Tonight is my last night in the beautiful state of Kerala. It's been another lazy day here in the South, but good overall. I've done so much writing (an especially good form of therapy for me) here over the past 10 days, and reading as well. One of my neighbors from Coconut Lagoon, Penny, gave me two books that she had finished and I've already devoured both of them. They have a magnificent little book house here where I donated her two books and another that I had finished on the trip as well. I scoured the shelves for something to jump out at me and was impressed by the various titles left behind by previous travelers. There are books in German, French, Russian, Hindi, Malayalam (the offical language of the state of Kerala), and of course English. (I found two copies of The Da Vinci Code in English, one in French and one in German!)
After perusing the chaos that is the bookshelves, I settled upon a fictional work by Irish author Joseph O'Connor called Star of the Sea. It takes place in the winter of 1847 aboard a ship littered with fleeing refugees setting sail for New York. Murder, intertwined lives and tales of passion, hate and past regrets fill their 26 days on the Star of the Sea! I've just started it today, but find it easy to read and quite intriguing.
Marari Beach Resort is very nice and the pool villa is something I could have only dreamed about, but I prefer the property of Coconut Lagoon. Here, when I sit on my porch, I am surrounded by walls and completely secluded from any passers-by. There aren't as many areas for lounging, reading or writing--in fact, I haven't found one place I would comfortably settle down and crack open my book. The staff is friendly and attentive, almost to the point of being TOO attentive, but there's something missing that the others had at CL. There was a gaiety in their eyes and their smiles were real.
Tomorrow is a full day of travel. Up early for breakfast and pack--then drive an hour or two to the Kochi airport. I fly to back to Delhi via Bombay on Kingfisher again. This time, I have the copy of the credit card that was used to book the flight in case any agents want to get uppity again! Hopefully all will go well and I will be in Delhi for dinner. There I lose the luxury of free internet but gain the companion of television. Give and take, give and take.
Monday I tour New Delhi in the morning and Old Delhi in the afternoon and then get to go to a real live Indian family's house for dinner. :) Actually, Tapas, the person with whom I have been dealing since being in India, invited me to dinner at his house with his family. Should be an interesting evening. Then it's up early Tuesday and back to the airport for my flight to Varanasi.
I hope to be able to blog a bit over those few days, but who knows. I am trying to mind my Rupees for presents and special treats for friends (and myself). Normally the rate isn't terrible if I can manage to get to an Internet cafe. The hotel where I am staying in Delhi (and stayed two weeks ago) charges over $10 an hour for internet! Yes, 450 Rs. per hour!! Absurd! At an Internet cafe it is ~40 Rs (or less) for 1/2 hour ...which is about $1.00. (Currently, most hotels and banks are giving the exchange of 1 Rupee for $38.95.)
Off to dinner!
Showing posts with label Travel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Travel. Show all posts
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Friday, July 13, 2007
Sunday, July 8, 2007
Dinner tonight was amazing. I know I keep talking about the food, but it is unbelievable! Let me back up for a second...
Went to yoga at 6:30 and was, once again, the only student. It's actually kind of fun being the only one. My instructor, Navil, lives about 25 km away and drives back and forth every day, regardless of the weather, on a motorcycle. Due to the condition of the roads here, it takes him about 1 hour one way. YUCK! He's a super sweet guy who is currently feeling a little under the weather with a cold. I enjoy talking with him and getting his perspective on things. He's readily shared a lot of his daily burdens (like living with the stigma of having a mother who is Christian and a father who is Hindu, not being allowed into one of the homes of a friend due to caste, poor living conditions, etc) which really makes me feel for him and respect him at the same time because he seems joyful. Honest joy comes through even in the midst of struggles, he maintains his joy. He also told me tonight that I should become a yoga instructor. :) Who knows...
DINNER! About 8:00 I went over to the restaurant and saw Molly (my waitress). One of the most incredible parts of this ayurveda package is that the restaurant is making food solely for me, based on my vata-pitta dosha. Most others visiting here have the buffet, but mine is brought out beautifully prepared and presented. Tonight I started with basil water and minestrone soup. Quite tastey. Moving on from there I had a nicely cut salad of cucumbers and carrots. (Add a glass of pineapple juice just for fun!) The main course was chapathi (yum!), vegetables cooked in some sort of yellow-ish delicious gravy, a combination of beans and banana flowers with grated coconut, and some steamed rice. Dessert was a plate of fruit including the juiciest mangos in the world (juicy juicy mangoes!), kiwi fruit, pineapple, apples, grapes, oh--and some caramel flan and a small piece of chocolate cake.
But even better than the food is the waitstaff. Molly is incredibly sweet and absolutely beautiful. Binitha is going to wrap me in a sari tomorrow after dinner and make me a true Keralite! Saravana is a guy that just makes you smile with one look. Jai speaks 5 languages and dreams of moving to France to start his own hotel. They are all absolutely incredible and their lives are hard, yet they smile every single day. I admire their resilience and joi de vivre. They are wonderful friends to have for this week, and people I know I will remember always.
Went to yoga at 6:30 and was, once again, the only student. It's actually kind of fun being the only one. My instructor, Navil, lives about 25 km away and drives back and forth every day, regardless of the weather, on a motorcycle. Due to the condition of the roads here, it takes him about 1 hour one way. YUCK! He's a super sweet guy who is currently feeling a little under the weather with a cold. I enjoy talking with him and getting his perspective on things. He's readily shared a lot of his daily burdens (like living with the stigma of having a mother who is Christian and a father who is Hindu, not being allowed into one of the homes of a friend due to caste, poor living conditions, etc) which really makes me feel for him and respect him at the same time because he seems joyful. Honest joy comes through even in the midst of struggles, he maintains his joy. He also told me tonight that I should become a yoga instructor. :) Who knows...
DINNER! About 8:00 I went over to the restaurant and saw Molly (my waitress). One of the most incredible parts of this ayurveda package is that the restaurant is making food solely for me, based on my vata-pitta dosha. Most others visiting here have the buffet, but mine is brought out beautifully prepared and presented. Tonight I started with basil water and minestrone soup. Quite tastey. Moving on from there I had a nicely cut salad of cucumbers and carrots. (Add a glass of pineapple juice just for fun!) The main course was chapathi (yum!), vegetables cooked in some sort of yellow-ish delicious gravy, a combination of beans and banana flowers with grated coconut, and some steamed rice. Dessert was a plate of fruit including the juiciest mangos in the world (juicy juicy mangoes!), kiwi fruit, pineapple, apples, grapes, oh--and some caramel flan and a small piece of chocolate cake.
But even better than the food is the waitstaff. Molly is incredibly sweet and absolutely beautiful. Binitha is going to wrap me in a sari tomorrow after dinner and make me a true Keralite! Saravana is a guy that just makes you smile with one look. Jai speaks 5 languages and dreams of moving to France to start his own hotel. They are all absolutely incredible and their lives are hard, yet they smile every single day. I admire their resilience and joi de vivre. They are wonderful friends to have for this week, and people I know I will remember always.
Friday, July 6, 2007
Coconut Lagoon
Well, I am very surprised and ecstatic to see that the luxurious Coconut Lagoon Resort has a FREE business center! This place is simply breathtaking! There's so much to do and see with everything from backwater cruises, canoe trips, bird watching, butterfly garden tours, yoga, ayurveda treatments, sunset cruises, cooking demonstrations--and I could go on and on and on! I am staying in a Mansion Villa which is a two-story room wih the 4-poster bed being up in the loft. The bathrooms are OUTSIDE! It is my own private bath which has four high walls with an open ceiling. It is so cool. Unfortunately I won't be able to post any pictures since I am not on my laptop, but believe me when I say this hotel is amazing!
For lunch I had a mango flavored soup, marsala spiced prawns, kerala fish curry and organic brown rice. This is, by far, the best meal I've had in India. (And they have Coke products!) I know I am going to be 100% spoiled by the end of these 7 days.
This afternoon I am having the first of my ayurvedic treatments--a massage. Following that bliss, I will particiate in the yoga and meditation. Then I will wander over to dinner and perhaps splurge and have a cocktail poolside this evening. But it is early to bed because yoga is at 7:00 a.m. tomorrow!!
For lunch I had a mango flavored soup, marsala spiced prawns, kerala fish curry and organic brown rice. This is, by far, the best meal I've had in India. (And they have Coke products!) I know I am going to be 100% spoiled by the end of these 7 days.
This afternoon I am having the first of my ayurvedic treatments--a massage. Following that bliss, I will particiate in the yoga and meditation. Then I will wander over to dinner and perhaps splurge and have a cocktail poolside this evening. But it is early to bed because yoga is at 7:00 a.m. tomorrow!!
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