Pati and Beebee left Fort Cochin this morning (9 March 2013) at 6:30 am headed for Munnar with their driver, Simon. It was necessary to leave so early so that they could observe elephant washing beginning at 8 am on a river. They were the second group to arrive on the riverbank, and several other groups arrived before the elephants did. While waiting, they observed several Indian men out in the middle of the river washing clothes and then bathing themselves. Then elephants came down the same small road that the people followed from the main road; there were three of them with 2 handlers each. They were walked into the river and made to lie down on their sides; then their handlers scrubbed them good all over. It is a daily ritual, and everyone (elephants and handlers) seemed to enjoy the time in the river.
At about 9 am, Simon took Pati and Beebee to a homestay very near the elephant washing for breakfast. It was a simple delicious meal, with chipatti (flat round bread), potato curry, chickpea curry, tiny bananas, rice, coffee (for Pati), black tea (for Beebee), cold water, and spiced coconut meat and candied banana slices for dessert. The total cost, including tip, was 220 rupees ($4.40 USD). The husband and wife running the homestay were very friendly. The wife produced a guest register for Pati to sign, and proudly showed off her collection of small bills from visitors from many countries. Pati gave her a US one dollar bill for her collection. She is yet another type of world traveler: she stays at home, and the world comes to her.
Continuing on toward Munnar, Simon stopped at a roadside spice exhibit and store. Pati and Beebee were guided through a large garden where specimens of many spices were exhibited. (The guide, a young Indian woman, had very good English that switched between British English and American English.) They saw huge jackfruit for the first rime, and a gigantic form of bay leaf. After the tour, they stopped to buy some whole spices from the store associated with the garden. As they were finding their way back to the entrance, they were stopped by an Indian family who wanted to talk about the spices they bought. But that seemed to just be an excuse to talk with Americans. They were extremely friendly, and their (British-flavor) English was very good. From the wife, Beebee learned a word in their dialect (Malayalam) for "daughter": makal. Pati and Beebee miss their makal very much!
Finally in Munnar, Pati and Beebee checked into their hotel and had a small late lunch while their luggage was delivered to their room. Simon then drove them to the tea museum, where they watched a film on the history of tea in Munnar and then watched how tea leaves are processed. One of the workers in the factory took a special interest in Pati and let him "beyond the ropes" to see the machines up close. The worker took Pati and Beebee through each part of the process, even to the drying room where he fed wood logs to the huge stove. He posed for a picture in front of the fire and seemed to enjoy explaining the whole process.
After the tea museum, Simon drove Pati and Beebee to a lookout point and directed them to walk down a steep road into a tea plantation so that they could see the plants up close. The scenery is so beautiful; it is hard to stop taking pictures.
Simon then drove them back to their hotel, and he went off to spend the night with a friend. He will be back at 9:30 am Sunday to continue the tour to Madurai, where Pati and Beebee will spend the next 2 nights.
At about 9 am, Simon took Pati and Beebee to a homestay very near the elephant washing for breakfast. It was a simple delicious meal, with chipatti (flat round bread), potato curry, chickpea curry, tiny bananas, rice, coffee (for Pati), black tea (for Beebee), cold water, and spiced coconut meat and candied banana slices for dessert. The total cost, including tip, was 220 rupees ($4.40 USD). The husband and wife running the homestay were very friendly. The wife produced a guest register for Pati to sign, and proudly showed off her collection of small bills from visitors from many countries. Pati gave her a US one dollar bill for her collection. She is yet another type of world traveler: she stays at home, and the world comes to her.
Continuing on toward Munnar, Simon stopped at a roadside spice exhibit and store. Pati and Beebee were guided through a large garden where specimens of many spices were exhibited. (The guide, a young Indian woman, had very good English that switched between British English and American English.) They saw huge jackfruit for the first rime, and a gigantic form of bay leaf. After the tour, they stopped to buy some whole spices from the store associated with the garden. As they were finding their way back to the entrance, they were stopped by an Indian family who wanted to talk about the spices they bought. But that seemed to just be an excuse to talk with Americans. They were extremely friendly, and their (British-flavor) English was very good. From the wife, Beebee learned a word in their dialect (Malayalam) for "daughter": makal. Pati and Beebee miss their makal very much!
Finally in Munnar, Pati and Beebee checked into their hotel and had a small late lunch while their luggage was delivered to their room. Simon then drove them to the tea museum, where they watched a film on the history of tea in Munnar and then watched how tea leaves are processed. One of the workers in the factory took a special interest in Pati and let him "beyond the ropes" to see the machines up close. The worker took Pati and Beebee through each part of the process, even to the drying room where he fed wood logs to the huge stove. He posed for a picture in front of the fire and seemed to enjoy explaining the whole process.
 |
| Simon with Munnar Tea Plantation |
Simon then drove them back to their hotel, and he went off to spend the night with a friend. He will be back at 9:30 am Sunday to continue the tour to Madurai, where Pati and Beebee will spend the next 2 nights.
Posted with Blogsy
Madurai - has been a major settlement for two millennia and is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. (Wikipedia)
ReplyDeleteThis place is O-L-D.
Your makal misses you too! I can't wait to see all your pictures! :D
ReplyDelete