Kerala: Backwaters, Beaches, and Beyond (part 3)

When not lounging in the tree house, sleeping in our aquarium-like room, or trying out Keralan cuisine, our days on Vypeen island were largely spent on the beach. Yet another first for Annie, going to the beach, and her parents having an infant on the beach!  Annie was quite fond of the beach; well, in reality, she didn't hate it and scream incessantly like I did as a child, and that's all that matters.







Annie enjoying watching the umbrella flap around


Most of the time we just lounged around, taking turns watching Annie while we each went into the ocean, which was like nice bath water. We did, however, find the time to take a few leisurely beach walks.



Walking with Mom on the beach




Being at the beach in India was much different from New Jersey, or at least where I'm used to going in New Jersey! For example, I'd never seen women wearing only A) Saris, B) Salwars, or C) Burqas on the beach  and in the ocean before. That's right, not one non-Western woman in what I would call bathing attire. Which, let's just say, made the western woman in the bikinis completely blend in with the surrounding populace.



Local beach attire

Another thing that was different, or at least I would imagine so as we haven't taken Annie to the Jersey shore yet, is how fascinated local beachgoers were with her.




This group of guys came up the beach and just stood staring at her. Now, I'm accustomed to have people stare at me holding Annie, but I attribute that to people not being used to seeing a guy holding a baby. But this was just that they were fascinated with seeing her.Well, no surprise really, as she's the cutest thing under the sun.


Late afternoon and the early sunset (around 5:30) were my favorite times at the beach because the light was just so beautiful, not to mention the spectacular sunsets. They were so spectacular, or perhaps it was just Annie, that a troupe of clucking women descended and picked Annie up, kissing her and squeezing her cheeks; until she started screaming at which point Dad had to intervene and lay down the law.
















As part of our little package trip there were a few extras throne in, including an ayurvedic massage (my first) which was simply amazing (with the exception of the ayurvedic shot of dark liquid they had me take at the end, which was absolutely disgusting). Another extra was a little boat trip on the backwaters. Annie was fairly mesmerized by the play of shadows on the roof of the boat.






Here's a brief tour of the view from the boat, complete with Jo "hushing" Annie, which we picked up from our (oddly enough Keralan) nurses in Delhi when Annie was born.




Of course, what vacation would be complete without music? While packing I had mentioned to Jo that I was going to bring my fiddle. "Oh, realllllllllllllly...?" she said, leaving the room, and letting that lest syllable just linger....an interrogative declarative imperative if there ever was one.

Welllllllllll....let's just say the fiddle DID come, and I did find some time at sunrise to play on the beach. I think the Keralan fishermen who were leaving their morning "motions" on the beach (where the surf hit, which I guess is good?) appreciated the musical interlude.



Unfortunately, after 4 too-short but wonderful days, we had to leave. Well, you can take the man out of Kerala, but you can't take Kerala out of the man. Below is Dave playing Cape Breton fiddle tune called Put Me in the Big Chest, as arranged and with accompanying piano by Kimberley Fraser (see www.kimberleyfraser.com/sessions ). Dave is wearing a lungi in the Keralan tradition, and Annie is once again, mesmerized, whether by the mellifluous playing or the lungi is not clear.