Our last days in India: Trivandrum & Kovalam, India

Destination:  Trivandrum one day, Kovalam one day

Number of days spent:  2 

Where we stayed:  Trivandrum – Greenland lodge (495RP/$11; just behind the bus station) – mark this down as one of the weirdest places we stayed.  Your payment was for 24 hours – so checking in at 8pm allowed you to stay in the room until 8pm the following night.  They required two nights deposit – unheard of anywhere in the world.  But the best part was the list of ‘rules’.  “Don’t wash your clothes in the room”  followed by, “Hotel will not be responsible for clothes damaged by hanging wet clothes on curtains.”  “Power Outlets are for charging mobile phones only”…umm sure.  Kovalam – Jeevan Ayurvedic Beach Resort (1200RP/$26).  We wanted a little “affordable” luxury for our last night in India so we moved to the beach and checked into a hotel with a pool.  Of course the clouds rolled in the moment we got checked in, but we still hopped in the pool anyways.

Best Restaurant:  The branch of the Indian Coffee House by the bus/train station is set in a tower.  The food is ehh, but the seating is set on a spiraling ramp that continues around and round for four floors.    

Best of:  Great sunset photos, our last days in India (by this point we were ready to get out of the heat, dirt, and craziness)

Worst of:  Looking back on my notes I wrote “Another crap day in India where nothing went right”

Most memorable:  We both wanted to leave India so bad by this point that our celebratory last night beer went down nice and smooth (shhhh, don’t tell anyone we had a beer).  But absence makes the heart grow fonder and we have since had a change of heart about India – we have learned to love to hate it so much that we want more of it.

Useful Tip:  Don’t bother staying in Trivandrum.  Even if you have an early morning flight (we did) you can still get there no problem from Kovalam and the atmosphere is much nicer (but Patnem in Goa is way nicer still). 

After getting off our relaxing boat cruise, nothing seemed to go right.  We had a difficult time booking our flight to Hong Kong through Air Asia with our credit card, tried to go through a travel agent – which the guy who booked our boat ‘helped’ set up (read:  commission).  We knew exactly how much it should be for the flight and after I noticed that the people at the agency were doing exactly the same thing as we did – same online website and everything we figured they would just charge us a small fee.  After coming back with a price that was nearly double we got up and walked out.  Spent the next two hours in an internet cafe where we finally got it to go through – Yeah!  A way out of this God-forsaken country!  Excited, we headed over to Blufia where we had had imagined one of those amazing milkshakes only to discover it closed.  We grabbed a not so great lunch elsewhere and caught the public bus to Trivandrum – where I had to sit on my backpack for the three hour drive and when the rain started in the heat the tin can of a bus pulled down the metal windows so we could all steam to death.

Trivandrum is a work-a-day town with a population hovering around 1 million.  Not really much to see or do here other than catch onward transport so the choices in hotels and restaurants are equally disappointing.  When arriving, the first place we checked out was full, couldn’t find the second so settled for the afore mentioned Greenland.  Once we got checked in, we headed out only to find a disappointing supper.  Like I said, “another crap day in India where nothing went right.”

The next morning, we decided that our last night in India should not be spent in a crummy hotel in the middle of another dirty big city.  With Kovalam just a few miles away we opted to head there.  Once considered a gem of a beach destination, Kovalam now wears the moniker as the most commercialized beach in India.  Perhaps it was the time of the year, or perhaps because of the tag the tourists have been staying away, but Kovalam wasn’t as busy as we expected it to be.  The infrastructure is there for plenty of holiday makers but what we found was mostly domestic tourists. 

 

The best part about Indian beaches is that they all face west so spectacular sunsets are always a possibility.  Our last moments in India were spent sipping one last beer and toasting to the end of days in the heat, dirt and craziness that is India.  Next stop – Hong Kong, China!

Technorati Tags: India,RTW,Travel,Photography,Sunsets

Canal Cruising in the Backwaters of Kerala: Alleppey, India

Destination:  Alleppey, India

Number of days spent:  3 days (2 days on the boat)

Where we stayed:  Venice Castle Homestay (1200RP/$26; 919947084414, www.venicecastle.com) Pricey but our sanity and marriage needed that blast of A/C.  Besides that the owner, Matthew (yes, that’s his real name – he’s Christian) is a super friendly guy and took time to sit and chat with us about the area and his family.  The breakfast is wonderful too!  He also can organize a boathouse which gets good reviews, we just opted for a slightly cheaper boat.

Best Restaurant:   Blufia in Alleppey had amazing schwarma (it was so good we ordered seconds) and the best milkshakes we have ever had (try the cashew one)!  It was so delicious we planned to return for lunch after our cruise…sadly it was a Friday (holy day for Muslims) and the restaurant was closed.  If we ever go back to southern India we will go out of our way to return for one of those shakes :-)  Truly one of the most delicious things we have ever tasted!  

Best of:  The milk shake blew away the private boat cruise :-)  Relaxing on the boat after 6 weeks in super intense India was quite nice too :-) 

 

Worst of:  The guy we organized the boat with ended up being a bit of a jerk, but nothing we haven’t dealt with before. 

Most memorable:    Watching kids play cricket (India’s national sport) in the middle of a burnt field, Getting the third degree on our boat…floating along and having someone yell at us asking us “Where are you from?  What is your name?  What is your profession?  Do you like Indian food?  Would you like to come over to my house?”  Only in India! 

Useful Tip:  We arranged our cruise the day we arrived in Alleppey and one day before we sailed.  It was the off season (though a holiday weekend for India) and we still had more boats to choose from than we could have even possibly looked at.  Remember, all rates are negotiable.  We paid 5000RP (about $110) for 2 days (1 night) with all meals & transfers from Alleppey. 

Cruising the Backwaters is the quintessential experience in Kerala.  Built centuries before Ford was even a glimmer in his mother’s eye, these canals were the highways of their time.  Farmers carved them out of the brackish waters as a way to transport their goods from the fields to markets.  While much of Southern India is moving ahead at light speed, the backwaters remain…well the backwaters.  The main method of transport for locals are oar powered boats and local ferries.  Their main diet consists of a local snails and fish.

Farming isn’t the only industry in this area these days.  In fact, cruising the backwaters on board a traditional rice barge has become the biggest money maker for the area.  Even with us visiting in the low season there were plenty of tourist boats plying the waters.

 

From as little as a captain and mate to a over a dozen well trained staff; one private cabin to a dozen well appointed rooms; lobster and tiger prawns to veggie thalis – the boats run the gambit in quality and service.  After doing a little shopping around we ended up on our own private boat with just a captain and mate to cut down on costs.  With a third guy your food comes faster, drinks are served more frequently , and supposedly English speaking as well – not worth the extra cost in our opinion.  Our boat also had the covered balcony up top, perfect for lounging and enjoying the scenery.

 

 

To be honest, for all the hype, the backwaters are not the amazing scenery that we had hoped for.  Perhaps that’s due to our over inflated expectations, but for a relaxing and pleasant river cruise type experience the backwaters serve that purpose quite well.  Our cruise was billed as two days, but it’s more like an overnight – get on a little before noon and get off a little before noon the next day.  While you supposedly have some control of the route, the captain will surely have his ‘preferred route’ and you have little idea as to where to go anyways so it’s best just to sit back and enjoy what you see and not worry about it.

 

 

 

 

Shortly before night falls, the boat finds a quiet place to park for the night.  We got off and took a little hike through the rice fields.  Fields are burnt off during the summer months to prepare the fields for planting at the end of summer/beginning of fall.  During this time, water buffalo are also allowed to roam and graze freely.  Returning back to the boat, the first mate had managed to find a couple of beers (alcohol, while drank often and freely is still a bit taboo) and we enjoyed a nice dinner of prawns and fresh salads aboard our private boat.  All in all not a bad way to spend a couple of days.

 

 

The next morning our boat took the long road back home.  Upon our arrival back on shore we hopped on the local bus (think a rattling tin can with standing room only in the heat & rain) and head further south to Trivandrum/Kovalum, just a short way from the southernmost tip of India and our last stop in India!

Technorati Tags: India,Kerala,cruising,travel,rtw,photography

Face Changers, Mongol Fishing Nets and Jew Town? Only in India - Fort Cochin, India

Destination:  Fort Kochi, India

Number of days spent:  2 days

Where we stayed:  Anna Homestay – 500 rupees/night (NO AC) – We thought that Anna was a terrific place EXCEPT I would never ever again stay there in hot season without AC.  The hosts there were super friendly, breakfasts terrific (even spicy as requested) and they even taught us to cook spicy prawns, veg & chapatti one night.  Highly recommend (just snag a room with AC)! 

Best Restaurant:   The Lonely Planet’s “Our Pick” – Dal Roti -  was a major disappointment.  The service was horrible and the food was ehh – overpriced for what you got.  We actually had our best meal at a hole-in-the-wall restaurant in the north east corner of Kunnumpuram Junction. 

Best of:  Getting a taste of backwater life, Kathakali dance performance, unique multicultural blending in a semi-charming British raj setting.

Worst of:  Once again, Tracy’s favorite insect – the ant - attacked, this time on her feet near the Fishing nets. 

Most memorable:  The ancient dance of the Kathakali, with its blinding fast ‘face changers’ was an amazing show to watch…even if it was a bit touristy.  

Useful Tip:  The KTDC (tourism bureau) runs inexpensive tours (550RP PP) of the backwaters.  Not as luxurious as your own houseboat, nor as basic as the public ferries – these tours provide a closer glimpse into the real life of the villagers and farmers that rely on the canals.  We did both the houseboat (next post) and this and thought that this tour gave us more insight than the overnight houseboat.  

From one Portuguese colony to the next, we head from Goa to Fort Kochi.  What Kochi lacks in beaches it makes up for in culture.  It has to be said that Kochi is somewhat of a tourist town.  Cruise ships have found the place and most of the businesses and hotels in Fort Kochi rely 100% on tourist dollars.  But don’t let that scare you away.  So many come on package deals that involve backwater cruises that it’s relatively easy to get away from any crowds and do a little exploring of your own.  From colonial haunts to Chinese fishing devices to a once thriving Jewish community, Kochi screams historical significance without being too in your face about it.  

With it’s quaint and relatively vehicle free tree lined streets Fort Kochi is a pleasure to stroll around.  One of the nicer aspects of the old part of town is the absence of cars.  There are a few rickshaw drivers that are persistent in giving you a ride but you can easily shake them off.  On foot, the city bustles along the waterfront with men loading all manner of goods.  Spices are still big business around here and you don’t have to walk too far before finding a place that will sell you spices in ‘bulk’. 

 

 

 

During the height of Mongol power, Kubla Khan’s influence stretched all over Asia with India being no exception.  Traders from China brought these cantilevered fishing nets to Kochi and they remain still in use to this day.  Modern fishing techniques and the fact that they require four men to work them are making the nets obsolete.  While they still catch fish – the primary use these days seems to be for tourism.  For a few rupees you can walk out on them and get a demonstration….or just wait for someone else to fork out the dough.

The sun sets in Karala and it’s time for the Kathakali Show.  The shows date from around the 15th century are are mostly based around the classic Hindu tales of the Ramayana.  The tourist show lasts for about an hour and a half, but traditionally these shows would last the entire night.  Taking years of practice and dedication, the all male troupe spend several hours prior to the show applying makeup and costumes.  

 

The performers are accompanied by a drum and the occasional guitar like instrument.  The highlight of the show is the ‘face-changing’ portion.  The performers change their masks so fast that that you cannot catch it with the human eye.  

The undisputed tourism heavyweight of the region is collectively known as the Karalan Backwaters.  We will go more into depth on this in the next post, but from Kochi we took a day tour through the tourism center.  Sure, it’s a tour with buses included crappy lunch and lots of stops but it did give us a little more info on the area that we would not get otherwise.  Besides the stops, we enjoyed the cruise sans motors or engines.  It was a peaceful way to spend the day and get a glimpse of life along the canals of Karala.

 

Leaving the big city life, we head just a couple of hours south to the launching point of Backwater tours – Alleppey.