My last state in India for this adventure is the southwestern state of Kerala. The region is known for its spice trading and its origin in Kerala may go back to 3000 BC. Today the region is still known for its pepper, cardamom, star anise, clove, cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, and nutmeg. Tea is also grown here in the mountains of the Western Ghats.
I landed at the airport in Cochin (also called Kochi) and headed for the backwaters of Alleppey (also called Alappuzha) for an overnight stay on a houseboat. I had read that it was one of the things to do while in Kerala and so my travel agent made it happen. I was expecting it to be good, and though the boat was a bit oversized for just me, it was as much of India has been, better than expected. My two companions for the trip, Choco and Sebastian, seemed to alternate between driving the boat and preparing meals and tea. The food was good and the bedroom was air conditioned.
It was a peaceful cruise with quite a few photo opportunities. I also learned that St. Thomas is said to have come to Kerala, which had Jewish settlements at the time, preaching the Gospel and making converts. We stopped once at a church recently proclaimed a Basilica that traces its history to 427 AD, but some traditions hold that the actual location was visited by St. Thomas. If you would like to see a couple pictures of the church and quite a few other photos that caught my eye click here.