The last month we have spent in Kerala a state that gives itself the description of gods own country. It certainly is green and diverse in its ecology. The men here tend to wear the traditional dress and when we were in Varkala everyone was dressed in yellow for a religious festival being held.
The backwaters are a vast network of rivers streams lakes that stretch across many areas of the state. The state also has a mountain range named the western Ghats, on this range many hill stations exist where tea, coffee, cardamom and also spices are grown. The state is famous for its natural medicines aruvedic, with treatments being offered from cold remedies to rejuvenation treatments all with natural plant extracts. Massage and yoga also feature heavily.
The climate is tropical, so hot all ear round with monsoon season after summer. The hills offer protection from the heat, by offering a very temperate environment.
We started our trip in Cochin where we stayed at the port area, spent a great day doing a backwater cruise on a paddled boat and met up with Sandrines parents who spent 1 month with us around Kerala. After Cochin we headed for the hills and spent several days touring hill stations, with tea tree plantations and cardamom and other spices being grown and cultivated in this rich landscape.
After a rather hectic 10 days hopping from place to place it was nice to head back to the beach and relax for a while do all the festive things and Prunelles 18th Bday! First stop with Allepey then on to Varcala with its cliffs and beaches where we spent a very chilled pampered 15 days!!
The backwaters are a vast network of rivers streams lakes that stretch across many areas of the state. The state also has a mountain range named the western Ghats, on this range many hill stations exist where tea, coffee, cardamom and also spices are grown. The state is famous for its natural medicines aruvedic, with treatments being offered from cold remedies to rejuvenation treatments all with natural plant extracts. Massage and yoga also feature heavily.
The climate is tropical, so hot all ear round with monsoon season after summer. The hills offer protection from the heat, by offering a very temperate environment.
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| Backwater from government ferry to Allipey |
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| Backwater |
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| Festival complete with its own elephant procession at the rear. |
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| Tea plantation being worked |
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| Beautiful rolling hills of the tea tree plantation |
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| Backwater creak |
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| View through the tree onto a reservoir |
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| Cardamom flower |
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| Cardamom Plant |
After a rather hectic 10 days hopping from place to place it was nice to head back to the beach and relax for a while do all the festive things and Prunelles 18th Bday! First stop with Allepey then on to Varcala with its cliffs and beaches where we spent a very chilled pampered 15 days!!
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| Road between the backwater on the right and sea on the left. |
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| Gypsie girls on the railway station platform |
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| Our view onto the beach from the restaurant of the complex |
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| Dolphins were often in the sea close to the beach. |
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| Plenty of sea eagles, sometimes 30 at a time soaring around the cliffs |
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| View of beach from north Cliff Varcala |
