20 January 2008

Varkala

I just looked at my previous post and blushed at my many typos. I blog from cafes - connection often slow - and all in a hurry ...o time to proofread.
I'm in a resort village called Varkala along the Malabar Coast in South Kerala. It's quite a stunning place with steep cliffs from where you look down at the water. This place is set up for western tourists (the place is swarming with them) so I feel like I have temporarily left India. I'm staying in a Keralan style hut with a thatch roof made from palm fronds. It's very cute and comfortable. I highly recommend a stop in Varkala, especially midway through travels in India, which I am. After two weeks of frenetic India it's tempting to think of home, but you can't just go back because you know there's still a lot more to see and you really came here to see that stuff. Then you get to Varkala. Ahhh! A strip of hotels, Ayurvedic resorts (I'm staying in one), restaurants, and shops along a cliff which reminds me a little of Cinque Terre in Italy. To get to the beautiful beach below you go down a steep staircase. Varkala is the kind of place I imagine many Californians will love. Everywhere, you see signs up for Ayurvedic massages, yoga sessions and classes, body treatments, Keralan cooking classes, etc. So, as you can see there are a lot of things to keep a person happy. In the evenings strolling the cliff promenade is fun. You can see beautiful sunsets. Many restaurants have live Indian music - mainly classical - in the evenings. As resorts go, Varkala has got to be way superior to places like Hawaii. I'm indulging myself - spending 4 nights here. I feel guilty about it - but, it's so wonderful here. Today I had my first Ayurvedic massage. Such treatments aren't done in the kind of la-di-da places we have in California. Oh no. You are in some simple building. A woman takes you into a small room whcih has a massage table that has been around as long as I have. You take off all your clothes and no robe or towel is wrapped around you. The woman lathers on Ayurvedic oils which smell like spicy flowers and massages you firmly, slapping, pounding, and rubbing. Boy, she was so bloody firm even when I was on my back, completely oblivious to the fact that my breasts might be a tad more tender than the rest of me! Every part of you is oiled and massaged from head to toe. And it's all very straightforward. No soothing music and candles and stuff. But, oh boy, it was good. Then a shower to wash off those oils whcih felt like an inch thick layer around me.

While I'm here I'll also take yoga classes, and whatever else is on offer. And yes, I'll do another one or two more Ayurvedic massages. I'm no idiot.
Now, can you imagine a better way to while away your time at a beach resort? Oh yes, the ocean water is warm and great for swimming or rather splashing about. There is a strong current - so it's hard to actually swim.
This morning over breakfast I observed about 5 or 6 dolphins playing about in the water. An Italian tourist I spoke to told me that when he was swimming he noticed a large shape and was alarmed - he thought it was a shark. Then a dolphin jumped and he realized he was swimming among the dophins. Cool, huh?

In Kerala there is 100% literacy. Everyone can speak some English - the levels vary. The locals have a lot of pride in their language and culture. People are friendly and I've had lots of conversations with the locals. I like them a lot. I could live in Kerala!

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