We have been in the state of Kerala for 3 nights now and it is significantly different from Chennai. Our first stop was Fort Kochi, which used to be a fort. The buildings in the city are from colonial times that they keep patching up to continue to use. We stayed at the Saj Homestay which is what we would call a B&B. The accommodations were comfortable and the breakfasts were amazing. They were served on a lovely Veranda.
The town of Kochi is very tourist oriented which has its pros and cons. We ventured away from the tourist center and met some friendly people and goats. The juxtaposition of old and new is apparent everywhere but the Chinese fishing nets near the new harbor seemed to visually define it best.
Yesterday we made the 7 hour drive to the hill station, Munnar. Our hotel was an additional hour on an unpaved road that we had to switch to a 4 wheel jeep to reach. The location is so beautiful it is difficult to fully comprehend even while being here. We have a 2 bedroom cabin somehow, I think they were not booked so they upgraded us. We tried going on a bit of a hike today but the leech that attached itself to Matt and the one that tried climbing into my shoe deterred us a bit. We are enjoying some down time away from the hustle and bustle of the big cities. Tomorrow we head to a houseboat which will be a phenomenal experience through the backwaters of Kerala.
On our drive up the mountain we stopped for a snack and to hang out with these guys. I got a little too close and the mom growled at me.
Matt relaxing with a book in our living room this morning after our delicious Masala Dosa breakfast:
The town of Kochi is very tourist oriented which has its pros and cons. We ventured away from the tourist center and met some friendly people and goats. The juxtaposition of old and new is apparent everywhere but the Chinese fishing nets near the new harbor seemed to visually define it best.
Yesterday we made the 7 hour drive to the hill station, Munnar. Our hotel was an additional hour on an unpaved road that we had to switch to a 4 wheel jeep to reach. The location is so beautiful it is difficult to fully comprehend even while being here. We have a 2 bedroom cabin somehow, I think they were not booked so they upgraded us. We tried going on a bit of a hike today but the leech that attached itself to Matt and the one that tried climbing into my shoe deterred us a bit. We are enjoying some down time away from the hustle and bustle of the big cities. Tomorrow we head to a houseboat which will be a phenomenal experience through the backwaters of Kerala.
On our drive up the mountain we stopped for a snack and to hang out with these guys. I got a little too close and the mom growled at me.
The Jeep ride to the resort was exciting:
This is our cabin, it's huge:
We enjoyed one of our 2 fireplaces last night with a bottle of Indian wine:
What the hell is up with that hotel room? It's bigger than my house - literally.
ReplyDeleteI don't remember packing that purse. Was that an authorized addition?
Give the goats a high-five for me. And a holla at Matt.
Ahhhh leaches. I have a huge fear of leaches even though I've never met one. I think it was the movie "Stand by Me" that did it. In what way is this area different than Chennai?
ReplyDeleteNice diggs! You should have had us over.