The Backwaters

The backwaters of Kerala are slow and lazy.  Just what I am in the mood for.  In a small boat, I weave through the narrow canals that are waking up to a new day.  There is a lot of cleaning going on...faces and hair, teeth and nasal cavities, sarees, dhoties and breakfast dishes.  The smack of wet laundry on a flat stone echoes through the waterway. Smack. Smack. Smack.

The slow drone of the motor is hypnotic.  As is the call to prayer and the song of the Kingfisher.  

The water is very still in the small canals except where children are playing.  Then there is a lot of spashing going on.  Narrow paths run on either side of the canals for pedestrians, cows, the odd dog and bicycles. In behind you catch glimpses of rice paddies.  The fields are very dry.  There has been no waterfall for quite some time. Because of the shortage of rain there are often power cuts throughout the day.  

The narrow canals offer a respite from the sun.  Coconut and bananna trees line the waterways and are beautifully reflected in the water.  Clothes lines and churches and water containers can also be seen reflected.  People line up for the delivery of fresh water.  A little social time.

Everyone seems to share in the sport of fishing.  Simple poles made from branches and a simple fishing line with bait.  Simple.  That describes the life in the backwater. 

The boats range from what looks like a hollow gourd, to elaborate houseboats.  The racing boats are quite magnificent.  But there is no racing going on here right now.  Things are slow and lazy. Just what I am in the mood for.

Motty's Homestay

Where to begin?  With a warm welcome from Motty Matthew.  "We have been expecting you". "Come sit".  We settle on one of the many cozy porches and get acquainted.  Lali appears with a refreshment.  Motty is a wealth of information and Lali although quiet has riches of her own.  She keeps an emaculate garden, an emaculate kitchen and is a serious culinary artist.  Motty and Lalie run a lovely Homestay.  This Homestay in Alleppey was one of the originals.  They have been hosts in their home for 20 years.  They have truely perfected the art of hosting.  I mustn't forget to mention Jack.  Jack is their very friendly dog.

Shortly after arriving, Motty took me on a small tour of Alleppey.  Churches, mosques and temples, canals, and camels on the beach...very skinny and clearly out of their natural habitat...tourism oh tourism.

I return to my Homestay and decide to stay a while.  Lali serves coffee and an afternoon sweet.  Beautifully wrapped in a tender banana leaf.  Rice flour and coconut with hints of cinnamon and nutmeg.  I also take dinner with them.  Lali's  cooking is perfection.  While staying here, my taste buds were on a trip of their very own.  One afternoon I had the opportunity to cook with Lali.  I will attempt these recipes at home, but I will  be missing that important ingredient again...India.

I book my fourth massage in an Ayurvedic clinic.   Brutally excellent.  I am getting used to these hard wooden tables.  The warm oil had a medicinal smell that was strangely pleasing.  Following the treatment, they put me into a seated steam chamber...dear god...the humidity was off the charts and I agree to take a steam for 10 minutes.  It was actually amazing.  My body felt like ghee.  Mmmmmmmm...ghee.

The best part of the day was sharing dinner with Motty and Lali.  And the best part about dinner with Motty and Lali was their wonderful company ....and also that I got to eat with my hands.  Leaving Motty's Homestay was not easy.  Returning in the future will be effortless.

God's Own Country

Kerala also known as God's Own Country is relaxed compared to the north.  People here in the south amble compared to other states.  They stroll at night and in the early morning when the temperatures are pleasant. They smile and say hello with no hidden agenda.  Their smiles are genuine.  Welcoming.  I think I will set down my backpack and stay a while.

As soon as I get my bearings, I set out for my first massage treatment in India.  I choose a relaxing treatment where warm oil is slowly poured on the forehead from a metal vessel suspended above the head.  I quickly fall into a deep blissful sleep.  

I explored Fort Cochi in the late afternoon when the heat was less fierce.  I discovered a wonderful community of artists living in the heart of a busy fragrant spice market.  I saw signs of pretty clever street art as well.  

Then there are the clever fishermen.  The Chinese fishing nets are fascinating contraptions that catch more than fish these days...plastic garbage and tourists among other things.  It is quite nice to visit the beach first thing in the morning or at sunset. The fishmongers located right behind the nets are colourful characters.  

I enjoy a beautiful Keralan meal of fish wrapped in a banana leaf.  Fresh and flavourful.  I also discover  a fantastic little Tibetain restaurant that serves wonderful momos.  I think Nathalie would approve.

My second massage treatment involved copious amounts of warm oil.  I felt like a slippery fish on this hard wooden surface.  The techniques were long and very fluid.  My therapist's hands were very strong.  Despite the crazy humidity, she poured over my tired body for an hour while I drifted in and out of consciousness. Sublime.

The humidity in Kerala is intense.  Unlike in the desert, I am sweating profusely.   A daily detox.

I feel like I am moving at a snail's pace these days.  The thought of hurrying anywhere for anything seems impossible and just wrong.  I amble with the rest of the population here in Fort Cochi and take in God's own country at a snail's pace.