Kerala is kick back & kool. And if anyone l know is considering going to lndia, l always suggest starting their journey in Kerala, a south western state in lndia. It's less intense & less densely populated, and by the Arabian Sea, it's a few degrees cooler. It's a breeze strolling around the spice-scented streets, buying fresh seafood directly from the fisherman.The chinese nets were introduced to Kerala by the Chinese many centuries ago. Kochi is a major trading port & spices are its claim to fame. And they have been sought after by the Chinese, the Arabians, the Greeks & Romans back as far as BC.
Kerala is also known as the Land of Coconuts & it's obvious when flying into Kochi airport. The first place to head is Fort Kochi and once there, it is difficult to leave. The rich cuisine is the best in lndia and the salivating smells & aromas waft around every corner. Colonized by the Portugese, there is also a lovely mediteranean feel about the town reflected in the architecture & flower boxes. Beautiful basillicas & churches are historically interesting. St Francis church is the site where the famous explorer, Vasco De Gama, was buried there after he died from malaria in 1524. His son visited there many years later & took his father's remains back to Lisbon for burial.
Kerala is probably best known for its back waters & it's almost manditory to take a cruise around the canals & lakes. Barges that were originally built for transporting rice harvested in the back waters, have been tansformed in to house-boats and have become popular with tourists. Of varying luxury, price & size, some include all meals & staff.
Another draw-card in Kerala are all the Ayervedic retreats all over the state. Ayerveda means 'life knowledge' and has become a popular alternative medicine in the Western world. It has been practiced in lndia for millenium as well as Sri Lanka. Retreats offer diagnosis, remedies, yoga, meditation, massages & all vegetarian meals. Or just for a treat, an hour or two long Ayervedic oil massage is unforgettable, anywhere in Kerala.
Other attractions are the Dutch Palace which is a wooden mansion & museum that was built for the Rajas of Kochi. And also the Jewish synagogue that is the oldest synagogue in the Commonwealth. There are a regular ferries from Fort Kochi to other areas & islands of the magnificent harbour, costs a few rupees.
Accommodation covers all range & prices. Hostels cost from about $10 pn. Fabulous food cannot be avoided & it's cheap & available & everywhere. Alcohol, l found a little more more difficult to access. But there are a few non-descript bars offering barely cold Kingfisher beer, for around $3.
Kerala is a great place to begin or end a journey in India. For first timers it's less of a culture shock & less in your face. Ernakulum train station is about half an hour away & has train routes to anywhere in India. The airport is an hour or so depending on the congestion of traffic. And for those about to leave for other parts of the world, Kerala is a great place to wind down & soak up lndia at a slower chilled out pace. Fort Kochi is one of my favourite places in the world & it's worth going just for the 'biryani' alone.
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