Last Day in India

Our last day in India was spend getting a morning chai at Teapot Cafe and then to an Ayurveda clinic to recieve an oil massage and shirodhara. The shirodhara is a technique where oil is continuously poured over the forehead (on the third eye) for an hour. I litterally felt all the tension in my mind and body flow away!

Last pictures in India...

Last chai in India... FOR NOW!

kittens and drinks

gurl power grafitti

My first trip to India was more than I could ever hope for. I am grateful for the experience, and even more grateful to have been able to share it with such a good friend. Alexis and I made memories for a lifetime. We had so many meaningful and life changing conversations. And I will always remember singing songs and spending nights laughing until we cried. I couldn't of had a better travel compaion for India.Karma's Baby 4ever.Boomaste.

The first 6 weeks in India marks a third of my journey before I make my way back home to California. I'm looking forward to everything that is to come!

Back to Fort Cochi

After some time staying with Jay, we went back to Fort Kochi for our last week in India. We spent our days relaxing about and eating amazing food. Alexis decided to take a overnight trip to Varcala, a nearby beach, while I decided to stay in Kochi and buy/send some gifts home.  Here are some pictures of some of my fravorite resturants and cafes.

I just loved the simple country style ambiance here.

This was so good. Banana, pancake thingys, honey, coconut milk, and a pot of chai.

Some savory crepe-like thing with a fresh tomato curry.

 

Presenting our drinks!

With another couchsurfing friend from Argentina!

This is a little cafe on the very tourist friendly road, Princess Street.

 

 

Lime Juice

 

WE LOVE OUR FRESH LIME JUICE/SODA!

Backwaters

The Kerala Backwaters are a labarynth of canals, rivers, lakes and inlets all along the state. It's here that freshwater from the rivers meets salt water from the Arabian Sea. I spent the afternoon with Del going on a half day eco friendly canoe ride with Wilson Tours. Though we only got a small, short glimpse of the backwaters, it was easy to see why they call Kerala "God's own country."

Canals like Venice, scenery like the Amazon.

View above. Playing around with my camera functions.

Our tour stopped at a few places along the canal, where we got a tour of the area. Our guide showed us the different plants and spices that grew there, as well as some of the people working in the villages.

 

Our tour guide. Cloth wraps for men was a comon sight in Kerala.

Some of the different plants..

 kind of like a giant pomegrante seed

basil

cinamon bark

 

In the village people were husking coconuts to make goods.

Seperating the coconuts meat from the husk. And then drying them.

 

A woman using the coconut husk to weave rope.

 

Being Eaten Alive

The mosquitoes in Kerala LOVED me. I would always have at least a half dozen insect bites on me at one time. Calamine lotion became my best friend.

bite on my knuckle

The first signs of a mosquito bite.

Not sure if you can see, but that is the same bite as in the picture above-- only 5 minutes after.

Roof Sunset in Cochi

After a few days in Alleypey, relaxing on the beach and a rooftop dinner party. We went back to Jay's home in Cochin. Jay taught me how to cook curry, which I am so grateful for. We also went to his roof to watch the sunset.

that's alexis!

that's a sunset

Funky Art Beach House

In Alleppey (Alappuzha) we stayed at Funky Art Beach House, a guest house right next to the beach. And it was funky. Most of all, the staff working here were so cool. They made you feel like old friends. It was "shanti, shanti" (peaceful) living here.

Anyone can draw on the walls.

There was some groovy artwork.

Having our morning chai, duh.

Morning faces.

after just seeing an angel ;)

Couchsurfing with Jay

After a couple of days in Fort Kochi we met with Jay, a local couchsurfing host. Jay is a relaxed, happy, joking kind of guy.  He also was one of the most thoughtful and conciderate host I have ever met, taking care of anything we needed. He had arranged for us to travel and stay in Alleyppey at his friend's guesthouse.

On the drive from Kochi, we stopped by some of the beaches, which seemed much less crowded than the beaches in Goa.

Me and Jay

Jay and Alexis

Stopping for a drink on the beach

Ayurveda

Kerala is known as a hotspot for Ayurveda. During our stay, we visited with a local doctor's shop. He sold medicines that were all natural, hand made, and mineral free.

Shelves and sheleves of hebal remedies

Neat medical pictures

Fort Kochi

Fort Kochi was once primarily a fishing village that had been under the Portuguese, then Dutch, and then British possession. The city port and buildings show all these influences. Alexis and I stayed in a hostel, where we met Del from USA and Kim from South Korea. We all spent the day together exploring the area.

Walking along the sandy coast.

Del and Alexis

Chinese fishing nets line part of the port.  We saw some of these massive contraptions as work. Fishermen were lowering, waiting, and then pulling up the net. I think these are more for show, since it was a pretty inefficent way of catching fish.

A painted tree near the nets.

More craft vendors lining the streets.

We then walked to an area called Jew Town. Yes, it's named that on the maps and street signs. This area was filled with shops, resturants, and cafes.

Cafe Jew Town

inside one of the many shops

art on leaves

The streets of Jew Town

White and gold saris, a specialty of Kerala.

After spending the morning and afternoon walking around, the four of us decided to indulge in an Ayurvedic Massage. At the local clinic, we were given an hour long full body oil massage followed by a steam bath.

Kim and Alexis, feeling goood after the session.

We ended the evening in an open air resturant eating more delicious seafood and veggie foods!