When we arrived in Cochin following the performance of Kathakali Dancers, we checked into the Cochin Casino Hotel. I am not sure right now, but I think we had dinner that night. Kind of interrupted sleep for most of us, but the following morning, we all had breakfast and then boarded our coach - said hello to our driver, Shiva, and traveled to our next stop - Kumarakom Lake Resort. MAN, what a magnificent place. Both at Cochin Casino Hotel and Kumarakom Lake Resort, we were all greeted by the staff, complete with a tikka on our foreheads, a garland of the freshest smelling flowers, and a refreshing drink of juice. At KLR (as I will call it) we waited a while as Manoj, our guide, checked us into the hotel, and it seemed as though each of us was a sponge, simply soaking up the surroundings, the intricate carvings on doors and pillars, gazing out across the beautiful grounds to the 45 square mile lake and almost pinching ourselves as we could not really believe we were here.
We were each escorted to our rooms - each of the team members having a poolside villa, while my room was on the other side of the resort, in the more quiet section - although quiet was not missing from anywhere at KLR - serenity was the name of the game. Pathways criss-crossing lush green lawns (although not your regular "Kentucky Blue") as well as channels of water, that were daily filled from a pump station down near the lakeside, the winding pool which gently meandered among the pool villas, an infinity pool down at the lake. Looking out from the property, one sees dozens of the houseboats, similar to what we would be boarding in a couple of days.
Following lunch, we were drive a few kilometers to a bird sanctuary. We opted to take small power boats out into the larger canals and into the lake, rather than walking the 6 kilometers of pathways. It was great fun having Frankie and Mike Holness in my boat, since they are keen birders and brought along a book of Birds of India. Probably the most amazing feature of this lake (and one of spectacular beauty, and concern at the same time) were literally millions of tiny floating gardens, naturally occurring bundles of water hyacinths and lotus lilies. All of the boats simply plow on through these tiny oases, rather than trying to go around them. I guess after piloting a boat through the lake for years, one realizes these islands are afloat rather than attached, so it is safe to cut through them. The beauty comes from a lush carpet of green shiny leaves of the hyacinths, along with the occasional lily pad, dotted with blossom stocks of lavender. In less traveled areas, bunches of magenta lotus blossoms stood higher and prouder than any of the other blossoms, their open blooms enticing bees and dragonflies to sample their nectar. We saw cormorants, turns, gulls, bee eaters, kingfishers, heron, ibis, kites, and so many more varieties of birds. It was a most relaxing two hours out on the water, enjoyed by all of us, and providing a sampling of the pampered life style we were going to enjoy for the next two days. We returned to our villas, awaiting dinner and a dance program.
Dinner was wonderful, with great selections of VEG and non-VEG dishes, salads, soups, breads, juices, and of course, the huge table with about two dozen different desserts - not that any of us would dream of consuming! The dance program, at least for us, was a bit ho-hum, only that it was a repeat of the prior night's program of Kathakali dancing - replete with Hanuman with his plated white beard, and the temptress who ends up each night having one of her breasts ceremoniously cut off by Hanuman's wooden sword! (I guess you have to be there to appreciate it).
Many of us decided to take advantage of the two dozen different types of massage offered at the spa, and most likely none of us expected what we experienced. I will leave it to readers to inquire of your friends who are a part of this TEAM to find out the details. Days blend into days, and I would challenge any of our group to be able to successfully separate them. However, I will attempt to do so in the next installment. Additionally, when I have an opportunity to connect my camera or mini-laptop to the internet, I will add photos.
No comments:
Post a Comment