Closing 2007

2007 coming to an end..Time always flies soo fast..Realization made me resurface here again..Wld have been so unfair if my page wld not even have had a last
word from me on the year and happenings
So how wld I describe this year..Busy one beaming with guests some amount of backache and then the lovely trips thrown in..
Went on a 4 day trip to Kerala in Nov.Roamed around kovalam, kanyakumari , allepey, trivnadrum..
Sole reason of going to Trivandrum was nostalgia..Had spent three months there in my training days so just wanted to check how has the city been all these
years. even saw OSO(Om Shanti om) there..It was nice cheering shouting with the crowd that made up for the not so likable first half of the movie for me..Pic is of ambrosia at bakery junction which used to our favorite treat joint..We were so excited at unexpectedly finding it but also were so happy that all we too there tasted so yummy

Kovalam was as pretty as ever but somehow that was not sufficient for me..The novel experience was the two hour fish catching ceremony on the beach.something I will never forget and which i can see happening before my eyes even today.Ceremony is the word not task I use. As that can rightly describe the untiring effort and focus,the rhytmic movements and the merriment around

Had just gone a walk by the beach in the morning when we noticed the fisherman pulling ropes whose lengths were hidden somewhere beneath the sea..Seconds changed to moments and moments to hour..we stood there watching.Cld see the rope's lengths after an hour..that was a new high among the fisherfolks..U cld see suddenly the movements going faster..Youths, in hope of getting a piece of final share,joined in the effort..

Foriegners joined in for the excitement of it. As the ropes came near some folks went inside the sea..Jumping near ,still far end of the net,it was dance celebrating the arrival ..As the net came nearer,efforts reached crescendo..On could feel the excitement in the air..Fisher men started singing ,a rythym complimenting their movements and at the same time conveying the hope..

Soon the catch was out and all the excitement was changed to business like demeanor in deciding the amount of share for everyone. Yeah did ntowit up to
see the further details as I had my bag full with a lifetime experience

Next stop was Kanyakumari..We took a taxi ,it was lush green everywhere..Hotel we got in kanyakumari was a pleasant surpise..Yipee we cld see the sunrise frm
the room and they even have a knock door service for this.

Got up early in the mrng to roam around the sea.Even though weather was not at its best we had the advantage of having risen early..lonely boats,clean blue sea all around,early mrng fish market bustling with activity were some of the images that still stay
with me

Took first ferry to vivekananda memorial in hope of beating the sun..Thiruvallur rock was new addition since my visit last time..knew the name thanks to abdul kalam's book wings of fire

Another major attraction for me there was the majestic look I cld get of the rock memorial ,as if rising out of the sea

Next day early morning we started for allepey..Houseboat(Mettuvalam) was another attraction we had thought abt going to..We decided for a six hour day tour and I can tell
you for sure though little expensive its a lifetime of experience u shld never miss

We had a crew of three with us boat captain(dont get a image of someone in whole white but its plain shirt and loongi ishstyle,one sitting without umbrella in the pic),one cook and I guess third one was giving the morals support to other two ;-)
Must say out captain was a sociable guy,honking his boat nearly every 5 minutes as a way of greeting someone he knew..And one colorful thing of all the ppl the boats nearby us he was the only one typical india with a colorful umbrella..All others had usual black ones

On discussing we came to know these boats are made by investment of somewhere around 20-30 lakhs and the high ends one can reach as high as 50 lakh..Its
literally a 2 bhk home inside with TV decent baths with hot clean water thrown in.Wld even go to the extent of saying better than some of the hotels we have stayed in. Lunch is such a nice feast..we choose to go in small canals and cld see the bustling activity on tiny strip of land on both sides..There were homes schools and even shops there. Boat head even showed us his home..we saw the longest snak boat the route of yearly boat raceand they hav boat clubs jsut like football clubs..Our boat captain was a part of such club and claimed to have been part of winning team in many races..

Six hours were a dream run and they simply passed by..we being mesmerised by the lovely views .But end it did and with it our kerala trip..

For me this wld be the remembrance of the year..Hope to have more for such moments in the year to come..

Wish you all a very Happy & Prosperous New Year ..

Trivia: Must thank doctor bejan singh who game me some jaan when some foreign object invaded my eye..TO hubby who took me all the way from kanyakumari to
nagercoil just for something in my eye which I wld have avoided.. and in such case surely wldn't have had any trip to remember