Kerala - The Backwaters

On our 2nd day in Kerala, one of the most southerly states in India, we opted to on a trip through the Backwaters on a traditional houseboat. There's a vast network of natural waterways supplemented with man-made water courses, ranging from a boat's width to 100s of metres in breadth. We were punted along by 2 local boatmen armed with extremely long, bendy bamboo poles.

In seemingly utter tranquility, we drifted along in a dreamy haze for most of the day.

However, during our occasional sallies onto dry land, we discovered that there were hives of activity all along the way. We visited various cooperatives (Kerala has been a strongly communist in its leanings for many years) where coconuts were being processed in every possible way - to make charcoal, copra, oil, juice, alcohol, animal feed, jewellery, bowls, utensils, thatch, rope & string - as well as being harvested for its straightforward culinary use. We saw farming of other fruits & vegetables from bananas to rice, although rice is being grown less nowadays since damming of the rivers further north leads to higher concentrations of salt in the estuarine Backwaters. We also saw mussel shells being transformed into calcium carbonate for fertiliser & preservative, fishing of various kinds & boat building.

There was time for a leisurely & delicious lunch, we're pleased to report, served up on a banana leaf & the general soporific effects of the experience were enhanced, for Fiona anyway, by a taste of the potent coconut liquor. Howard didn't need anything to enhance his ability to doze!