KARA-la: Land of the coconuts!

We have spent the past week or so (I haven't been keeping very close track of the days because it still feels nice not to have to know what day of the week it is) in Kerala. This is at the southern tip of India located on the western coast. We took a train for a day and a half down from Mumbai. Although it was a long time to be sitting the views out the window were incredible. I kept myself busy by getting up every so often to poke my head out the door of the train car to try and snap photos, but don't worry mom I was still bein really safe the whole time, I promise. Despite all my attempts nothing managed to capture the deep green coconut trees stuffed between rice patties, rivers, and florescent painted houses with red tiled rooves.
We got off the train in Kochi and stayed for three days. Kerala has an incredibly eclectic mix of cultures that have left their mark here because the tip of India has been a trading site for thousands of years. As a result the state is home to Hindus, Muslims, Christians, and even a small group of Jews, each group formed hundreds of years before through trading routes established in places like Kochi. I wanted to go see "Jew Town" so we rented bikes to ride over to the other side of Kochi. Kara's bike was rickety and a bit too big but she bravely wobbled her way through the congested streets anyways. We wandered around Jew Town to check out the spice stalls, which were the original form of trade that brought Jews to Kerala. Sadly, there are not many Jews left in Jew Town anymore, most of them have moved to Israel. One of the primary reasons given is a lack of suitable spouses. I guess it might get a little incestuous if your neighborhood has had the same families in it since 70 C.E.
The next day we did the classic tourist trip down the backwaters and took a tour through some of the villages to view, "traditional life in Kerala". Although it was beautiful and wonderfully relaxing I have trouble being shepherded around all day from one staged photo-op to the next, its a bit to much like treating people as zoo exhibits. The backwaters are also sadly not as pristine as they once were. India does not have the best waste management, only 30% of the country has access to proper sanitation and the rest goes into rivers. As a result the backwaters provide an opportunity to spot two types of Kingfishers, the bird, and also empty beer bottles with the same name.
Needing a break from the pollution and grime of the cities we took a bus up to Kumily and Periyar National Park. It was such a welcome relief when our bus had climbed far enough into the Ghats that the air cooled of and became considerably cleaner. We spent one day trekking through the park with a few of the park workers. We were given large cloth sacks to cover our legs since the most common wildlife in the rainy season tends to be leaches, ugh. It was worth it to be surrounded by mountains and jungle. We saw a cobra, monkeys, and a few other animals, but none of the tigers or elephants that are also found in the park.
The rest of the time we wandered around to the tea estates and spice gardens found all around Kumily. We were caught in our first extended monsoon rain walking up a road to a spice garden. T has been a dry year so we have been lucky that this was the first downpour that truly drenched us, although I am sure this is not very lucky for those who depend on the monsoon rains. The rain tends to last for about thirty minutes and starts quickly with a few fat drops and then a torrent that feels like the sky is pouring a bucket of water onto your head. By the time we reached the spice plantation my pants and even underwear were soaked.
After enjoying a few days of actively engaging in nature (to make Richard Louv of, Last Child in the Woods, proud) we headed back to Kochi to make it in time for our cooking class. This was taught by Leelu, who gave us recipes for four delicious vegetarian and one fish dish. Plus we got to eat the meal afterwards. That was the best part. Keralan food has tons of coconut oil, fresh coconut, fresh curry leaves, and delicious spices. Kerala to me has been defined by the delicious whiffs of frying coconut oil I get walking down the streets. I think it might be my favorite Indian food, although this is hard to say. After our spice garden tour I am actually able to identify some of the fresh spices. By the end of this trip I plan to compile a recipe book from cooking classes from each country.
Right now we are waiting for the rain to let up before we run some errands. It has poured all night and we head out on a two day train journey from the tip of India to Delhi in the north to meet Ms. Meredith McCormack!