cream shakes with an entire tub of ice cream in each, just as well the long walk to the homestay made you feel justified having one! Also Alleppey has a distinct lack of toilet paper for sale, as we couldn't find anyone selling it even after asking at 10 shops (almost had to resort to the Indian hand clean)?

Solitaire

Anyways, the next day we were off on our boat trip (once the boat was readied that is), which turned out to be pretty luxurious by our standards! A big boat with 3 staff, bedroom, bathroom, kitchen and big open deck area at the front, all just for us! Though wasn't quite as impressive as many of the others around, many of which seem to take the 'house' bit of HOUSEboat a little literally as they very much resemble floating palaces.

Littlest chapel

Gourmand's delight - molee (Keralan fish curry)

Apparently there are some 400 or 500 houseboats operating out of Alleppey, and it felt like a majority of these must have passed us during the day, as we had opted for what was supposedly the more environmentally responsible option of taking the punted boat rather than motorboat option. With the constant stream of boats filing out of Alleppey it was sometimes difficult to tell where one boat finished and the next began, it really is big business down there. Though even with all the passing traffic we were very satisfied with our choice as it was definitely a lot more peaceful to gradually float down the river and really appreciate the beautiful scenery and the peace and quiet.

Working 9 to 5

In line with the higher standard of accomodation, the food was excellent and as always in copious quantities. Although it is a little hard to go wrong when you have chicken, chilli and coconut cream to work with! While stopped for lunch we received some impromptu entertainment from an old man who sang us a song and did a little jig before demanding a pen (reminiscent of the old dude who sings 'the old grey mare ain't what she used to be' on the Simpsons). After giving him his pen, he ran off along the bank and we could hear the song again further along being performed for another boat. We also had a visit from a local boy who wanted additions to his coin collection, which was impressive to say the least. Money from over 40 different countries including Iraq, Kazakstan, UAE, Mongolia etc, it was worth quite a bit, with quite a few Pounds and USD included. Unfortunately all we had for him was a different 1 yuan note to the older one already in his collection...

Time for reflection

While enjoying another awesome meal for dinner we had a 'how's the serenity' moment as the peacefulness of the sun setting behind the palms was interrupted by the sound of sustained gunshots. Obviously you can lead a man to water but you can't make him give up his 12 gauge? Though this stopped eventually and we were just left with the sounds of crickets, the light of fire flies and the wafting smells of our gourmet dinner.

Alleppey has a thriving Umbrella Shop District (??)

The backwaters are very much like the canals around Can Tho in southern Vietnam, the water a little brown, fringed by palm trees and full of boats of all shapes, sizes and states of disrepair... Though not as intensively shipped as in Vietnam, none of the massive rice barges or other commercial boats. Although of course there was a big presence of houseboats, with many more being constructed along the waters edge for much of the trip.

Even the management of the backwaters closely resemble those Hobbes was working with in Saigon - primarily prevention of salinity intrusion to improve rice yields, which has resulted in 2 to 3 crops rather than the traditional 1 (in addition to the associated negative environmental impacts).

Greeness

The only down side to our trip was the sleeping arrangements, as it was damn hot at night under the mosquito net with the window closed (those mega boats with numerous airconditioning unit weren't looking quite as stoopid anymore). Also, being on a boat, we had the usual furry friends to keep us company, these ones seeming pretty intent on eating the entire boat before sunrise. Maybe would have been better sleeping outside on the deck, Halong Bay style?

The fishing net obsession begins

It was a pretty quick trip back to Alleppey the next morning, from where it was straight into a waiting autorickshaw, then straight onto a bus. Once again our driver had a death wish, flying up the highway to Cochin, hitting all the bumps at high speed resulting in some backseat levitation. Fortunately we managed to (just) miss all the bicycle riders and pedestrians, most of whom were obviously oblivious to our drivers' manic tendancies... Arriving in Cochin, it was a couple more autorickshaw rides out to the train station and then ferry, then a crossing to Fort Cochin - making it 7 different means of motorised transport before we made it to our hotel (and all before midday!). A hard earned thirst needs a big cold iced coffee (this was India)...

Men of Cochin - March

The now familiar 'tropical malaise' is alive and well in Cochin, all the restaurants offer indifferent to slow service, perhaps the second meal will arrive within half an hour of the first... perhaps it wont... and when you go to pay you have to remind the staff what you ordered... annoying and relaxing at the same time - too much singing, not enough cooking!

Men of Cochin - June

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In direct contrast with Alleppey, Cochin is a very touristy affair, with the whole area of Fort Cochin bascially existing to lighten tourists wallets. Having said that, as with most overly touristed places it really is a nice spot, and if nothing else was good lead in to the ultra-tourist world of Goa! Somewhat like Pondicherry for the fact that the touristy area is amazingly peaceful, with big walled houses and churches, while the Indian part of town is the usual frenetic hectic place.

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Waiting, waiting, waiting...

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Also waiting for dinner

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One of the things you notice in the South is the influence of Christianity, there are heaps of churches, most with numerous quotes describing the fire and brimstone that awaits all of us sinners plastered across their walls. Also most of the boats, buses and autorickshaws are named after the drivers' favourite Saint.
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Something else unqiue to the South is the sight of most of the older men wear getting about in lungi's (the Indian equivalent to the kilt) many of them in quite a risque manner by Indian standards (quite a bit of leg showing)! Although things are a lot more laid back over on the west coast!

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More obsession

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Boulder weights on the fishing nets

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The highlight of Cochin is undoubtedly the row of old Chinese fishing nets which line the northern coast. The men who work the nets are extremely friendly (as well as being extremely buff) inviting you to climb all over the structures to get a good photo, even when they are hauling in their catch they tell you to keep on snapping, even though you seem to be in their way! The raising and lowering is pretty busy with counter weights of rocks and lumps of concrete falling, as men run in all directions performing their tasks.

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Film stars

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Wall paper of our guesthouse room - pick a flamingo and paint it your favourite colour

It is pretty lively all along the shoreline with boats returning with their catch, impromptu markets springing up to auction of this catch and lots of cats, dogs and crows circling around hoping for someone to drop their guard for a moment... Just behind the beach are a number of fish mongers where you can pick up some pretty cheap fresh fish, and unsurprisingly there are a number of kitchens nearby who will gladly cook it up for you! There was a quite extensive selection of fish, tuna, mackrel, flathead, massive prawns, somewhat surprising considering the poor state the local fishery must surely be in now?

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Well, I didn't want to go in anyway!

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Men of Cochin - October

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One final addition to the 'issues of the south', why are there so few cows down here compared with the north? We hardly sighted one from the time we reached Mumbai, and even there it was only the one looking pretty unhappy amongst the traffic as her owner demanded payment for people to feed it... perhaps not enough Hindus?

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I hope it's not raining then...

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While in Cochin we also took time to take advantage of the uber-tourism and do a bit of shopping for that one nice thing to take home with us. However, after a while we gave up, not because we couldn't find anything we liked, but because of the crap the vendors were spinning about the high quality of the piecces and the insanely inflated prices they kept of insisting were such a 'good price for you'. Guess you've got tho expect that in tourist-ville, but what what some of them wanted was just silly (and we are used to having to bargain).

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Men of Cochin - December

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So that was it for Kerala, next and almost last stop of the trip - Goa...

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One more fishing net photo for old times sake