Cruising through the gentle backwaters...

This post comes 6 months too late, but this was such a magical part of our summer vacations in the backwaters of Alleppey this year, I just had to share it with all of you:-)

Our Kerala trip consisted of experiencing the backwaters as well as exploring the lanes of Fort Kochi, I have already shared our trip to Fort Cochin here & here...

Lake Palace Resort in Alleppey was where we stayed since it's located right on back waters.

For the 3 days that we stayed there we took 3 different boats to explore the backwaters.

Riceboats or Kettuvallams are traditional boats that were used in the olden days to transport rice and spices, today they can be hired for the whole day to cruise along the various canals of the backwaters.

The pace at which the boat cruises along is so lovely I recall dozing off every now and then between reading a paragraph of my book.

The riceboat then drops anchor at Lake Vembanad at noon, where the seasoned chefs in the boat's kitchen whip up hot lunch that can be savored at a leisurely pace while watching the other boats and marine birds...

Another day we took a smaller boat that takes you into the narrower canals where one can experience the daily life of people living on the banks of the backwaters.

Stopping now and then to sip some fresh tender coconut water and taking in the beauty of the place.

The last day we took a public transport boat which was lovely too with it's beautiful windows:-)

What a beautiful, serene journey it was...hope all of you visit the backwaters of Kerala at least once in your lives:-)

Kashi Art Cafe...

Kashi Art Cafe~ A quaint cafe' that houses an art gallery showcasing the finest works by contemporary artists, a relaxed space where artists, enthusiasts and tourists like us can meet, hang out and enjoy their delicious homemade cakes and french press coffee.
At Kashi Art Cafe, they say 'no to plastics' and serve mineral water in sterilized glass bottles.
What a great idea and love that bottle!(hey but you can't take the bottle, only for drinking;-)
It was super hot in the afternoon and their 'Iced Tea' was a such a great thirst quencher. While you are there also try their refreshing Lemonade with ayurvedic herb.
Ok. Ok. Chai lovers do forgive me;-) On our second visit to the cafe, I was very intrigued by the Bodum French Press coffee, I just needed to try it out.
Sitting pretty is a large slice of Chocolate Cake with a generous helping of Chocolate Sauce.

So next time you are in Fort Cochin, you know where to head for a great glass of Iced tea or a slice of their homemade Date & Walnut cake:-)
Enjoy!

The streets of Fort Kochi...

The first thing that struck us when we entered the streets of Fort Cochin or Fort Kochi is the architectural style~ An interesting blend of British, Portuguese & Dutch style.
An eclectic blend of art culture, quaint theme-cafes', colonial homestays, churches, designer stores, antique shops and boutique hotels...We stayed at a heritage colonial hotel called The Old Courtyard, that came highly recommended for it's food as well as the proximity to the streets of Fort Cochin.(More on that in Rang Decor soon:-)
Walking on the streets, gazing at the various signboards & architectural style was itself a refreshing activity.I loved the names of the various streets...
Beautiful boards on the walls of Malabar House a boutique hotel.
Many cafes' catering to various tastes, line these streets.Loved the liberal use of vibrant colours on the walls of various homes.If you have eaten in all the restaurants and cafes' and want to try something new, join the cooking classes:-)Dal Roti - Desi Khana was amazing. Simple decor. Great food.Idiom Booksellers~ A great little book store, where you can sell your old books and buy new ones:-)

Hope you enjoyed the little tour of the streets of Fort Cochin as seen through my eyes.
Stay tuned. Will be posting about two very interesting cafe's that had us going back for more:-)