WOW.....ALLEPPEY.....

We woke up at 3.30 am in the morning and started to Alleppey by 5.00 am. We enjoyed the early morning long drive.

Break few minutes in MangalaPalam for Tea, it is well known for Kerala Special Nentharankkai Chips. On our way, we had our breakfast and passed Cochin, Aluva and atlast reached Alleppey. We parked our car in the Boat jetty office and boarded the boat by around 10.30 am in the morning.

I went to the deck immediately after boarding and sat there to have look at the other boats.

They gave us Pineapple Juice as welcome drink. The boat started by 11.30 am and we all sat in the deck to watch all the boats and see the distant houses, temples, boat jetties , town bus boats, police station, lake light just like street lights etc through binoculars. It was really an excellent experience. We chatted for hours enjoying nature, by sitting on the deck. Even after lunch, we prefered to stay back in the deck. The climate was good and breezy.

We relished tea & hot bajji at the deck. The cook who accompanied us is a great cook.

We have seen so many people residing on both the sides of the lake. I thought about the hamlets on our journey althrough. One thing that immediately striked my mind was "What is the need for these people to stay in this place... what are the sources of their living.... how do they earn.... ?"

Boat Transport for locals

Paatti is waiting for local boat transport

A Typical Habituation

A Typical Habituation

Chinna Neer Kaagam

Police Station with Street Light

We halted few yards after passing this bridge

By evening 6.00 pm, the boat came to a halt and tied to a tree. A small street with number of houses were there.

Just Opposite to this Church, we halted that night

Halted in front of a shop

Boats next to ours

People walking on the road

Slowly, one by one, the other boats were stopped near our boat and within half an hour, many number of boats were seen. The land area were covered with people walking here and there, children running and playing on the streets. We just had a small stroll and back to deck observing people... So many tamil people... One thing that made me furious was, people, even after they came for vacation, watch TV for hours with full volume... They don't know how to enjoy nature - THE GOD'S GIFT. For them, enjoyment without TV might be a sin.

We sat on the deck, chatted for hours. By 8.00 pm we came down for dinner. Chappati with dhal and rice, vegetables and curd. ACs were switched on only after 8.30 pm. I was damn tired, as I woke up very early in the morning. I slept immediately, after I got into the bed.

Next Morning (22nd May), I got up by 5.45 am, had our Tea, bathed and dressed up.

  

                                 

By 8.20 am the boatman started the boat. We had our breakfast on the move. It was puttu with kadalai curry. Awesome.

We reached boat jetty by 9.45 am. Ofcourse a bit early than we planned. I thought of telling appa to take me here again the next holiday.

REALLY ENJOYED EVERY BIT OF THE NATURE. MISS YOU HOUSEBOAT.

I DO WHOLE HEARTEDLY AGREE -- KERALA IS GOD'S OWN COUNTRY.

From Alappuzha, we started our journey to Kochi.