|
Houseboat cruise
Large, sturdy kettuvallam once carried heavy loads up and down
Kerala's backwaters. The boats' long planks were tied and sealed with coir
(the tough fibers from coconut husks) and required two men with long
bamboo punts to navigate it through shallow waters. Roads and motored
vehicles led to the decline of kettuvallum, but tourism has brought
them back, albeit in slightly more comfortable form. Our boat, the smaller
one on the left, had two rooms that were plenty big for four friends and a
wonderful front deck where we spent nearly all our time. Because Meera speaks Malayalam, the language of
coastal Kerala, we were treated to boating lessons, favorite recipes, and
three bottles of the infamous toddy--a fizzy brew fermented from freshly
tapped
coconut blossoms that, to my delight, grows more potent with each passing
hour.
next
|
