Ramana's Garden in Photos

and to put some faces with the stories, or to put the story together, or something like that:

http://picasaweb.google.com/coffeewithkatie/IndiaRamanaSGardenChildrenSHome#

That's A Wrap: India

today is a big day for me. i left Ramana's Garden this morning after 2 months. and while it could be a roller coaster ride, it was a wonderful experience for me. it was difficult to walk through the gates for the last time, tears streaming down my face, as my friends kindly saw me through them. i am leaving filled with laughter and warmth, kindness and thoughtfulness, and the best hugs in the world from people who have left such a positive lasting impression on me, and especially my experience in india.

this journey also marks the end of my time in india after 5 months. and i feel like it is a good time to go. i have fond memories (with the people of Ramana's making the top of the list), although i have to admit, it was challenging and chaotic at times which probably proved to be the things that brought me here in the first place. in hindsight, i would not change a thing. from the chaos of the cities; dodging traffic; constant honking horns; the sheer number of people...everywhere; processing the volume of poverty, stray animals, trash; witnessing bodily excretions any ol' place; strong smells that either repulse or enchant; constant bartering; monkeys stealing food; rats, roaches, bed bugs, and lice; endless fields of fresh spices, coffee, and rice paddies in the south; fresh fruit and coconut juice; crazy bus and train adventures; delicious food with flavors that explode in your mouth and the varying cuisine from north to south; trekking and homestays; curious indians and random photographs; fresh sweet lime sodas with salt; inevitable bouts of diarrhea; vibrant colored clothing; chai wallas and becoming a chai connaseur; camel rides into the desert; ayurvedic massages; yoga experiences; rickshaw drivers; bus accidents; spiritual tourists wearing all white; swimming in the Ganga. this is just a quick abbreviated brainstormed list that could continue and continue.

the point is, all of these experiences are beautiful and challenging, frustrating and amazing, and they collectively are my indian experience. india is fantastic because it is what it is. the chaos is unforgiving. love it or hate it or both at the same time, it is open and honest and leaves you wondering, "what the hell?" and often justifying experiences with "because it is india," or "only in india." in a sense, india is one big oxymoron. it is extreme...to both ends. it is extremely complex in its caste system, traditions, and religions, but daily living is fairly basic. slow food (cooking and eating well with so many flavors), close family connections, living with essentials - oftentimes cold water, bucket showers, hand washing clothes and linens, simple homes that are essentially shelters, and wood fire cooking.

i cannot fully pinpoint what brought me here in the first place, but i know the challenge and chaos is part of it as well as the desire to live more simply and basically. seeing so blatantly how much water i use to shower or do laundry makes me reconsider how much i really need and how frequently i really need to do it. more than that, observing people wearing tattered clothes who barely have food is a stronger poke to simplify. perhaps the art of traveling itself encourages differentiating your needs and desires. the act of packing followed by the weight i feel when i toss on the pack really makes me reconsider..."what the hell is in here that is making it so heavy? do i seriously need all of the extra amenities?" process of elimination.

anyway, i am now ready to experience a different, more relaxed culture. so meg, tim, and i (the 2 friends i traveled with in the south), rendezvoused in rishikesh 2 months after splitting for our own adventures. we are now making our way into nepal for some trekking. first stop: Pokhara, our jumping off point for a 3 week trek around the annapurnas. then, tentatively, we will head into kathmandu to check out the scene, and depending on how we are feeling at that time, we will try to beat the weather and aim for everest base camp. whew!

Ramana's Top 11

11. The best salads i have ever ingested from the cafe, freshly grown in the gardens (esp since salads are a delicacy in india), and Dil's (the nepali chef)desserts and pizzas.

10. Sunday laundry days and swimming in the Ganges River

9. Hilarious quotes and rudimentary English that have worked their way into my normal speech: "you want?", "it is paining", "i am rounding"-dizzy, "so much noising/smelling", "what it is?", "no problem", "my god", "not possible".

8. Curiosity and brutal honesty of the kiddos: "you have big arms."; "why aren't you married?"; "have you kissed your boyfriend? where?"; "do you live with your parents?"; "do you like white skin or brown skin?"; "katie, i found sooo much blood in my mom's underwear, my god. why?" and after a long discussion of why, "do boys get it too?"; "you have chicken pox too," 9-yr-old Mukhul pointed out during the Ramana's epidemic. i explained through my laughter, "no, it's just acne."; 15 y.o. Gagan confessed, "i thought you were going to be tough when you first came here." perhaps it was my 'big arms'?!

7. Holi, the festival of colors, celebration at the Gangaji River, and perhaps my most memorable day in india. powdered vibrant colors of the rainbow were flying around the entire day, while laughter ensued. the Ganga graciously (and guiltily as we polluted its waters with the paint) provided a refreshing bath for us all before getting hit again. the only interference was a delicious picnic of indian fried goodness - samosas, puri (fried chapati/flat bread), sabji (mixed veg), and fresh fruit.

6. Two words: 1. LICE 2. FARMING

5. Eldon and Hilda, the massive friendly mountain spiders who were an unenthusiastic but reliable audience each day in our bathroom.

4. The furry little friends that live in the cafe and around Ramana's

3. Our morning alarm clocks: the meowing peacocks and the continual searching for Shiva (one of Ramana's mascots), the untrainable but cute yellow lab.

2. Late nights with my fellow staffers (Nepali ladies) spent dancing, doing "the worm", yogaing, laughing, talking.

1. Everything to do with the kids: sleepovers in the girls' rooms, hair braiding, their beautiful voices and the vibrations they create while singing at satsung, their smiles and laughter, and the best hugs in the world!

A "Typical" Day at Ramana's

it does not exist. but to share a rough idea:

8:00a Breaky
9-4:00 Cafe shift or
9-2:30 free time or organizing something...anything!
1:00 Lunch
2:30-4:00 Tuition (tutoring) time! kiddos are finished with school, so time for homework.
6:30 Dinner
7:30 Satsung -- a family gathering time spent singing Sanskrit chants, happy birthdays, welcoming guests, etc, etc.
Otherwise, time can be filled checking on sick kiddos (mostly coughs, sore throats, runny noses, and now the chicken pox epidemic), visiting with kids, helping with homework.
and most evenings i spent laughing, yogaing, talking and dancing with the nepali ladies i work with.
Then off to bed.

just a little insight on the medicine technique at ramana's. it is mostly homeopathic, which is a whole new world to me and has brought new meaning to the #'s 5 (head cold),6 (cough/chest involvement),and 8 (diarrhea). our most used meds were simply referred to by these #s. as for the chicken pox, an ayurvedic dr. suggested that we burn cow shit (why not...it is used for everything), mix the ash with fresh neem leaves (antiseptic), and rub it over their bodies. and so we did. it is difficult to judge the effectiveness of it, but it was a fun activity for all! hahaha!

What is Ramana's Garden Children's Home?

okay, it is officially time for a much overdue blog post. for the past 2 months, after robb and jay left, i remained in rishikesh to work as a volunteer at Ramana's Garden Children's Home. Prabha, an american woman from colorado, started the project about 14 years ago, and it has since grown into the unique operation it is now. It is in the foothills of the Himalayas along the Ganges River where the kids (and staff) do their laundry and swim every sunday.

About 50-60 children ages 5-19 currently live at Ramana's, maybe about half from Nepal and half India. Most of them are not actually orphans, but their families are either unable to appropriately support them, or their home situation is too dangerous to stay in.

There is lots of good stuff happening here. The primary school through 8th grade provides free education for the kids living at ramana's and about another 60 kids from rishikesh. An organic garden supports the health food-centered cafe (that also helps support the project), and contributes to the kids' meals. There is a well-established traditional Indian dance troupe that gives the kids a chance to be involved and perform around the community and travel (they went to England last year to perform.). Their gym class is yoga.

During the summer months, to beat the heat and rains of the monsoon, most of the kids and staff head up into the primitive mountain location to relax and literally chill out in the beautiful setting while the rest spend time with their families.

if you are interested in learning more about the project or in making a donation, please go to **http://www.sayyesnow.org**.

India Funnies

Photos!

to put some photos with my long-windedness, feel free to browse around:
http://picasaweb.google.co.in/coffeewithkatie/IndiaTamilNadu#
http://picasaweb.google.co.in/coffeewithkatie/IndiaTheGoldenTriangleRajasthan#
http://picasaweb.google.co.in/coffeewithkatie/IndiaRishikesh#

Spiritual Playground: Rishikesh

whatever inspires you, even if you don't know, rishikesh can help you find it. it is set within close proximity of the himalayas and right on the holy ganges river. take some yoga classes for a spin, ashram hop, guru hunt, unwind and relax with meditation, rejuvenate with massages, check out and learn about any holistic medicine you can imagine from reiki, ayurveda, gemstone therapy, others i have never heard of. rock climb, raft the ganges, trek in the himalayas, become friends with the cows. you name it, it is here, and there is something here for everyone. we have been staying at a quiet ashram (well except for the 4:30 am tincan bells and loudspeaker chanting), enjoying the gardens, good food, and experiencing one of the nightly fire poojas (offerings and chanting). we are housed on the top floor/roof, and share it with a village of monkeys apparently. so we spend a good chunk of the day fending off monkeys when they break into the room and corner us on our beds until we feed them.

i should not complain. life is quite good here. we kick off the morning with a painfully good yoga class, followed by more good food and perhaps a dip in the ganges river or an afternoon spent reading or visiting with fellow travelers. the evenings may bring another more relaxed yoga class or perhaps an easy stroll or run, and each night we are soothed by the sweet and calming voice a swami (holy woman) who leads guided meditation. she makes it seem easy and pleasant for a novice like me.

just a quick note about running in india. i had not run in 3 months and thought it sounded like a nice idea. i set off, dodging through people, playing chicken with motorbikes, and felt winded. but it was such a cool experience to see another perspective. for a minute, i did not feel like a tourist. i was not asked to buy anything or even take a look. i received more curious gawks wondering why i was running, or kind namastes (greetings) and smiles, and a few chuckles. it was more satisfying than i had anticipated.

(the last photo is the last leg of our journey to rishikesh. our bus hit an oncoming car, but no one was seriously injured.)

Sore Butts, Camel farts, and Camel Carts

rajasthan is full of history, but i know very little of it, admittingly. And while we only visited a small piece of it, we missed the numerous forts and temples synonomous with the region. The romanticism of the architecture and the stark contrast of vibrant colors and textiles set against the drabber colors of the desert hues, along with the strong traditions attract people from around the world. In the smaller villages in particular, the women wear colorful saris sparkling with sequins, the married women keeping their faces a mystery to the outside world covered beneath a sheer cloth. And her body is decorated in jewels - earrings, ankle bracelets, arm cuffs, nose jewels.

we just brushed the surface of this rich culture as we rolled into the city of bikaner, still relatively off the beaten path compared to the golden triangle anyway. our main objective here was to get as deep into the desert as our virgin camel-riding bodies could tolerate and inhale the cleanest air we could expose our lungs to.

we set off into the desert on the funny creatures that are a weird mix between a brontosaur, a giraffe, and a horse. the ride was bumpy (creating open wounds on our butts and sore backs), and the farts were stinky. not the most charming animals i have ever seen, there was a constant pulsating stream of urine and stool, and being mating time, one male camel in particular demonstrated his unattractive mating call (see video).

now that i have painted the most unpleasant picture of camels, don't let it deceive. this was a highlight for me. they were hilarious to observe, and are quite gentle animals. i grew very fond of Angeli, my camel on the second day and Jay's on the first. she was so sweet, a new momma with her 9 month old baby, Raju. they marched to their own beat...literally, constantly behind the pack. but she didn't care. she was just out for a stroll, and so was i. it did not matter much to me either, as long as i could still see the rest of the crew.

the food was gourmet. we ate really well since it was "cart camping" with all of our supplies carried in a camel cart, meals prepared by the fantastic crew. (apparently, some camels can pull up to an impressive 2 tons!) we trekked along with 3 aussie travelers and enjoyed an eve of cards, delicious food and drink, serenaded by traditional live music of harmonium (similar to accordian), drum, and beautiful voices. the first evening sunset was so quiet it was almost deafening. my ears continued to ring into the silence trying to adjust to this unusual darkness of sound. and the colors of the sunset reflecting off of the white sand were brilliant. i think all of the stars in india have migrated here, because i have not seen them many other places. it was quite a treat and exactly what i needed.

Golden Triangle: Jaipur

we wrapped up the chaos in the third angle, the "pink city" of jaipur in rajasthan. it is known for its rich culture, beautifully vibrant colors, and deliciously spicy food among other things. Jaipur in particular is known for its wonderful shopping, especially gemstones and textiles.

upon our 4 am arrival, we befriended a young rickshaw driver, Saleem Ali, who kindly helped us find accommodation, and became our guide to the city the next couple of days. per protocol, the ride was cheap, but the shopping hot spots he introduced us to dipped a bit further into our pocketbooks.

india, unsurprisingly being located in the east, is loaded with "eastern" remedies and medicine (i.e. ayurveda, reiki, yoga, meditation, and various energy-based approaches) holistically incorporating mind, body, and spirit. our curiosity was peaked after visiting a gemstone therapist who read our chakras and insightfully shared detailed personal information with each of us. we could not refuse the gemstone he recommended each of us based on his reading. Scam or not, he was quite impressive and convincing. and so we all left jaipur with frustration of large crowds and salesmen sure and probably more phlegm, but better yet our energy-tailored gemstones, beautiful textiles, opening minds and hearts, stories to share, and a drive deeper into the quietness of the Thar desert!

Golden Triangle: Agra and the Taj Mahal

it turns out that agra is about equally as crazy as delhi, but we wanted to see the Taj Mahal, india's most famous and probably most romantic monument. to gear up for the crowds, we first made a stop at a nearby hotel for a few kingfisher beers. at the entrance, we passed the tight security check and off we went to view and stroll around the magnificent white structure full of inlaid precious gems. being the minority of western tourists, we became taj mahal celebrities, having our photos requested by multiple parties. what a hoot!

we were somehow tracked down once again by a rickshaw driver with a sixth sense of our given location at all times of day. we met him immediately off of the train in the morning, again on our way to find a breakfast spot, and again later in the day, 7km from our original meeting point, in a neighborhood we had inadvertently but pleasantly lost ourselves in the maize of its paths. here, we captured the interest of the cute local kiddos, curious what these westerners were doing in their village. but again, there he was, waiting for us in an inconspicuous corner in the depths of this community. what? how did he find us?

eventually, we found our way away from the creepy tok tok driver, back to the train station where we started the morning. determined not to stay the night in agra, we caught the night train to jaipur (the pink city). after a 5 hour delay observing the colonies of rats living on the train tracks, we hopped our train and arrived in jaipur in the wee hours of the morning.

Golden Triangle: Delhi

We were so close. As a traveler in India, you have to do it, right? it can be considered a rite of passage anyway. i felt surprisingly fresh to meet and greet this wild city of delhi despite the 30+ train ride from the south in Chennai. or maybe my energy came from my excitement to meet up with 2 friends from seattle, Robb and Jay. i had been looking forward to their visit since they gave me the thumbs up. Robb and Jay, on the other hand, arrived the day before me without a guidebook or timely recommendations from me, and were immediately taken for a ride (literally, after jumping into a taxi from the airport and promptly getting into an accident followed by the road rage of their driver that led to his exchange of unfriendly words with the fellow accident driver). but we easily met up in the new delhi train station to experience the craziness that is delhi.

the plan was to leave the hustle and bustle of the city asap, but not before spending most of an entire day trying to complete the simple task of purchasing train tickets. after a couple of days in the smog of such a large, dense city, the three of us seemed to develop what we like to refer to as "Indian lung" - an abnormal amount of phlegm, encouraging daily hocking and spitting, especially in the wee morning hours, creating the effect of an alarm clock if it is your neighbor.

the following day with train tickets in hand, we left our modest hotel room in the main bazaar of new delhi and set out to the train station.

Fast Track to Enlightenment?

no such thing. but i caught a long commute via train and bus acoss the south of india to the town of Tiruvannamalai (aka "tiru") - a few hours west of chennai - to find out for myself. the town itself hosts the holy mountain, Arunachala, and is the home of Ramana ashram (a famous guru). the powerful mountain draws loads of pilgrims, sadhus (real and pretenders) and western spiritual questers. it has sort of become a spiritual theme park offering satsungs (q and a's with various gurus), lectures, meditation sessions, yoga, and is dotted with countless temples. it has an interesting feel as it is arguably one of the most spiritually charged places on the planet.

"am i sensitive to energy?" someone asked. i do not have a clue. i had few expectations upon arriving to this town, and i did not notice the strong energy nor was i particular drawn to the events i attended. i tried discussions, a satsung, and attended a darsana (this guru has taken a vow of silence after years spent meditating in a himalayan cave and now shares her vision of devotion and the divine purely through sight). many people report feeling Sri Sivasakthi's (the guru) transfer of energy. i was intrigued, however perhaps my expectations going into it were set a little high. perhaps i was envisioning more levitation or increased heart rate or something indicating the interchange of energy as this holy woman laid her eyes on me. again, i felt nothing. i will have to admit, i was a bit disappointed in myself, but it just was not speaking to me (no pun intended). maybe another time and/or another place.

my main draw to the city was to meet with a friend from seattle, sanjay, where we adapted our tradition of coffee in our cozy local neighborhood cafe in seattle (Irwin's) to tiru's version, chai at tasty cafe. it turned out to be a perfect spot to kick back and unwind.

accommodation was basic, located 7km away from the spiritual tourism town and set amidst rice paddies tended by their respective farmers and buffalo-led plows and harvesters in beautifully contrasting colorful saris; all of this set against the backdrop of Arunachala. not bad at all. i was biking into town which felt great considering my physical activity has felt minimal otherwise, and hiked up the holy mountain one day but felt more worked than i had hoped.

5 days later, i set off north for a 30 hr train ride to meet Robb and Jay, 2 good friends from seattle, in delhi.

Another Kind of Massage

i decided it was a good time and place to experience my first massage. i was on a beautiful beach, massages offered all around, and kerala is infamous for ayurveda. so i found a reputable place, and returned 1 1/2 hours later as scheduled, anxiously awaiting the medicinal oils. i had heard accounts of them and was mentally prepared, but that turned out to be a false confidence.

"take off clothes," requested the petite indian ayurvedic doctor preparing to massage me. she spoke enough english to communicate instructions.
"all of them?" i modestly asked. she nodded. i waited a moment for her to leave the premise or hide behind a curtain, or somehow dim the natural light shining through the windows for privacy. i realized she that was not in the plan. there i awkwardly stood, my nakedness unapologetically revealing itself awaiting further instruction.

"sit here." she motioned to the wooden bed. i sat suddenly aware of every imperfection on my body, but the masseuse professionally ignored my thoughts.
as she dumped the herbal oil concoction on the crown of my head, i could feel it trickle down my neck and the earthy, musty scent filled my nostrils. a hand motioned for me to lie back onto the table. i automatically crossed my arms over my body to try to dress it as best as i could, but the shield did not last long. my arms were removed from their intentional strategic placements, slathered with oil and massaged in a precise brisk pattern 1 by 1, moving to each section of the body, leaving little untouched. i closed my eyes to allow myself to relax. i had already committed. my only choice was to surrender my pride and modesty. it was silly to hold onto it.

before i knew it, the hour was up, and i was nearly asleep. i was relaxed. it was all good.

The Mirrored Salwar

after our time in the ashram, we headed to the closest beach, varkala. it is a small but beautiful beach with clifftop views, restaurants and guesthouses. there were many tourists, sure, but it was a nice contrast and a pleasant place to ease our way back into the world.

on the path to my hotel, i passed 5 basically identical stalls of sarongs, scarves, clothes and ankle bracelets. and they were mainly run by interns. at 6-7 years of age, these interns were programmed well. not a time went by that i could quietly walk past w/o requesting me to "take a look, madam". politely refusing their usual tactics each time not wanting to give them false hope in my cheapness, i eventually caved. i went to take a look. and i did find a scarf i was truly interested in, so i bargained per protocol. not wanting to sell it at my offering price, i began to walk away. so they began bargaining with themselves until they came to my offering price.

but before making the final sale, i requested a mirror to try it on. before the young intern could retrieve one, his grandmother lends her left arm my direction where i noticed my reflection (with scarf) was a mosaic on her sleeve. with a genuine laugh shared by all 3 of us, and the rest of the family in the audience hoping for a sale, how could i refuse? THAT was a sales tactic i had not seen before!

Life in the Ashram

Om namo narayanaya...these sanskrit words (a chant for world peace) along with "jaya ganesha", "om namo sivaya" cannot seem to leave my head. chanting them daily morning and evening left them occupying my thoughts. at first they were a bit irritating, but these singing chants grew on me...the whole group singing together, drumming away, jingling the tamberines, good voices, bad ones, good rhythm, bad rhythm. i could not understand the meaning of the sanskrit, but the intention behind it all was a bit intoxicating.

but after nearly 2 weeks in Sivananda ashram in the sw kerala, we were excited to hand in our official exit passes and be on our merry way, back into the temptations and pleasures of the outside world. it was a nice change of pace being in the ashram however. basically all decisions were made for us via the daily schedule. there was no deciding "where do we go next?", "how long should we stay?", "where should we stay?", "how do we get there?", "what should we eat?" each day was similar: early morning rise and shine, satsung (meditating and singing chants), yoga, brunch, karma yoga (chores), lecture and free time, yoga, dinner, and satsung.
it felt great to slow down and recenter, taking time to process the people, places, faces, sights, and sounds over the past few months, and discussing anything and everything as the mood struck with fellow travelers. doing more yoga in 2 weeks than i have ever done, my body felt great...longer, taller, and happier.

PHOTOS (from Karnataka and Kerala)

okay, sorry it has been awhile. you can check this website for updated photos (i apologize, the last website i left would not get you very far, but try these):

http://picasaweb.google.co.in/coffeewithkatie/IndiaMysore#
http://picasaweb.google.co.in/coffeewithkatie/IndiaCoorgRegionMadikeri#
http://picasaweb.google.co.in/coffeewithkatie/IndiaKerala#

i hope you all are great! thanks again for reading and browsing!

Farming Mishap and Happy Little Trees

we were excited to reach our first wwoof farm. the description sounded lovely and simple enough at paradisa resort. resort? hmm, not exactly what we had in mind, but optimistic, we carried on. organic spice and coffee plantation adjacent to the tiger reserve. housing in dorms and tents. the prospect of it was all very romantic. and it WAS very beautiful, relaxing setting and location. then we met the owner. i, being the single female, was housed in a high-end room next to the owner who knocked on my door multiple times a day/eve and invited me over for cocktails. clue #1. straight, simple answers were difficult to come by. what time do we meet in the morning? where do you sell the coffee we are picking? why are we tossing organic coffee into paint and motor oil cans that you can still smell the chemicals radiating from? we awkwardly showed up at hours we thought might be reasonable to eat gourmet food in a corner of the kitchen where we were served by staff. receiving special treatment felt uncomfortable. the fellow harvesters were kind, friendly and hard workers, however, i got the impression they had no idea who we were or why we were there. unsure of the entire operation and unconvinced we were exchanging valuable help or information, we left after 3 days.

in need of renewing positive energy, we will be heading into the hills to holistically rejuvenate our beings at an ashram, working on a different kind of (yoga) tree. tomorrow will begin a new year in positions my body may or may not like. perhaps i will comfortably be able to touch my toes in a couple of weeks!

a very hap hap happy new year to you all and a free mind, body, and soul!

Happy Holidays!!

We arrived in Cochin (the main city in the sw state of kerala). we spent a majority of the time catching up on things we had been needing to do, and taking in the more european/christian-influenced state. and because of this influence along with being coastal, the cuisine is slightly different and delicious, incorporating meat and fish. so we thought it would be fun to take a cooking class here. it turned out to be more of a demonstration, but still was fun to see an experienced cook prepare local fish curry and veggie dishes with coconut, and chapati (flat-bread), and to take home some ideas. the best part was indulging at the end. we headed a bit south for the holidays.

i guess i should be getting used to creating new holiday traditions in the nontraditional sense as i am not often home for the holidays working as a nurse. but that does not mean i do not miss them. a good chunk of our celebration was spent discussing how we would be celebrating the holidays at home. "okay, so what would you be doing right now?" is a question that has come up quite frequently the past few days. and while christmas has lost its religious value for me and gift giving has vastly downsized, the spirit of being surrounded by family and friends, kicking back watching christmas vacation and the christmas story, listening to cheesy christmas music, taking on my dad in our biannual ping pong match (and often losing), listening to the off-key "i said the donkey" at midnight mass on christmas eve trying to hold in my laughter so that i do not draw too much attention to the scent of alcohol on my breath, and eating until i cannot eat anymore makes me a bit homesick.

but the holidays have treated us quite well. with the christian influence here in kerala, christmas is present more than most areas of india. we "splurged" and stayed at a guesthouse ($10/night) along the backwaters adn spent christmas eve and christmas in the sunny, humid heat to spend two lazy days lounging, reading, strolling, canoing, and feasting on traditional indian fare in a small village. the family is fantastic, and so were the other travelers. we got a big kick out of the fireworks the family set off and evern moreso, the christmas carolers complete with drums, trumpets, and a wildly dancing santa with a red-face/white beard mask. it's a hoot!

the backwaters is a beautiful place, but environmentally speaking is a bit sad to experience. it is easy to imagine serene waters in the not-so-distant past with sporatic hand-made wooden canoes powered by good old fashioned manual paddles transporting locals from place to place, and healthy birds feeding on healthy fish, and the waters providing a source for food, bathing, laundering, and perhaps even drinking. while most of these traditions and aspects are still fulfilled, the "health aspect" has been corrupted by increasingly polluted waters encouraged by travelers like us who increase the demand for large houseboats, thus filling the waters with the sounds and waste of motors. and despite the pollution, the waters are still used for such practical purposes of food, bathing and rice paddy farms. our host family, for instance, informed us that they farm "organically", the way their ancestors did without chemicals. but the pollution in the waters that they flood their paddys with counteracts their efforts.

in any case, the backwaters remains a beautiful and mostly tranquil space with a tight and open community of villagers who have remained for generations. i also found it interesting that this remote area, being quite well-educated and using traditional techniques, is self-sustaining, growing its own food, fishing, and exporting rice, (and now tourism) as its main source of income. they are quite aware of the increasing pollution of the houseboats, and are able to flush the backwaters with sea water periodically, but it still cannot keep up with the quantities infusing into it daily. and that which is flushed out goes somewhere, and that somewhere is the ocean. they are doing their best, and the tourism supports their income. so what is the answer? who knows? tangeant done.

and so today we are heading to our first farm a bit inland near a tiger reserve. it is on a coffee and spice plantation. easing our way into the farming scene, we will probably be harvesting coffee. it will be a nice change of pace to be in one place for a couple of weeks...working on an organic farm.

I Hear That Train A Comin', Comin' Round The Bend...

i generally enjoy traveling by train. the gentle rock of the train and the rhythm of the chug chug chug soothes me to sleep. trains can be the most comfortable way to travel in india...or perhaps the least. we hopped a train to Cochin (the largest city in the southwestern-most state of kerala). what a trip! it is cheap, sure! i did not sleep a wink over the course of the 9 hour night train ride. we rode second class unreserved b/c that was the only available. it cannot possibly be that bad, right? hmmm, i think i might have to argue that one, although i am glad on some level that we experienced it...once. i have gained a whole new level of respect for those who travel this way more than once. they are way more self-disciplined than me.

when the train arrived, we forced our way onto the crowded car, and luckily found an empty bench on the top/second tier. meant for 3 people, meg, tim, and i fit perfectly. but it does not work that way. each 3 person bench squeezed 4-5 people on, and each stop brought more passengers, piling on the seats, and spilling into the aisles. people were sitting on the ground, standing, and intertwined on the seats trying to find a position comfortable enough to settle into. my body was not quite able to find that position, however. maybe i can dangle my legs (but then they are hanging in people's faces). okay, i will sit cross-legged (but there isn't enough space). i will try hugging my knees (but the bar my feet rest on is digging into my heels and the bar between my buttocks isn't super cozy). i got it. i will sit on my shoes and rest my feet on the bench across from us. damn, i can only reach with my toes. i hope that roach does not scurry over this way. and that was the extent of the night, repeating itself in a predictable cadence. once we arrived in Cochin, we found a clean guesthouse, and the best night's sleep i have had in weeks!