Advertisement
Published: February 28th 2010
Floating on Our 'Dreams'
Alleppey is a quiet, friendly town on the edge of the famous "backwaters", (India's version of Venice). We 'roosted' for the night in a bamboo hut nestled on the roof, high up in the tree canopy of a family home, we were surrounded by a multitude of bird calls well into the hot sticky night.
Early next morning we boarded our much 'haggled-over' houseboat, "Dreams"..... a converted rice barge complete with two bedrooms, lounge, sundeck, and three very friendly indian crew (cook, driver & captain). We were welcomed with hot masala chai and ushered to the sun deck to lie on the chaise-lounge, kick back and watch the magical water world pass us by. Dreams came with all the tasty treats you would expect and free beer, amazing in India.
We spent two days and two nights gently cruising through canals, past villages, schools, temples and churches.Set against a backdrop of paddy fields and coconut palms, every chocolate-box house seemed to be competing with the next to be the most colourful, often combining orange, lime green, pinks and sky blue.
Every evening the the boats have to tie up to allow the
fishermen to lay their nets.
The foreground had us fixated watching ladies washing lengths of bright saris on the river banks, and also provided a musical beat as they rhythmically bashed clothes against the smooth stones.
We managed to haggle a load of fresh water prawns from 'jack' in his canoe. The on-board cook knew his left spice from his right and made them into tasty fried skewers.
This is a place where time has stood still, and heavy with humidity the days last forever.
Nightime suprised us again, offering a mooring right beside a bat colony...we watched fruit bats arrive and depart with a grace and accuracy that left us speechless by candle light.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.062s; Tpl: 0.02s; cc: 10; qc: 27; dbt: 0.0232s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb
Daryn
non-member comment
Missing you
Hey you two.... I have had a look and updated myself on your travels, I almost started crying in the orifice as you both looking well and rested and all I could think about is which bank I could rob so that I could join you within the next week. Otherwise it sounds as if you are having a blast and the pictures that you have uploaded are stunning. Nick arrives in the UK tomorrow, so we are all having lunch at Tim and Sheilas next weekend to say hi and catch up... you will both be missed and I will be sure to have a fe for you guys. Otherwise the flat is looking great, I spent the weekend putting in the washing machine and buying a solid Oak dining room table which was not easy heaving 3 flights of stairs.. Charlotte sends her love and hopes that you are well. Miss you, please send me a message next time your phone is on and I will give you a call to say hi. Love Skunk