Winter this year has been so cold and frozen that leaving the UK for warmer climes was non too difficult - with exception of some issues over Visa's and the fact that daughter No 2 lost her passport at Dubai - we headed south.
We have just returned from our "almost" annual pilgramage to India, a short two weeks travelling from Chennai- formally known as Madras to Kochi (formally Cochin) We headed first to Pondicherry a wonderfully atmospheric French Colony, Mark insisted on taking us to the Bar Qualite' where I confirm that despite the beer being cold it was far from living up to it's name but does excude a certain charm. Delightful French meals on the menu's here giving some light relief for our 14 year old daughter who was a bit curried out !.
From here we headed to a place called Dindigul, the crossroads on the plains behind the Western Ghats, the aim being to visit the town of Palani and the great Hindu temple, we'd been before but the once a year festival was taking place and was heaving with pilgrims all walking barefoot towards the town that we had no chance of getting anywhere near - guess what? we picked the same day of the year again ! typical, so we gave up on that and went to Madurai one of my very favourite cities in India.
The Meenakshi Temple is a sight to behold, and although closed for their own festival on the day we arrived we rose early and ventured in at 7am the following morning, they get somewhere in the region of 25,000 visitors a day so getting there early was wonderful, and very atmospheric, watching my mother in law's face as the elephant blessed her, dribbling on her coiffured hair will be a memory I will long treasure.
The temple was in operation and the site of a Hndu university many centuries BC and yet it is still a thriving centre, highly prized in Hindu religion and we felt honoured as non hindu's to be allowd access to the temple and see the divinty in practice. To site in one of theh rooftop restuarants and watch the sun change the colours of the tall Gopurums that mark the site of the Temple complex is a wonderful way to sepnd an evening or two.
From here we travelled up to the hill station of Munnar, not the prettiest of towns but the scenery along the way is utterly breathtaking, through miles of manicured tea plantations. the next day we travelled down to Kumily and stayed at the wonderful Jungle View Homestay, one of my favourite places in all of India, Mr Ramachandran and his lovely wife make you so welcome and are so laid back and relaxed that if you have an ounce of stress this is the place to leave it all behind. That's until you take a backwaters houseboat trip that is, apart from having to cross a decidedly rickety plank to get on board this is the most decadent and lazy way to enjoy the food and scenery without having to lift a finger or move more than a few feet all day long.
We stayed for two nights and am so glad we did, the cabins were lovely and sitting on the wicker chairs watching the world slowly float by was wonderful. Our on board chef cooked up a delicious array of food including fresh water prawns so big we could only manage one each ! I'd like to say Mark spent his time reflecting on ideas for new recipes but in all honesty we just sat and watched the wildlife and people all going about their daily lives. true bliss.
We finished off this whistle stop tour in Cochin, Fort Cochin is home to the evocative Jew Town, famous not only for the synagogue which is well worth a visit if you are there any other day other than Friday or Saturday, but also for the vast array of spices, teas and coffee being traded, if you have a cold, my advice would be to stroll around Jew Town and take a few deep breaths of the drying ginger root and you'll be right as rain in no time.
Back in the main city of Cochin known as Ernakulum, which sounds as though it should be close to Rome, but only in name, we visited our old friend Mushtaq, or Mr Ali to you and me. His emporium is a treasure trove and he is so lovely, we have traded with him for almost 18 years now and it feels like visiting family whenever we call in. Once again we managed to buy goods for our shop so watch out they'll be coming soon !
As food oddessy's go the highlights were definately the Prawns for me, Mark would go for the Fish Pollichattu any day of the week, marinated in spices and cooked wrapped in Banana leaves so that the fish steams inside. Daughter Izzy I think would go for the Pizza she had in Pondicherry ( ah well you can lead a horse to water !) actually she tried everything and apart from a dislike of Coconut she enjoyed pretty much everything and no-one went hungry that's for sure ! Breakfast usually was a combination of boiled eggs, bananas and sometimes toast, to Parathas, eggs with onions and pea dal, all were delicious. Coffee varied from being so weak you could see the bottom of the cup to murky and cloudy and suprising tasty. My favourite was the Masala Chai on offer in the road side stop off points, not like tea as we would know it here in the UK but very refreshing.
Overall a great way to renew the batteries and enjoy the 96 degree heat when you know it is -10 here in the UK. It's funny how when you are in the cold you can't imagine being that hot, and vice versa, but back now a week and I am so missing that wonderful warmth.
Off now to make heart warming mutton curry for tea.
