Trip to the Backwaters near Kottayam - Part 8

On our arrival back at the wide lagoon area it was time to pile back into our bus and head for the next leg of our journey. After a ten-minute ride, we were deposited near a wide body of water that is part of the network of backwaters. Across the way we could see a larger boat than the ones that had taken us down the narrow channels; this one had a roof covering made of bamboo with little open windows on the sides.


While we waited there we were fascinated to watch an operation that could have been taking place in almost any century. Men were poling long-boats, similar to the ones we had ridden earlier, filled to the gunnels with sand. They brought these boats up to shore where a crew worked together.


A couple of men shoveled sand into huge bowls, which were then hoisted onto the heads of three extremely muscular young men. With their burdens expertly balanced, these incredibly strong fellows walked up the bank to the place where they dumped the sand. Hopefully this is a career guys don’t pursue for too many years – I cringed to think about what this does to the vertebrae in their necks! (see below)

Trip to the Backwaters near Kottayam - Part 7

While in this spot, which was a slightly wider portion of the channel, we were passed by a couple of boatloads of Indian tourists, which was rather comforting. It wasn’t just us foreigners who came to gawk at this amazing treasure trove of flora and fauna. These boats were furnished with red plastic chairs, which were a nice complement to the bright saris and salwar kameezs worn by the women. Every one of them smiled and greeted us with a friendly hello.


As we traveled the length of this portion of the channel we saw people going about their normal, everyday chores and activities, and tried to discreetly take photos of things that were charming or fascinating to us. We joked about having one of them come to America to photograph one of us mowing the lawn or washing the dishes in the sink so we could wash them again in the dishwasher. Most everything here of a washing nature happens in the channels, including goats, humans, laundry and dishes.


We came to a wider area of the backwaters and there was room for us to do a three-point turn and head the other direction. Along the way we saw various exotic birds, bright turquoise amazing somethingerother, a “fish eagle”, cormorant, an elegant white bird that looked like a crane relative (my godfather is a bird zealot – where is he when I need him?) – anyway, of the 500 species around here, we saw quite a few.

Trip to the Backwaters near Kottayam - Part 6

"I had a little nut tree, nothing would it bear
But a silver nutmeg and a golden pear
The king of Spain's daughter came to visit me
And all for the sake of my little nut tree"

Anyone remember that verse from childhood? Well, we didn't see any silver nutmegs, but golden ones, yes. So I guess we should change the verse:)


As you see from Thampi's pointing, nutmeg does grow on a tree. The nutmeg produces three useful things: Chutney is made from one of the outer layers, mace from an inner, orangey layer, and the inner seed is the nutmeg that is so popular in our eggnog lattes and pumpkin pies.


Thampi showed us the super-fragrant bay leaf and then we moved on to the cinnamon tree from which he removed a little chunk to pass around. Ahhh! This was a world of enchantment. All the spices I had tasted and loved, and that I had seen dried and stored in the huge warehouse in Kochi, I was now seeing in their live state. Not far away was a thatched building, and the owner’s laundry strung between the coconut palms.


After we had wandered back to our boats, Thampi’s friends brought coconuts for us and, chopping the ends, supplied us with straws to drink the milk, then split them open so we could eat some of the fresh coconut meat. Now I know why the Thai ice cream that is made with fresh coconut is so heavenly. A couple of curious young men stood on the bank to watch us enjoy the coconuts.