kerala backwater highlights
after an dawn departure by train north up the coast we head to a busy little market town to jump onto a private ferry to take us on our excursion of the keralan backwaters.. surely a must on anyone's visit to this part of india:
just as we were leaving a very clever indian guy jumped onto the boat to talk to us, he was studying a PhD in literature, however, when he started talking cockney i thought he was alright! i tried to remember old 'only fools and horses' episodes.. we did him justice and told him he had a good 'boat race' and that he should hit the 'frog and toad' as the boat was about to leave!
as soon as we departed we noticed the abundance of wildlife amongst the channels and creeks of the backwaters.. a great variety of tropical plants and trees. fi's mouth was watering as she spotted a few ripe mangos on a set of trees.
sea eagles, kites, kingfishers, bee eaters, cranes, cormorants, and many other birds where perched along our route and made the journey even colourful.
boat traders waved to us as we had a glimpse into their daily lives here; hay, sand, brick, and fruit is transported here locally by wooden canoe.
and of course the rice barges that are now a main tourist attraction whilst on the water for overnight stays.
most boats were unpowered, poling using bamboo canes, sailing to aid paddling, along the wider channels of the backwaters.
as evening approached we saw a lot of men start to fish with 'chinese fishing nets', a huge contraption which is hard to believe it only takes one person to operate..
the colours, shapes and sounds ever changing as the daily life of the various communities went about their lives, oblious to the fact that we were learning so much about them..
arriving back in varkala we meet a rickshaw driver waiting for a fare outside the station,
just as we were leaving a very clever indian guy jumped onto the boat to talk to us, he was studying a PhD in literature, however, when he started talking cockney i thought he was alright! i tried to remember old 'only fools and horses' episodes.. we did him justice and told him he had a good 'boat race' and that he should hit the 'frog and toad' as the boat was about to leave!
as soon as we departed we noticed the abundance of wildlife amongst the channels and creeks of the backwaters.. a great variety of tropical plants and trees. fi's mouth was watering as she spotted a few ripe mangos on a set of trees.
sea eagles, kites, kingfishers, bee eaters, cranes, cormorants, and many other birds where perched along our route and made the journey even colourful.
boat traders waved to us as we had a glimpse into their daily lives here; hay, sand, brick, and fruit is transported here locally by wooden canoe.
and of course the rice barges that are now a main tourist attraction whilst on the water for overnight stays.
most boats were unpowered, poling using bamboo canes, sailing to aid paddling, along the wider channels of the backwaters.
as evening approached we saw a lot of men start to fish with 'chinese fishing nets', a huge contraption which is hard to believe it only takes one person to operate..
the colours, shapes and sounds ever changing as the daily life of the various communities went about their lives, oblious to the fact that we were learning so much about them..
arriving back in varkala we meet a rickshaw driver waiting for a fare outside the station,
hi, you want rickshaw?
no thanks..
oh its you, hi, wheres your bicycles? no problem.. goodnight!
thats the friendliest and least hastle we have had from a driver :)
as the sunset on another fascinating day, its a safe feeling to know these keralan people will hopefully to continue these trades and use such historic crafts, long after we have gone..
jim
posted by Fi and Jim @ 7:03 am
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