Kerala Vacations

More about the houseboat cruise

Pottering about the backwaters is one of the most relaxing non-activities you could think of. The day starts with an early breakfast, and Rajeesh excelled himself here. Iddly, appam, toast, sambal, relishes, curd, the unavoidable omlettes and, best of all, banana pancakes with coconut. (Not all at once, but something special every day). An active morning spent watching the world go by is followed by a huge lunch, taken by a bank in the middle of nowhere. The world can be mesmerising, as in the banks and the palms floating by or the lake stretching out to the horizon, or exciting, as in a combine harvester travelling on canoes, exotic bird-life or hundreds of ducks being herded to market by men punting dugouts. In the afternoon a trip is usually planned to get visitors off the boat to allow the crew to clean. This might be to a temple or church, or a trip into town. Back ot the boat for tea and biscuits to begin the hard work of cruising until we moor in a quiet spot to watch the sunset and wait for dinner.
As the sun goes down the wildlife of the night wake up, and some effort might be needed to avoid flying things. The crew know where to moor to avoid the mosquitoes, but there are other things which fly around. The small lizards which live behind the lights do a good job at keeing the smaller creatures down, but occasionally we suffer a huge cockroach, which hunts around the bamboo roof. We are assured that it can't get into the bedroom, which turns out to be true.
Dinner is the usual challenge to the stomach, five curries, fish or chicken, delicious breads and rice.
The cooks on the houseboats of Kerala is legendary, and with Rajeesh we seem to have found a cook who excells even in this company. None of the cooks are chefs by training, just local people who have learnt to cook the local food, which has great importance in the culture. With a peculiar range of allergies I was a particular challenge to Rajeesh, but he rose to it, and above it. The best hotels cannot match his chappattis or iddlies, and the banana pancackes will live on as one of my "exceptional dishes of the world" memories.
By far the worst thing about a houseboat cruise is getting off it.
Below are pictures of Captain Sudhakaran, Cook Rajeesh and Raveendran, crew.

 

The Teapot Cafe, Fort Kochi

Every tourist who spends any time in Fort Kochi will know the Teapot café. Once it was about the only place where you could find decent toast and coffee, and now, when coffee shops and cafes are opening all along the streets near the waterside it stands out as the most self-assured and interesting place to go for a snack or a full meal.

In spite of a desire to experience everything Indian, there comes a time when the stomach craves the familiar, and somehow this is worse at breakfast. The teapot serves crisp toast- not the soggy option available elsewhere- fruit, cereals and pancakes in generous portions. There are, of course, many varieties of tea and real coffee.

When the craving for bland has worn off, the meals are well cooked and very good value, chicken curries being tender and rich and the fish as fresh as one would expect in the location. There is an air of ad-hoc about the place, with packing-case tables, assorted chairs and occasional rickettyness. Once when the electricity failed and we were peering at our meal by the light of a single candle, we regretted fish with bones, but it was such delicious fish and anyway, the electricity does often go off at night!

On every visit, the Teapot has spread to regions in the building which were hidden before, something in the manner of a tardis, but this has not affected the charm of the place or the quality of the food. Go there!

Enjoying the Food!

Most people who visit Kerala come back raving about the food. It is rich, usually contains a lot of ghee and coconut milk, and often coconut oil is used for frying. Most food is cooked quickly, fried, stir-fried or grilled, as ovens are unusual in traditional kitchens. It is almost always delicious, the fish and sea food always fresh and what is available that day. Microwaves are unheard of. I have difficulty saying what I like the best, but it must be the Keralan paratha. This is a round of rich, light, flakey bread. Try not to think of the amount of ghee which goes into its manufacture as you eat! In Hindu societies meat is reserved for the warrior classes, most people being vegetarians. Restaurants are divided into veg and non-veg, or both veg and non-veg. Muslims will not eat pork, Hindus will not eat beef, Jains are strictly vegan. Kerala, having a good mix of religions is practical about food. The Christians butcher the beef and pork, so it is available everywhere, as is chicken, the most ubiquitous meat.

 

It is spicey, but most hotels go easy on the spice when they are catering for Western tourists, as Keralan food is fiery. You can usually ask for the cook to reduce the heat if you order a la carte. We are often asked about food safety, and it is wise to take precautions. In good hotels the fruit and vegetables are usually washed well in purified water, and are perfectly safe. Sometimes there is a slight tang of disinfectant, which is reassuring! Ice cream is fine if it is mass-produced, but make sure you know its origin. Eating on the road is OK if the food is cooked freshly, and some of the smaller food stalls produce wonderful meals for a few pence. Don't accept ice in drinks unless you are sure of the place which is serving it, and always wash fruit you buy before peeling it- washing alone is not enough, nor is just peeling. Some hotel buffets sit around for a while and are not heated adequately. If in doubt, eat a la carte- it will not cost you much more. It is a given that people who go to India suffer from upset tummies. Over the last two and a half years and many visits we have suffered one 24-hour upset and one mild problem on arrival home. Very few of our clients report that they have experienced problems caused by anything other than unfamiliar food and the recklessness of curry three times a day!

Of course, NEVER drink or clean your teeth in anything other than purified water, which is available everywhere and, and a certain amount provided free by hotels. Some hotels will tell you that it is safe to drink their water, but don’t. It arrives in tankers, and the assumption is that it comes from a water treatment plant. It doesn’t. It comes from a waterfall in the mountains, and is probably reasonably safe where it starts, other than the fact that animals have been paddling around in it upstream, but there are so many bugs and parasites which thrive in the heat that it is risky. When travelling stick to bottles and watch to see that they are opened in front of you. Cleaning your teeth in beer is not an option of choice, but it is a safe option.