Kickin' Back in Kerala

On the southwestern tip of India is the state of Kerala, heralded by India's tourism industry as God's Own Country and praised by travelers as beautiful and serene.  THE thing to do in Kerala is take a boat trip on the backwaters, a network of canals and lakes lined with coconut palms and dotted with fishing villages.

Captain Erica at the wheel!

Once on the boat, I headed directly to the front, found a spot in the sun, and settled in to wave to fellow boaters and watch the lush greenery pass by.  Coming from noisy, busy, gray Delhi, the calm of the water and the warmth of the sun was delightful.

Kerala's calm backwaters

Another benefit of Kerala was the bountiful and delicious seafood.  The boat stopped at a fishing village where we bargained for fresh fish and shrimp.  Back on the boat, the chef cooked it up, accompanied by rice and curried vegetables.  Man, that grilled fish was delicious!!

Now that's a jumbo shrimp!

Back on dry land, we experienced another Kerala speciality - Kathakali storytelling.  The actors wore vivid makeup, colorful costumes, and intricate headpieces and masks.  Accompanied by musicians, they acted out a story from Hindu mythology, using exaggerated hand gestures and facial expressions.  Their rapid eye movements were dizzying to watch! 

Kathakali performers in their colorful regalia

For our last stop in Kerala, we went to Marari beach.  We stayed at the Xandari Pearl resort, where each bungalow had a private backyard with a hammock along with an outdoor rain shower!  Taking a walk along the beach in the morning, I witnessed fishermen launching into the Arabian Sea, carefully timing their entry to avoid being capsized by the powerful waves.

Fishermen braving the strong waves

Of course, the best part was sharing all these Kerala experiences with members of my Delhi family, the Kaseys and Molinas.  After multiple trips, we still enjoy traveling together!