Sunday we piled back into the car for the three hour ride to Alleppey, a backwater location we had visited and loved last year. It had been a highlight of our time in India and well-worth a repeat performance. Immediately on arrival, we piled into the boat and were off.
A snack of bananas and fresh pineapple super sweet and luscious (oh, and the chilled white wine and beers we'd brought along) and the morning's car ride was quickly behind us. Lunch was fantastic, as were the fried bananas that came along with the afternoon tea. We floated peacefully past the villages and villagers, the rice paddies and the churches, the other boats and the lilly pads.
The boat ride was just for the afternoon as we had agreed that what was relaxing for a while probably had it's limit, and six curious kids on a boat was not the recipe for a good night's rest. We returned to the resort in time for some more good swimming in the great setting, with quaint Kerala-style rooms complete with open air bathrooms and showers.
Oh yeah, and we had stopped before heading back to pick up some dinner from a local fisherman...YUM!
When I'd inquired at the restaurant if they served wine with dinner and the eventual no answer came, Bob and I took a rickshaw back into town while the kids finished their swim.
The first place we stopped, both Bob and I were too scared to take a photo. It was a muni down an alley past a beggar complete with bars on the selling window and a full menu ranging from about 40 rupees up. Walking in past the few people leaving told us, yep, liquor is sold here. As it were, we decided against the moonshine with our fresh prawns and asked the rickshaw driver for a, uh, better wine shop. ... he suggested a hotel then...ok we said.
I was the only woman in the place, and we were able to procure their only bottle of wine. Seriously. The only one they had. Apparently Kerala is not wine country. But this place also had Smirnoff, and we decided a vodka/fruit juice cocktail would be fine with prawns. Bob completed the transaction and we were on our way.
Back at the resort, relaxation continued in full swing...
And the kids had a fantastic time playing together...
We had very sympathetic thoughts for the only other couple staying at the resort, who were enjoying their otherwise peaceful dinner and vacation, but they were good natured. The day was a good one and the kids crashed to bed pretty hard while the adults enjoyed a hookah and a cocktail on the banks of the backwaters. It had been well worth the repeat visit!
A snack of bananas and fresh pineapple super sweet and luscious (oh, and the chilled white wine and beers we'd brought along) and the morning's car ride was quickly behind us. Lunch was fantastic, as were the fried bananas that came along with the afternoon tea. We floated peacefully past the villages and villagers, the rice paddies and the churches, the other boats and the lilly pads.
The boat ride was just for the afternoon as we had agreed that what was relaxing for a while probably had it's limit, and six curious kids on a boat was not the recipe for a good night's rest. We returned to the resort in time for some more good swimming in the great setting, with quaint Kerala-style rooms complete with open air bathrooms and showers.
Oh yeah, and we had stopped before heading back to pick up some dinner from a local fisherman...YUM!
When I'd inquired at the restaurant if they served wine with dinner and the eventual no answer came, Bob and I took a rickshaw back into town while the kids finished their swim.
The first place we stopped, both Bob and I were too scared to take a photo. It was a muni down an alley past a beggar complete with bars on the selling window and a full menu ranging from about 40 rupees up. Walking in past the few people leaving told us, yep, liquor is sold here. As it were, we decided against the moonshine with our fresh prawns and asked the rickshaw driver for a, uh, better wine shop. ... he suggested a hotel then...ok we said. 
I was the only woman in the place, and we were able to procure their only bottle of wine. Seriously. The only one they had. Apparently Kerala is not wine country. But this place also had Smirnoff, and we decided a vodka/fruit juice cocktail would be fine with prawns. Bob completed the transaction and we were on our way.
Back at the resort, relaxation continued in full swing...
And the kids had a fantastic time playing together...
We had very sympathetic thoughts for the only other couple staying at the resort, who were enjoying their otherwise peaceful dinner and vacation, but they were good natured. The day was a good one and the kids crashed to bed pretty hard while the adults enjoyed a hookah and a cocktail on the banks of the backwaters. It had been well worth the repeat visit!
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