01/09/2018 Twelfth Day
Tikkday
A long bus ride to Tikkday, a mountain town on the way from Trivandrum to Kochi. Went on an elephant ride, which was easier and hurts less to saddle than a horse. The ride on the elephant itself was bumpy and irregular because of the footsteps on the uneven terrain. It was nice to see the hairs on the elephant’s head, remnants of its prehistoric mammoth days. I think I can now better imagine the experience of being on one of Hannibal’s elephants crossing the Alps!
In the evening, the group attended a tribal dance. The first part of the dance invited the Gods to watch. The second part invited the deceased ancestors. The remaining parts of the performance prayed for good hunting and harvests. Most of the dance movements made sense to symbolize the sowing and harvesting of crops, along with some hunting. (Are there inter-tribal organizations around the world that connect native peoples with one another?)
For dinner, I had my first disappointing meal of the trip. A Navaratan Khorma that was watery and unflavorful.
It was also the first time I had chunks of banana in my curry.
I really enjoyed the simplicity of hotel that I stayed in for the evening. The clay or terracotta floor, with the filler slabs on the ceiling, and the orange curtains and bed pillows made for a very warm and comfortable setting. Plus, the size of the room and the bare essential furnishings are quite adequate for my tastes. I approve of this hotel designed by a Keralan artist inspired by Laurie Baker and would not mind if I can claim it for my own.
01/10/2018 Thirteenth Day
Tikkday and Kochi
Early in the morning, a boat tour of the Piyar Tiger Reserve. Chilly but the dawn light and the fog, with the occasional elephants, made for quite a very pleasant experience. It would have been better if it was not so windy though. Also, a band of savage monkeys leaped from the rooftop of the waiting area and stole from the guests. One of the monkeys managed to seize an entire bag of what was presumably food. I thought monkeys were harmless at first, but after watching their pillaging, I am more dubious of their intentions.
A hearty breakfast of puttu with egg roast and masala chai warmed me up after the cold morning excursion. Never before had I have had an egg roast. But after my first experience, my eyes have opened to the fact that the simple egg can be made so flavorful. (I will be learning how to make egg roast as my new breakfast food.)
After breakfast, an engaging tour of different spice plants with a passionate and lively guide. It was good to actually see the plants that produced the spices that we use often. I was quite surprised to learn that a good, fresh vanilla bean pod is oily and is also able to wrap around objects. I learned that all-spice comes from a tree, whereas five-spice is a mixture of different spices. Seeing a pineapple growing from the ground and a freshly dug turmeric root were good experiences.
For lunch, continuing from the egg theme of the day, egg kothu paratha was amazing! Such simple egg dishes should be brought back to the US to spice up the rather boring vegetarian scene.
A stroll amidst tea bushes on a tea plantation was another new experience for me.
