Wednesday 29 April 2015
Highlights: Canoeing in the backwaters under the stars.

On our way to Alleppey we briefly stopped off the road to watch locals sorting coconut shells.  This is the start of a process that eventually gets made into rope.  However every part of the coconut is used either for food, water or rope.  Since they grow every 45 days that makes them a super plant and strong driver of the local economy.

We boarded a houseboat to get to Alleppey for a leisurely cruise in the backwaters.  Sharing drinks and lying around the decks this felt a little like paradise if only the heat and especially the humidity was a little lower.

To was a homestay with a local family on an island in the backwaters of Alleppey.  The family could not have been more welcoming and friendly.  The rooms were great (air conditioned) and the dinning area was totally open no doors or windows.

The family organised a walking and canoeing tour of the area.  A couple of very cute children tagged along to help and joined in signing later in the night.  During the walking tour we got to better understand how the rice fields are farmed and that this area is almost all Catholic which some other Christian groupings and a few Hindus.

After watching the sunset set it was more canoeing around. The backwaters as the stars came out to shine.  Our crew started signing local songs as we slowly travelled around for almost 2 hours.  You had to watch out a little for the rocking canoe when bigger boats came around and getting in an out wasn’t 100% easy either 🙂

The matron of the house then demonstrated her cooking skills while making us dinner.  Unfortunately I could stay for the entire event as I was a little nauseous and I called it a night in this place that could be called paradise.

Photos.