Kerala trip in pictures

Since I'm really rolling on the photo uploading tonight...here is a photo journal of our Kerala visit over the past weekend. Took advantage of an Indian holiday (Republic day) on Friday and took Thurs and Mon off too for a nice 5 day weekend...flew from Hyderabad to Trivandrum, and then went to Kovalam Beach, Varkala Beach, Allepy backwaters, and finally flew out of Kochin back to HYD on Monday. Kerala was an awesome place, beautiful and lovely beaches, and the backwater sunset was breathtaking! Never enough time to do everything, I could've spent a couple weeks just hanging out at Varkala Beach...fun times.

This is the view from the hotel room at Kovalam Beach. "Mini Beach House" -- stay there. Truly amazing having this private little beach right outside your room, incredible view, sleeping to the sounds of the waves...Dercy's in Agonda Beach Goa will always be a special place to me but the Mini Beach House is pretty dang nice also...even if it is $8 a night more expensive!!

Another shot looking out the front door...

Kovalam Beach (south)

All over India you will find rather interesting signs. Here's one of Kerala's finest...

And here's a sign I don't think was put up by any Kerala goverment officials. This was a rather bizzare George W Bush scarecrow type creation? The damage he alone has done to the world's perception of Americans really is something else.

Here is the bamboo hut we stayed in in Varkala Beach. Pretty fun room, it's own hut, just one room, 4 thatched walls, a shower, toilet, bed, and a fan. Back to the basics.

Looks good? It was probably 2 feet high in about 2 feet of water w/ submerged rocks everywhere. I didn't surf it.

Looking further down the cliffside at some of Varkala's shops. Varkala is a touristy but very nice, fun beach area set along some dramatic oceanside cliffs. Lots of places to stay and lots of places to shop, and some nice sandy beaches around the corner from where this photo was taken.

Varkala fishermen

Only thing missing from this photo is a book (update: oh yeah, and food). Can't think of a much better place to sit down, eat a meal, and read a book. Beautiful.

Our final evening in Kerala was spent on this floating beauty in the Allepy backwaters. Traditional kerala style backwater boat. Not the fanciest boat in the waters, but it has character.

And really, who cares about the boat when the sunset looks like this?? Fine I'll admit to the occasional touched up digital photograph every now and then...but not here. These pics are 100% untouched. A breathtaking sunset...so many colors.

Early to bed...

Early to rise. Sunrise wasn't too shabby either. :)

Well that pretty much sums up Kerala, it was a great trip to a beautiful part of India, I see why they call it "God's own country." Maybe I'll try to get back there -- the local surfer (there actually is one at Kovalam Beach, a real true Indian who surfs -- and surfs real well also -- he has a lot of time because he pretty much just hangs out at the beach all day far as I could tell) says surf gets good in a month or so. So maybe will try to check it out if at all possible...but who knows...I think India surf is just like anywhere else -- "it was good last week, shoulda been here" and "yep it'll be good in a month or so, check it out then" -- just got to have the time and energy, and a lot of luck. I did manage to surf for a bit at Kovalam Beach, the morning we left I had fun in some whomping shorebreak closeouts. At least the water is warm. Anyways surf or no surf Kerala was a fantastic place and I see why it is high on so many India visitor's lists. I'm glad to have gotten to go there!