Here are some of the details of the "Tranquil Backwaters" excursion:
The palm fringed backwaters of Kerala are vital waterways for the transportation of goods, people and their produce. They are often the only link between isolated villages and crowded towns. In Kerala, one of the most beautiful states in India and known as "God's Own Country," the total expanse of backwater stretches from north to south over 900 miles, with a network of 44 rivers, lagoons and lakes.
From the pier, we drove to the village of Alleppey, surrounded by coconut plantations and famous for its narrow maze of canals and backwaters. A place of immense natural beauty, Alleppey, also known as Alappuzha, is referred to as the Venice of the East. (There sure seem to be a lot of cities that are Venices of one direction or another, e.g., St. Petersburg.)
On the way to Alleppey, we stopped at St. Mary’s Church, where we had a great time interacting with the children attending school.
Our motor launches were waiting for us in Alleppey, where we began a leisurely boat ride past coconut thatched houses and old colonial warehouses, surrounded by very interesting scenery. You could catch a glimpse into the lives of local families living along the banks of the canals as they go about their daily household chores. In fact, we stopped at one home and took a tour inside.
There is a Snake Boat Felstival in this region, known as Vallamkali, hence the inclusion of the photo of a Snake Boat.
Following the cruise, we arrived at the Lake Palace Resort or Punnamada Resort for a lunch of Kerala “delicacies.”
After lunch, we cut short the tour as most of us had already seen the scheduled stops for Fort Cochin and the Chinese Fishing Nets and we were tired out. Nevertheless, it was a very enjoyable excursion.
Last night was our pre-arranged Indian dinner, and Ken Simpson did a superb job with the menu and the Chef (or chefs) did a terrific job with the preparation. (Even a couple of the non-Indian eaters at our table, tried and liked most of the dishes.) We had enough food for an army, but it was extremely tasty. Despite overeating such tasty and somewhat spicy food, both Gail and I slept extremely well. Maybe the claims that we’d heard about the effects of some of the spices are actually true!
I've sent Karen some photos from the excursion, and I hope to send more. But for now, it's time to get ready for dinner with Ralph and June. (Another loss at trivia today--we have some powerhouse teams with which we are competing.) Tonight is Beatles night, and I hope we have a chance to dance a little.
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Eugene (and Gail)
