The back waters of Kerala

In coming to India and the little research I did. One of the things that I saw that really found a place in my imagination was the back waters of Kerala. An area along the coast of Kaerala India that is known as the Venice of India. What was a mass of back waters and swamps has been turned into a huge system of Canals. The canals are all buried away in the country and there are no real cities to speak of other then the port and colonial city of Cochin that we spent 3 days in before departing on a 2 day voyage into the canals themselves for Beths birthday.

The experience of boating up the canals felt like something off the travel channel or National Geographic. You just had to be there. The boats themselves are like something out of a science fiction novel. The hulls are massive wooden forms that look like an old Viking ship. But the shell of Bamboo and palm above is what gives it it's real character. They reminded me of bamboo conche shells or something. The roofs were rounded like a long oval dome of woven mat with glass paneled windows along the sides and sharp peaks at the front and along the tops. The boats were very nice. Bedrooms with a view and the nicest bathroom I have had in India in six weeks. We had a crew of 3. The caiptain, Engineer, and a great chef. All of them old weathered men of the sea. This was they're life. The food was great. Huge cusine meals served on the foredeck. Where we spent the majority of our days. And snacks of fresh fruit or fried bananas all day long. Hot Tea or coffee. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

We had the crew fill up the ice cooler with beer before we set out on our grand voyage. And the majority of our time was spent with our feet kicked up in our three whicker coushined captains chairs. Enjoying mugs of cold beer, Good music to our choosing, and the sights only the canals can offer. I remember standing up in front of the girls with a beer in one hand and a cuban cigar in the other. While doing an impression of half the people we talked to back home. "Why in Gods name would you want to go to India!" and gesturing around at all the beauty around us. We all had a good laugh. I had so many of those moments with a smile ear to ear listening to Marvin Gaye or Van Morrison and feeling so alive and loving every moment big and small to bursting.

The sights of the canal life in itself were unbelievable. The whole trip was worth just those two days. Life on the canal is just like life anywhere else. But all old school. There are no roads to speak of. The canals are the roads. You have bus stops with longer wooden boats that transport people up and down the river. Or smaller canoes that just ferry from one side of the canal to the other. There are many other whicker house boats like the ones we were on, small fishing boats, and people just canoing from place to place. Old churches stood along the banks. Fisherman wading through the water fishing for freshwater shrimp (they are the size of small lobster). The canal walls are just placed stones and the water level is a few feet higher then all the land on the other side. It's a strange feeling when your scooting along on the river above everything else. It's usually the other way around.

Most of the inland land is green rice fields with thousands of White Egret's flying about in huge waves of white or eating here and there. The birds were a thing to see in themselves. Hundreds of cormarnts flying just a hand span above the water and thousands and thousands of some kind of bird migrating high above us in the biggest "V" pattern I have ever seen. There was also ship yards and house boats being built. There was a small check on the list of life made as well. Scores of huge fruit bats (the size of a hawk) were flying above as well. They fly during the day instead of at night. Which is really cool to see. They have the perfect bat shape,,,except that they are like 2 and ahalf feet from wing tip to wing tip. A bit creepy. they're so big they just glide and flap they're wings really slowly. But I've always wanted to see them and have had my eyes out since I got to India. We also watched a duck round up (for eating) and a thousand other things pass by. I wore Grandpa's hat that grandama gave me. I thought a lot about him. It was after all his birthday and he spent a lot of time on house boats. I told the boat caiptain a few stories of home and the lakes where we live as well as stories of Grandpa.

The canals brach off in countless directions big and small. With small foot bridges arched over some. And every where floating up and down by itself or in huge groups. Is this fresh water plant that has no roots. There are all these round green air sacks to keep it afloat with wispy green algae dragging underneath and violet flowers and bright green leaves above. The canal walls are bordered by tall palm trees up and down the canals. But all the water is fresh water. Like I said. Something you just have to see. Childeren waiting for the school bus boat to pick them up, women washing cloths in the water, people washing themselves in the water.......India in a way I never imagined.

We camped the boat in the middle of a huge lake for the night. Having a feast of a dinner. Singing happy birthday to Beth and even eating cake. Watching the sun set and rise the next morning but with a hot coffee instead of a cold beer. We sat late into the night listening to music, smoking cigars, and loving life. It was a great day to be. One I never saw myself in. I wonder how many more await around the corner. And it definatly wet my appetite for crewing a sailboat some time down the line. To leave land behind for awhile and embrace life in a different manner. Well it is time for dinner. We are in Valcara India. A coastal town with great swimming on the beaches below and everything as far as restaurants and shops are all along the cliffs above where I am now with a great view of the ocean. The sea food selection here is huge. And at night the sea is lite up with hundreds of little lights from all the fishermans boats. Its looks like the night sky. It is an amazing sight. In two days we will be at the southern most point of India. The tip where three bodies of water meet and you can watch the sun rise and fall on the ocean. Last thoughts before dinner. HAppy Birthday Beth. Happy Birthday Grandpa Joe.