Day 7   Backwaters

If there was one day on our trip where we could feel solely like pampered tourists, this was it.  One of the most famous attractions of Kerala State is it’s beautiful “Backwater Tours”.  We were fortunate enough to have one of Rani’s sister’s former students (she is an English Teacher) with connections to a houseboat so that we could experience this peaceful and magical ride.  After a couple of hours’ bus ride to the boat, we boarded (removing our shoes) and immediately could tell we were in for a wonderful afternoon.  Calm waters, beautiful trees and landscapes, relaxed locals, and great company (some of Rani’s family joined us for the ride)

 

 

 

 made for a terrific experience. 

 

 

Traveling through these backwaters felt like going back in time.

 All along the water’s edge were homes—Keralites living in the simplicity of a lost era… bathing, washing clothes, doing dishes in the water, playing with their babes or hanging laundry on their lines.

 

 

 

 

We felt, at first, that we were invading their private space, but as folks waved and smiled when we sailed by, we recognized a pride in their homes and families, in their way of life.

 

 

  Young boys rode bicycles on narrow dirt paths right next to the water’s edge

 

 

, women swept their porches with branches, men put their fishing nets into the water for the evening meal.  The staff served us freshly prepared, traditional Indian fare for lunch, but not before stopping to cut off fresh banana leaves to use for our “plates”!

 

 

As is typical in this country, we ate the rice and saucy chicken dishes with our fingers (only our right hand, mind you), tossed our leaves and scraps into the water when done, and had fried bananas for a treat afterward.   Three or four hours of this treatment will make you forget about the word “sacrifice”!   

It was really a special day of connection with Rani’s family members as well as down time with our team members, and provided some restoration for the second half of our trip…