Memorable
Moments in Kerala
Kerala’s beaches, backwaters, mountain ranges and wildlife
sanctuaries are major attractions for both domestic and international tourists,
making Kerala one of the most visited spots in India. Several
notable changes exist between Kerala and the northern Indian cities we visited
earlier on our trip, primarily in the areas of fashion, religion, and cuisine.
Fashion:
There is a significant
shift in the clothing choices worn by the locals. In Northern India, women primarily wear a salwar
kamiz, which is basically a long tunic top with loose fitting pajama-like pants;
whereas, in Southern India, women tend to wear saris or long strips of unstitched
cloth that are draped over the body in various ways. More
noticeable that the shift in women’s attire is the dramatic change in men’s
dress down south. In Northern India, men
mainly wear button-down shirts or t-shirts and slacks (much like men in the
U.S.). Whereas, in the south men wear
dhotis or lungis. A dhoti is skirt-like
fabric that is tied
or fastened in various ways to resemble a grown-up diaper or modern-day
loincloth (for lack of a better description).
Religion:
There are
Catholic churches scattered all throughout Kerala – an uncommon site in India. In fact, Kerala has a unique record
for harmonious coexistence of diverse religions. Hindus, Christians and Muslims
are the major religious communities of the state, but there are also Jains,
Sikhs, Buddhists and Jews as well. I
would go so far as to argue that you can feel a sense of the religious
tolerance that exists here.
Cuisine:
South Indian food is often considered spicier
that northern cuisine. In addition, since Kerala
is a coastal state, seafood is a very popular part of its cuisine. Fresh catch of the day is often make into a fish
curry, known as Fish Moilee, which I learned to cook from the chefs at our
resort.
Breakfast also features different choices, including: idly (fluffy rice pancakes),
dosa (a crepe or pancake made from rice batter and black lentils),
idiyappam (or string
hoppers – i.e., pasta for breakfast),
and appam (flat bread made out of
Rice and Coconut served with some spicy condiment or curry.)
Tom was actually a big fan of Indian
breakfast, especially of idly and appam.
Climate and
Other Interesting Facts:
Kerala has a wet, maritime, tropical climate influenced by the
seasonal heavy rains. Palm trees, flora,
fauna and wildlife abound. A tranquil climate, stretches
of emerald backwaters, lush hill stations and exotic wildlife, and sprawling paddy
fields are just a few aspects of what make Kerala so appealing.
Moreover, Kerala is credited with having the highest literary rates in
the entire country – a rather impressive feat and a statistic that makes me
personally very happy to share.
August 12, 2013:
· The trek to
Cochin
This was our
hardest travel day by far.
Finally after approximately 12 hours: 2 plane rides with a 6-hour
layover in a desolate airport, 2 long car rides, and a boat ride, we arrived at
Coconut Lagoon after dark. The staff was
incredibly hospitable greeting us with fresh flowers, live traditional music and fresh coconut
water (right up James’ alley!). We were
all incredibly tired, but happy to be there.
Rather than watching the traditional dance performance that evening, we
opted to take a tour of our room choices. There were
two options available: traditional style, stand-alone bungalows or 2
side-by-side rooms in the so-called ‘mansion’, or the traditional wooden house
of Kerala. Both the bungalows and mansions are furnished in a style that
retains all the charm of the original family home. They both featured a private
outdoor shower and bathing area (ours came complete with a banana tree reaching
up through the open bathroom roof). They were rustic to say the least.
At Coconut Lagoon, you are definitely thrown smack dab into the middle
of nature as giant spiders, geckos, and even butterflies enter your roofless bathroom
(and if you are not careful about closing your room door, enter your room
too!) Also, unlike our other rooms, the rooms at Coconut Lagoon had
no Television sets or Wi-Fi connection – so, if you wanted entertainment, you had
to learn how to cut coconuts or attend a yoga lesson or take a walk in the
neighboring village.
It was definitely a bit of a transition from our prior 2 palace stays!
After selecting the ‘mansion’ side-by-side rooms, we went to dinner in
the only restaurant on Coconut Lagoon premises.
Dinner was a buffet consisting primarily of Indian dishes; however,
there were also several salad options and even a pasta option. It appeared promising.
But each bite was spicier than the next. In fact, even the pasta was alarmingly
spicy. The meal was tough even for Tom,
James and I who fancy spice. Ah, poor
Emily with her spice-sensitive palate.
Thank goodness we had several boxes of Clif bars back at the room to
tide us over until morning.
Quite frankly, the first night in Kerala terrified me: from the bugs
-- to the lack of technological indulgences available - to the super spicy
food, and I had serious doubts about whether we would make it through our
remaining three days in Kerala or whether we would have to pull the ripcord.
And it’s too bad because I am a fan of Kerala.
Perhaps, we all just needed a good night sleep. Maybe the morning would promise brighter
horizons for us in Kerala.
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