Kerala

My second trip to India brought me to Kerala, a state in the very southern part of the country, on the west coast. Kerala means "land of coconuts", and you can see from the pictures that coconut trees grow everywhere in Kerala and most of the food is made with fresh coconut.    I had the pleasure of attending a friend's wedding in Kochi and also visited Munnar, Kottayam, Kumarakom, Varkala Beach, and Changanacherry.    Kerala is a great place for nature lovers.   There is a lot of greenery and tropical vegitation.   I visited in December-January.   The temperature was around 85 degrees F. every day and there was lots of sun.   Up in the mountains of Munnar, the temperature was somewhat cooler.    We visited spice gardens, flower gardens, tea plantations, and had an elephant ride through the forest.    Also enjoyed waterfalls and sighted monkeys in the trees along the road to Munnar.   

Varkala Beach is considered a holy place.  People go there to pray for their ancestors and also it is believed that if you bathe in the sea there, your sins are washed away.   It is the only beach in Kerala with cliffs facing the Arabian Sea. There are great waterfront restaurants built around the coconut trees where you can relax, watch the sea, and have a very delicious meal.     Menus have a variety of food choices from all over India.  

In Kumarakom, I had a ride on a houseboat.   These boats cruise on the backwaters of Kerala.   It is a very relaxing way to spend the day, and you are served traditional Kerala food on the boat.    It is also possible to rent a boat and stay on it overnight.    

In Kochi, there are chinese fishing nets along the water.   They are quite a tourist attraction.   You can also buy fresh fish there and have it cooked by a

restaurant nearby.    

Below you will see plenty of pictures from this trip to "God's Own Country".     It has been called this because it's a tropical paradise, and also

people of many different religions live together harmoniously.