Week 3

Outside Mysore Palace we were really thirsty so Ravi suggested a freshly squeezed sugar cane juice

I had my first sugar cane and ginger drink - the man above is passing the cane through this machine while the juice is collected underneath and then poured into a glass. It was really tasty

                                      More views of Mysore Palace and the different entrances

 The highlight at Mysore was a visit to the palace - wow the whole building was amazing especially the wedding room, beautiful floors and doors and stained glass. No photos were allowed inside though. We loved the silver doors!We spotted an elephant and fed him one of our bananas, skin and all!

 

We went to the railway museum and saw the maharaja's coach all kitted out with a bed and a western toilet!!

We visited Shri Mahabeleshawa swarmi temple which is high up a mountain and can be reached by walking up 1000 steps.We chickened out and walked down instead.

 The bull is Nandi, Shiva's chariot. This one is about 5 metres high and is half way down the mountain steps.

We decided to walk down the 1000 steps and watched the sunset!

Next day we visited a 12th century Hoysala temple at Somnathpur-simpy stunning.

The detail in these temples is amazing. Hand carved stunning detail - the real thing is outstanding.

 The above photo is the hand carved ceiling at the Channakeshava temple built in the 11th century

Nearby in Belur another fascinating 12 c temple - we went 'native' for this!!

 Nandi the bull is inside the complex at the temple in Belur

Ravi drinking a fresh coconut 10 Rupees / 7p and the inside flesh is for free and really yummy. 

Note Ravi is modelling a Khadi homespun (like Ghandi) top!

Just for you Debbie, Upekshe and Tanya - The travelling duck on the bus to hampi!

The bus journey was 8 hours long and the driver did an average speed of 50mph over craters and bumps on the unfinished roads. I blame the driver for making me ill!

We arrived in Hampi - lovely, a good place to chill out and get over my bug! We have a sweet little cottage and a hammock in the front - see me modelling it! Across the road there are paddy fields with a backdrop of boulders!

Paddy fields,coconut plantations and boulders-what more do you need?Ah yes a 15th century lost kingdom!!

We went up a boulder mountain to see sunset and found these children running around selling tea. Rebecca, an american lady wrote their names on paper and they had such big grins on their faces.Ravi tried to teach a 10 year old kid the economics of using clean cups to sell tea and a new business of taking pictures of tourists during sunset using their own cameras

Sunset from a mountain in Hampi

On Monday we started walking to see the ruins and came across this pretty pattern outside a house-a Rangoli design.It is traditionally used to decorate the doorstep or courtyard of a house at Diwali.Here it is used to let people know they are welcome inside.

This is a lost kingdom, dug out of the ground by the archaelogists of India.So important is the site that the govt of India is closing all the shops and buying land from the farmers to ensure that the site is not damaged.

We walked this path to the lost kingdom and it only represents a small part of the overall Vijaynagar 15th century kingdom.You must visit Hampi if you come to India!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                Look how thick the walls are to this temple used by the Royals of the day.

                                                     Examples of some of the ornate columns.

                    This temple was also dug out and was hidden under  a coconut plantation for 30 years !

Ravi the leo (lion) meets a carved lion which is often found at the entrances to temples in this region.

This is a carved ceiling but does not look so good in the photo. It is also covered in bats.

This would make a great backdrop to an Indiana Jones movie, The Vittalya temple circa 15AD.The main dance area has musical columns which 63 musicians used to play!

End of week two!

I left off half way through valentines day......

    

 

We took a ferry to Allepey for 11pence and had a really romantic 3 hours of watching canal life and the sunset!

 Life on the canals

I have found a new job - frying bananas!

We hired a small boat with Theres and Andrej and spent a very happy day floating around the backwaters of kerela. We went to a rice field and chatted to the owner and watched locals getting on with everyday life on the canals.

We arrived in cochin on 16th February a largish fishing town. They use chinese fishing nets which require 4-6 men to operate. First thing in the morning they sell their fish in a type of market.

We  walked down Bazar road and saw where they do the bulk of their large scale buying and selling of spices, oils, flour and rice

The Teapot Cafe - a lovely little place to chill and drink tea, coffe and eat cakes

 We also saw cinamon drying in the sun

After a long luxury bus journey from Mattancherry/Fort Cochin to Coimbatoire and a short local bus to Metapalayum we crashed for a few hours before the alarm went off at 4.45am and we headed off to the station to catch the narrow gauge toy steam train to Ooty.

We could not buy a ticket as they had all sold out and the wait list tickets had been over sold. We waitied on the platform just in case and sold our honeymoon story to the train conductor and as if by magic two tickets appeared and we were ushered into 1st class,with minutes to spare before the train departed. This train is one of 3 steam trains in india and there have been tv programmes in the uk about these trains.

We climbed slowly into the hills listening to the rhythm of the wheels on the track. After the first stop we were moved into 2nd class and a carriage full of men on a day trip to Ooty and back.

                                      The first guy here in the blue jacket is a yoga master

These are the tea plantations we saw from the train.

We visited the botanical gardens in Ooty - nothing like Kew!!!!

We gatecrashed a tea festival and then went on to see a tea factory and learnt about

the evolution of tea-and the difference between high tea and low tea. 

did you know the word "tips"comes from the abbreviation of "to insure prompt service"wooden boxes were placed to show gratitude for good service in tea houses!

Here we met Beergit who invited us to join her tour we went to see an anglican church and the lake Ooty.

The following day saw the God Shivas birthday and we took part in the evening celebrations.On this day Shiva is kept awake by his devotees with music and dance.

Then off on a luxury bus!!!!(one with cushioned seats) 

                                                  Yes red bananas

Off to see Mysore MARKET.What a fantastic market with everything you'd ever need. Even TESCO jute bags!

Ravi bought me a traditional yellow string which is a tamil nadu sign that i am married! Under instruction we took this to be blessed at the local temple.

Usually Mendi is put on indian brides before they get married, but i couldn't resist! This took about 25 minutes and i had to walk around like a darlik while it dried. it will last for about a week.

14th February 2012 - End of week 1

OMG - this country is amazing!

We had a really good flight with Qatar and arrivd in India at about 4am! Tired and hot! We took a bus to Kanyakumari where we stayed for a couple of days

In Kanyakumari at the very bottom of India, 3 oceans meet and the idea is you dip in the ocean 3 times to offer your prayers and respect to each ocean to protect the shores they encompass - Ravi and I both did this and I felt a sense of relief, like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders?!

People from all over India come here to dip but also to watch the sunrise and sunset.

We then took a train to MaduraiVery cheap on

                                                                                              the sleeper carriage - basic but fairly comfy.

Sri Meenakshi temple has four beautiful entrance gates  one of which i am standing infront of. It took us most of the afternoon to look round it as there are so many sections - it was a lovely peaceful place but very busy. The Elephant was blessing people so long as you gave him a coin! I was also blessed, which we videoed!

There is a massive tailors market with over 200 tailors and haberdashery stalls in one part of the temple complex, I had an Indian suit made and Ravi had a shirt made - very cheap. I also had another outfit made at a tailors, only took him about 4 hours and it is beautiful.

We took a bus to Kumily, a good run, took us about 4 hours. We stayed in a lovely homestay owned by a man who knows everyone and everything!

 We went for an Elephant rideAlso we looked round a spice garden and saw cloves, cardomin, vanilla pods, peppercorns, bananas, coffee and cinamon growing to name just a fewthis pineapple is 7 months oldthis lemon was  

                                                                                                           enormous and used to make pickles

Our guide Krishna

After that the rickshaw driver took us to his home for a cup of tea and we met his family.

Later in the afternoon we went to see a traditional south Indian dance called Kathakali. By going early we saw them do the make-up which takes around 3 hours and is done using organic colours and a thin reed is used to apply the make-up.

 On Monday we woke super early to go for a walk in the tiger reserve with Fien and Preeta. We were advised that we could see elephants, monkeys, Deer and Tiger. Sadly we saw no animals but we saw beautiful trees and plants and really enjoyed the 2.5 hour walk.

We had a snack and witnessed a monkey tearing open a packet of crisps and eat them! So funny. we were told that the monkeys snatch ANYTHING they can!

We booked a boat trip around the reserve and on our way to catch the boat there was a real live wild elephant!!! Woo at last!!!!



I'm ready for our trip!

So in less than 72 hours we will be on a plane to south india.

 This is just a small selection of my travelling chemist!

Ravi just laughs, but my theory is that if i load my rucksack with all remedies for all possible illnesses then i am less likely to get sick?!?!?

Anyway i have just purchased a kindle (thanks charlotte and Andy for the fab idea) and have loaded up some simple holiday reads for the journey and quiet moments along the way? Ravi thinks i'm crazy.... gosh that didn't take him long to work out!

I have a beautiful journal to write about the travels and memories (thanks to the Atkinsons) and also some pritt stick so i can save all the tickets etc.

I have factor 50 sun screen, got to protect the english rose complexion!

I have my travelling duck (Thanks Debbie) so expect lots of photos with him in it...........

Next time i log on i will be in India....provided the snow does not stop us! xxxxx