On January 12th we took a train and taxi to Kumarakom which has
a reputation as the best place to enjoy the backwaters, a major
attraction of Kerala. The backwaters are an inter-connected series of
fresh water lakes and canals located a short distance east of the coast
of the Arabian Sea and extending for the length of Kerala.
Houseboat on the Backwaters
Shorty
after arriving, Paul came down with a nasty cold. As a result, we spent
the next morning in the hotel, a lovely heritage building operated by
the great-grandson of the original owner.
Breakfast at our Hotel
Later, we made our way to the
Taj Garden Retreat, a beautiful luxury hotel, and inquired about having
lunch. We were given a very warm welcome and invited to
explore the extensive grounds.
After walking for half an hour or so we reached
Vembanad Lake where two of the hotel's beautiful houseboats were
berthed. The armed guard posted beside them eyed me suspiciously when I
began to take photos, but didn't say anything. When we approached the
houseboats, one of the men on board asked if we were interested in
renting it. We agreed to have a look. It was gorgeous, but we were
horrified by the extravagant price and regretfully declined.
At
lunch, we were greeted by a couple who had been sitting at an adjacent
table. The husband asked us if we were from Canada. I wondered how he
had guessed. As it turned out, they were Indians who lived in
Woodbridge, part of the municipality that had been Paul's employer. The
husband had seen Paul in the city hall and recognized him. What a small
world!
After lunch, one of the hotel staff offered to
take us on a tour of the hotel and its grounds. He told us that in the
late 19th Century, the natural beauty
of the area had inspired Henry Baker, an English missionary, to
build a bungalow which subsequently was purchased by Taj Hotels. Under
Taj ownership, the bungalow was renovated, new cottages and luxury
villas were built, and the grounds were beautifully landscaped.
Sometimes called the little jewel of Kumarakom, the hotel
has retained the beauty of its surroundings
on Vembanad lake.
On January 15th when
it was time to leave Kumarakom, we decided to forgo the very popular
but expensive houseboat idea and take a less expensive option, a
three-hour ferry from Kottayam to Alleppey. This had a total price tag
of less than $1.00 for the two of us. The added attraction was that we
would share the experience with locals rather than tourists.
The ferry soon became very crowded
with standing room only. It seemed to be the only means of transport
for the agricultural villages we passed which appeared not to have
road access. The ferry was was old, dilapidated, and in need of a good
paint job. Nevertheless, we enjoyed the trip very much and felt that, not only did we get a bargain, but in many ways to experience the backwaters as the locals do was to be preferred to riding in a houseboat. It must be said, however, that a one- or two-day trip on a houseboat has been described as among the one hundred most important things to experience before one dies. The furnishings are beautiful and you are waited upon and fed in the most luxurious fashion.
Arriving in Alleppey
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