After a rather excitable breakfast with presents, cards and stockings (thank you Santa, aka Jess), we set off decked up in our Santa hats singing carols, much to the amusement of all, to the harbour to find our barge. What we saw left us pretty much speechless with joy, it was so worth the few extra pounds and we jumped on board by far the nicest kettuvallum (converted rice barge), which came with a captain, cook and boat boy, moored along the canal to explore the network of palm fringed waterways that line the coast and meander inland. We headed out over a large lake, past little villages, arable land, churches, mosques, temples, schools, women washing, men fishing and listening to incredibly loud music, hoards of quacking ducks, processions of pilgrims dressed all in yellow with
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