South India: the Backwaters and Varkala

Roadside in the backwaters, Kumarakom

Pretty sure that

The houseboats take some skill to manoeuvre.

Eastend Lakesong Resort, Kumarakom

Our hotel has an impressive system of canals on the grounds.

There was I think a YWCA function going on that day.

Relaxing on the lunch cruise

The quacking noises are a thing to witness.

I certainly felt like an interloper. The tourist boats pass right by people

Back at the hotel in time for sunset

We liked the backwaters trip enough to follow up with an extended visit the next day.

GPOY

I remember having fuses like these in our building growing up. But ours were in an indoor cabinet, not outdoors exposed to the elements.

Heading out of the canals and back to the lake

Lunch on the houseboat -

Cardamom seeds

A local schoolroom

We left the backwaters and arrived at the trip

The beach ashram

Offerings at a sacred tree, Janardanaswamy Temple. The lady attending to the shrine was not excited about my photography.

Creepy as hell, but also neat

The tank in the centre of town in Varkala. Temple tanks have a ceremonial function, but that doesn

...or for dental hygiene. Ewww.

We had the perfect perch for snooping on people in the temple tank. It wasn

Sunset at the beach ashram

&quot;Meh - the beach below our house in Netanya is better&quot; was Dad